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Department of Classics

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Joint Honours Classical Civilisation

This course examines the culture of Greece and Rome through a detailed study of the literature and thought of those civilisations. Topics include ancient drama, epic and lyric poetry, philosophy, and cultural issues such as issues of gender and sexuality, power and politics, and the role of literature in ancient society. All authors are studied in translation, and are placed within the social, religious and political context of their times. The Classical Civilisation syllabus also includes modules in mythology and history in the first year.

This course is combined with another subject chosen from a range of options within the area of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. No knowledge of ancient languages is necessary for this course.

TJH (Trinity Joint Hons) CC PATHWAYS

As a TJH CC Trinity student, you will have choices to make at the end of your 1st Year and 2nd Year about what type of degree you wish to finish with and what options you would like to take to get there.

You will find a very helpful visualisation of your pathways options here: 

The College website offers a useful ‘pathway tool’ here for you to explore your choices.

Click on Junior Freshman Year below to see your mandatory 1st year.

Junior Freshman (JF)

At the end of your 1st Year you will choose how many ECTS credits in CC you would like to take:

  1. 40 ECTS (leading to a Single Honours, Major with Minor or Joint Honours degree);
  2. 20 ECTS (leading to Major with Minor or Joint Honours degree); or
  3. 0 ECTS (leading to a Single Honours degree in your other subject).

In the following SF, JS, and SS pages you will find an overview of modules available for each pathway in 2023-24.

Senior Freshmen (SF)

ClassCiv SF PATHWAY FOR 40 CREDITS
(Single Honors; Major Award; Joint Honors)

You will take 40 credits in Classical Civilisation and 20 credits in your Subject 2.

Semester 1 (20 Credits)

Semester 2 (20 Credits)

ClassCiv SF PATHWAY FOR 20 CREDITS
(Major Award; Joint Honors; Minor Award)

You will take 20 credits in Classical Civilisation, 20 credits in your Subject 2, and 20 credits in Trinity Electives and Open Modules. A list of Trinity Electives is available here: https://www.tcd.ie/trinity-electives/electives/
Information and list of Open Modules can be found here: https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/

Semester 1 (10 Credits)
(Choose one module)
Either

Or

Semester 2 (10 Credits)
Choose one module
Either

Or

Rules: Only one module ‘with project’ is permitted: if you wish to take CLU22205 in Sem 1, you must take CLU22200 in Sem 2; if you wish to take CLU22204 in Sem 2 you must take CLU22201 in Sem 1.

At the end of your 2nd Year you will choose your Sophister pathway from the following options:

  1. Single Honours in CC (50 ECTS in ClassCiv, 10 ECTS in your Subject 2 or Trinity Electives/Open Modules)
    In this pathway you will drop your Subject 2 at the end of Yr 3.
  2. Major in CC Option A (40 ECTS in ClassCiv, 20 ECTS in your Subject 2)
    In this pathway you will carry both subjects to Yr 4.
  3. Major in CC Option B (30 ECTS in ClassCiv, 30 ECTS in your Subject 2)
    In this pathway you will drop your Subject 2 at the end of year 3.
  4. Joint Honours in CC (30 ECTS in ClassCiv, 30 ECTS in your Subject 2)
    In this pathway you will carry both subjects to Yr 4.
  5. Minor in CC (30 ECTS in ClassCiv, 30 ECTS in your Subject 2)
    In this pathway you will drop CC at the end of Yr 3.
  6. Minor in CC (20 ECTS in ClassCiv, 40 ECTS in Subject 2)
    In this pathway you will carry both subjects to Yr 4.
  7. CC as Subject 2 in Single Honours Pathway (10 ECTS ClassCiv)

In the JS and SS pages you will find an overview of CC modules available for each pathway in 2023-24.

Junior Sophister (JS)

ClassCiv JS PATHWAY FOR 50 CREDITS
(Single Honours)

Semester 1 (25 credits)

Semester 2 (25 credits)

The remaining 10 ECTS will come from your Subject 2 or from Trinity Electives and Open Modules.
A list of Trinity Electives is available here: https://www.tcd.ie/trinity-electives/electives/
Information and list of Open Modules can be found here: https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/

ClassCiv JS PATHWAY FOR 40 CREDITS
(Major Option A)

Semester 1 (20 credits)

  • CLU33211 Explaining the World (Page Under Construction) (10 ECTS)

With Either

Or

Semester 2 (20 credits)

With Either

Or

ClassCiv JS PATHWAY FOR 30 CREDITS
(Major Option B, Joint Honours, Minor Option B)

Semester 1 (15 credits)

Semester 2 (15 credits)

With Either

Or

ClassCiv JS PATHWAY FOR 20 CREDITS
(Minor Option A)

Semester 1 (10 credits)
Either

  • CLU33211 Explaining the World (Page Under Construction) (10 ECTS)

Or

Semester 2 (10 credits)
Either

Or

ClassCiv JS PATHWAY FOR 10 CREDITS
(Classical Civilisation as Subject 2 in Single Honours Pathway)

Semester 1 (5 credits)

Semester 2 (5 credits)
Either

Or

Senior Sophister (SS)

Depending on your pathway you will choose 40 or 20 ECTS of Special Subject modules and write a Capstone Dissertation. All final-year modules are research-led, interdisciplinary, and taught through small-group seminars.

Special Subject modules taught in 2023-24 are listed below. Other options may be offered in other years.

ClassCiv SS PATHWAY FOR 60 CREDITS
(Single Honours, Major Option B)

You will write a Dissertation (compulsory Capstone) and take Special Subject Options for 40 ECTS.
All Special Subjects are Optional: you will take modules for 20 ECTS in each semester.

Plus:

Semester 1 (30 Credits)

Semester 2 (30 credits)

  • CLU44590 Greek Lyric (10 ECTS)
  • CLU44560 Pop Classics (10 ECTS)

Subject to approval, students may also take 10-20 ECTS from the list of Special Subjects in Ancient History and Archaeology:

ClassCiv SS PATHWAY FOR 40 CREDITS
(Major Option A, Joint Honours with Capstone in ClassCiv)

You will write a Dissertation (Capstone) and take Special Subject Options for 20 ECTS (10 in each semester). The remaining 20 ECTS credits will come from modules in your Subject 2.
If you are on a Joint Honours Pathway you may choose to take the Capstone in your Subject 2.

Plus:

Semester 1 (20 Credits)
Either

Or

Semester 2 (20 credits)
Either

Or

  • CLU44590 Greek Lyric (10 ECTS)
  • CLU44560 Pop Classics (10 ECTS)

    • Subject to approval, students in some TJH combinations* may also take 10 ECTS from the list of Special Subjects in Ancient History and Archaeology:

    * This option is not available to you if your Subject 2 is English or Italian, owing to timetable constraints.

    ClassCiv SS PATHWAY FOR 20 CREDITS
    (Minor Option A, Joint Honours with Capstone in Subject 2)

    You will take Special Subject Options for 20 ECTS (10 in each semester).
    The remaining 40 ECTS credits, including the Capstone, will come from your Subject 2.

    Semester 1 (10 Credits)
    Either

    Or

    Semester 2 (20 credits)
    Either

    Or

    • CLU44590 Greek Lyric (10 ECTS)
    • CLU44560 Pop Classics (10 ECTS)