Students also attain a thorough grounding in the literatures and histories of the cultureson which they choose to focus.

Beyond these basics, however, our students' paths diverge.

Candidacy exams are tailored to reflect each student's chosen fields of expertise. For example, students who are interested in ancient Mediterranean religions have the possibility to enhance their degree with an Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization "Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean" for which they will receive a certificate of completion.

The Department of Classics is devoted to the study of the languages, literature, and cultures of Greece and Rome, focusing on Antiquity but including all periods from the Bronze Age to Modern Greece. This study is important, as the origins of western and much Near Eastern literature, philosophy, art, religion, and social forms lay in the ancient world, making Greece and Rome vital contributors to ongoing discussions of "who we are" in a broader sense.