The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Classical Studies offers students who have completed a Bachelor's degree the opportunity to achieve the fluency in reading ancient Greek and Latin required to pursue graduate study in Classics or related fields such as ancient history, archaeology, art history, philosophy, theology, or medieval studies. Coursework at the post-baccalaureate level also introduces some of the scholarship of Classical texts in which graduate study engages. Post-baccalaureate students become able to clarify their professional goals while they sharpen their technical skills and become better qualified to advance on the path they choose.

Linguistic preparation is a critical factor in students' success in the early years of their graduate programs. Committed and otherwise well-qualified students who have been able to begin serious language study only toward the end of their undergraduate careers face a competitive disadvantage. The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is a credential with which to surmount it.

Program overview

Loyola's program is shaped in terms of competence attained, rather than a fixed period of study. The certificate will be awarded to students who successfully complete two semesters totaling 18 "target" credit-hours at the 300-level in both Classical languages with a GPA of 3.0 in the program: "target" study in these two semesters should include at least 6 credit-hours in 300-level ancient Greek author-courses and at least 6 credit-hours in 300-level Latin author-courses. We recognize some students will have attained intermediate or advanced competence in both languages before their post-baccalaureate study and will need only two semesters of target-level work; some may have had the opportunity to become proficient in one Classical language but have weaker preparation in the other; and some may need to begin their study of both languages and will need additional coursework to complete the Certificate. Our program will meet you where you are in your own career of study, and work with you to bring your skills and knowledge up to the next stage.