Classics Minor

If you’re preparing for a future in teaching, medicine, law, or the ministry — or if you seek personal enrichment — you’ll want to consider a minor in Classics.

A student in Owen Ewald's Classics class

Degree requirements: 

The Classics minor requires 33 credits, including 15 upper-division credits. Ten of those credits are core courses, and 23 credits are from additional approved courses.

Benefits

Studying the Classics at Seattle Pacific University allows you to develop the analytical skills needed to understand ancient languages and engage in disciplines such as linguistics or textual criticism. You will also discover how Classics can add depth to disciplines such as history, philosophy, and art criticism.

With half the words in English vocabulary made up of Latin or Greek words and roots, minoring in Classics, or taking courses as your electives, gives you a great preparation for any of the liberal arts. And because Latin provides the root words for science vocabularies, you will also understand science and math terminology in a new way — as well as gain personal satisfaction.

Career opportunities

  • Academia
  • Archaeology
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Management
  • Medicine
  • Ministry
  • Politics
  • Teaching
  • Theatre

Entering the Classics minor

You may enter the minor during your first quarter at SPU. Entrance after your first quarter requires only good academic standing (2.0 or higher SPU cumulative GPA). Consult the undergraduate catalog for complete information on how and when to enter and what you must do to complete the program.   


Faculty contact

Owen Ewald

C. May Marston Associate Professor of Classical Languages and Civilizations; Chair of the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Linguistics
PhD, University of Washington

Email: ewaldo@ctdj.net
Phone: 206-281-2064
Office: Marston Hall 218

Owen Ewald

Why I Teach at SPU

Owen Ewald, Associate Professor of Classics

At SPU, I can bring ideas, texts, events, and objects from the ancient world into dialogue with the traditions and innovations of Christianity. I try to lead students more deeply into how ancient cultures develop over time in response to non-inevitable choices.

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