The Classical and Medieval Studies program at Cleveland State University (CLAM) is an interdisciplinary program drawing upon the faculty of eight academic areas within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences: Art, English, History, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Dramatic Arts. The CLAM program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree, a minor, and also provides courses for students in other majors with interests in the classical and medieval periods.

Why CLAM?

Students within the CLAM program study a rich range of cultures that existed within the ancient and medieval civilizations of the Mediterranean world, Europe, and the Middle East. These civilizations were dynamic, varied, and constantly changing as they developed internally and as they interacted with each other in the domains of politics, commerce, warfare, religion, philosophy, and the arts. Many of our heterogeneous cultural traditions in North America trace their origins to the civilizations of this period, among them our democratic ideals and republican institutions, Judeo-Christian and Islamic religious traditions, and many of our traditions in philosophy, the arts, architecture, and literature.

During the course of their work, students learn the particular methodologies and approaches of a variety of academic disciplines, such as history, philosophy, philology, literature and art. Completion of the CLAM major therefore also provides students with a solid background in the liberal arts. The CLAM major, aside from satisfying personal interests, prepares students for a range of academic and professional pursuits. CLAM students pursue careers in teaching, law, archeology, religious ministry, education, and museum and archive work, to name a few. Courses taken to satisfy the CLAM major requirements may also meet college or university general education requirements; a CLAM student will often be able to complete a double major or minor in one of the participating departments by taking only a few additional courses.

CLAM Major

The CLAM major requires 36 credit-hours of coursework, including at least 2 courses in each of three separate academic fields of study; 24 of these credit-hours must be at the 300 or 400 level. Students will design their individual programs of study in consultation with their adviser. Courses must be CLAM-designated classes selected from language courses, literature (English, Modern Languages), History, the arts (Art History, Dramatic Arts, Music), Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Classical and Medieval Studies. The CLAM major has no specific language requirement, but students are advised that most graduate programs in classics or medieval fields have language requirements for admittance. Students planning such graduate work are strongly encouraged to complete their CLASS foreign language requirement with a classical language (Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, or Latin).

The CLAM major student may undertake a senior thesis, to be completed within a four-hour independent study (CLM 498-499). The thesis is recommended for students who wish to continue on to graduate work. Students in the University Honors Program will use the senior thesis as part of their Honors requirements and the thesis may, upon consultation with the appropriate department, be cross-listed with another department if the student wishes to combine it with an independent study in a second major.

CLAM Courses

Arabic

• ARB 201 Intermediate Arabic I
• ARB 202 Intermediate Arabic II
• ARB 293/393/493 Special Topics in Arabic (1 to 4 credits)
• ARB 371 Survey of Arabic Literature and Culture

Art History

• ART 252 Introduction to Early Western Art
• ART 353 Islamic Art
• ART 354 Medieval Art
• ART 356 Gothic Art

Classical and Medieval Studies

• CLM 293/393/493 Special Topics in Classical and Medieval Studies (1 to 6 credits)
• CLM 495 Seminar (1 to 3 credits)
• CLM 498 Senior Thesis Proposal (1 credit)
• CLM 499 Senior Thesis Writing (3 credits)

Dramatic Arts

• THE 211 History of the Theater I (3 credits)

English

• ENG 280/320 Classical Literature in Translation
• ENG 318 Analysis of Language (2 or 4 credits; with classical or medieval language): cross-listed with LIN 318 or MLA 310
• ENG 330 Studies in Ancient Literature
• ENG 331 Studies in Medieval Literature
• ENG 355 Major Themes or Genres (with classical or medieval topic)
• ENG 361 Classical Rhetoric
• ENG 370 Chaucer

Greek

• GRK 301 Accelerated Classical Greek Language and Culture I
• GRK 302 Accelerated Classical Greek Language and Culture II
• GRK 350 Accelerated Classical Greek Language and Culture III
• GRK 351 Accelerated Classical Greek Language and Culture IV
• GRK 396/496 Independent Study in Greek (1 to 4 credits)

Hebrew: Courses in Classical Hebrew offered at Siegal College

• HEC 310 Intermediate Classical Hebrew I (3 credits)
• HEC 360 Learning to Chant the Torah (3 credits)
• HEC 552 Advanced Readings in the Book of Samuel I (3 credits)
• HEC 354 Advanced Readings in the Book of Judges (3 credits)
• HEC 370 Advanced Intermediate Classical Hebrew (3 credits)
• HEC 380 Advanced Readings in the Book of Numbers (3 credits)

History

• HIS 330 History of Ancient Greece
• HIS 331 Rise of Rome
• HIS 333 Barbarians and Slaves in Ancient Greece
• HlS 340 Roman Empire
• HIS 341 Early Middle Ages
• HlS 342 Late Middle Ages
• HIS 343 Social History of the Black Death
• HIS 354 European Women's History (effective Spring 2009)
• HIS 386 History of the Middle East to 1798

Latin

• LAT 200 Latin Bridge (1 to 2 credits)
• LAT 201 Culture and Civilization
• LAT 202 Vergil
• LAT 293/393/493 Special Topics
• LAT 296/396/496 Independent Study in Latin (1 to 4 credits)
• LAT 300 Latin Bridge (1 to 2 credits)

Linguistics

• LIN 318 Language Analysis (2 or 4 credits; with classical or medieval language): cross-listed with ENG 318.

Modern Languages

• MLA 201 Words: An Introduction to Etymology (3 credits)
• MLA 230/330 Gods, Heroes and Ritual: An Introduction to Greek Myth and Religion (3 credits)
• MLA 370 Athenian Drama in Context (crosslisted with ENG 330)

Music

• MUS 411 Music History I (3 credits)

Philosophy

• PHL 261 Ancient Philosophy
• PHL 262 Medieval Philosophy
• PHL 405 Prominent Philosophers (with classical or medieval topic)
• PHL 410 Studies in the History of Philosophy (with classical or medieval topic)

Religious Studies

• REL 231 Introduction to the Old Testament
• REL 232 Jesus and the Gospels
• REL 233 Paul and the Development of Christianity
• REL 234 The Later New Testament
• REL 236 Introduction to the New Testament
• REL 280 Introduction to Mythology
• REL 285 Myths of Fate and Destiny
• REL 336 Hellenistic and Roman Religions
• REL 341 The Origin of Judaism
• REL 343 Ancient and Medieval Christianity
• REL 374 Paul and Christian Origins
• REL 376 Women in Early Christianity
• REL 380 Ancient Greek Mythology: the Gods
• REL 463 Myths, Legends and Folktales
• REL 466 Images of Jesus in Early Christianity
• REL 468 Advanced Topics in Paul

CLAM Minor

To earn a CLAM minor, students must complete a minimum of 18 credit-hours in CLAM courses drawn from at least three separate academic fields of study, chosen in consultation with their adviser. At least three of these courses must be at the 300 or 400 level.