F. Other Classics Courses (including transfer credit)
F1. What courses are available this year?
Course offerings for the current academic year are listed in the Department's Course Guide.
F2. I would like to take a Classics course, but I don't have any Classical languages. Will I be at a disadvantage?
Classics courses (i.e. courses designated CLASS from the 100 to 400 level) are designed for students with no knowledge of Greek or Latin.
F3. Are any courses in Classics required or recommended?
If you are taking a major or minor in Classical Studies, there are program requirements (see section C: Major and section D: Minor), but no specific course requirements. If you are taking a major or minor in Classical Language or Classics, you will need to take the language courses in sequence.
The Department does not formally recommend any specific Classics courses.
See section A: Program Planning, especially question A2 for some general points to consider when planning your program.
To choose specific courses, it is recommended that you review the Department's Course Guide.
Contact the instructor directly if you would like further information about a course. You should bear in mind that instructors may change from year to year and that a course may have a different text book and be taught quite differently by a different instructor.
F4. Two courses in a subject area that interests me are being offered this year and I am not sure which one to take. How do I decide?
If both courses are in the same subject area, consult the instructor(s). A particular sequence may be recommended.
If you want to take both courses and can take only one this year, check with the instructor(s) when the courses are likely to be offered again. Some 300-level courses are offered in alternate years and some 400-level courses may not be offered again during the time it will take you to complete your program.
F5. I would like to take a course that is not being offered this year. Can I take this as a tutorial course (or directed study)?
Generally speaking, the Department encourages students to take the courses offered. An exception is made very occasionally, when a student needs a course that is not being offered, provided that an instructor is willing to supervise the course.
Because of the requirements of the registration system and the approval process, arrangements for individual study courses need to be made well in advance of the beginning of the term in which any course will be taken.
The Classics BA Advisor can provide advice on your Classics program requirements. The Department Office can provide the most current information on course availability, as well as information about the registration procedure if the individual study is approved.
F6. I would like to take a Classics course at another institution for credit towards my degree. Can I do this?
The University has transfer credit arrangements with a number of post-secondary institutions in Alberta. Transfer credit is most commonly given for courses completed prior to admission to the University of Alberta. Students taking a 120-credit Arts degree must have at least 60 credits in courses offered by the University of Alberta. (If you have any questions about this residence requirement, contact the Undergraduate Student Services Office in the Faculty of Arts.)
Once you have been admitted to the University of Alberta, you are expected to complete all requirements at this University. However, under "academically justifiable special circumstances," you may apply to the Dean for permission to take a course at another institution for application to your program, if
- you are a student in a Faculty of Arts degree program,
- you have already completed a minimum of 24 credits of your program at the University of Alberta,
- you have "satisfactory" academic standing (a faculty grade point average of 2.0 or higher), and
- you have not already received the maximum allowable transfer credit (60 credits from other post-secondary institutions)
If you are taking a major in Classical Studies, Classical Language or Classics, you must have written approval from the Classics BA Advisor to take a senior course in Classics, Greek or Latin at another institution.
Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Please allow sufficient time for the Adviser to consult with the faculty member best acquainted with the subject area of the course you propose to take.
Contact the Undergraduate Student Services Office to obtain the necessary approval form.
F7. I have taken a "Topics" course and I would like to take another course that has the same course number, but is on a different topic. Will this appear on my transcript as the same course and will I receive credit towards my degree for both courses?
The Department has a number of variable "topics" courses. They are sometimes called "Topics in [Ancient Art, Greek History, etc.]" or they may have a very general title such as "Individual Study." The Department lists the courses in the University Calendar in this way for flexibility. Details of the topic offered in a particular year are provided in the Department's Course Guide.
Topics courses are flagged by the Office of the Registrar. You will receive credit for each course you take as long as the topic is different. Both the course number and the short title of the course will appear on your transcript.
F8. I prefer courses that have a small class size. How can I identify these courses?
You can find out about maximum enrolments for individual courses that are currently being offered in Beartracks. Maximum numbers are usually based on the size of the venue for the course, as well as Department policies on class sizes at different levels. However, some classes have enrolments considerably lower than the maximum for the particular class. Courses are not classified according to size and you should check with the instructor for information about any course in which you are considering registering.
Nevertheless, it is possible to make some generalizations.
- Classics courses at the 100 level are mostly high-enrolment classes. Courses offered in the evenings or during the spring/summer terms usually have significantly smaller class sizes than the courses offered during the day in the fall and winter terms.
- Class sizes tend to get progressively smaller at the more senior levels. However, many 200-level and some 300-level courses do have relatively large class sizes. This tends to be the case with courses that fulfil Arts Faculty core program requirements.
- Language courses do not follow the general pattern. All Greek and Latin courses have a maximum class size of 30.
F9. I prefer courses that have (or don't have): (a) a class mark, (b) oral presentations, (c) multiple choice exams, (d) a term paper, (e) a final exam. How can I identify these courses?
Courses are not classified according to method of assessment and you should check with the instructor for information about any course in which you are considering registering.
Nevertheless, it is possible to make some generalizations.
- All 100-level courses are required to have a final exam worth at least 30%.
- Courses at the 200 and 300 levels normally have a final exam.
- Courses with large enrolments are more likely than small-enrolment courses to include a multiple choice component in exams. In Classics, this will not normally be more than 50% of any exam paper.
- Instructors are encouraged to set a term paper or comparable writing assignment in Arts Faculty courses. However, it is often not practical to set a term paper in junior, large-enrolment courses.
- Senior-level seminar courses often require an oral presentation of some kind.
- There is a wide variety of practice among instructors with respect to class marks. They are widely used in language courses.
For information about specific courses, consult the department web site, where course outlines have been posted. If a course outline is not available, consult the instructor of the course you are interested in.
F10. I would like to include a term at the University School at Cortona in my Classics program. Where can I get information about course offerings, fees, registration, etc.?
The program at Cortona regularly includes both Classics courses and other Arts courses. The Classics courses may fulfil Fine Arts requirements; the other Arts courses usually also fulfil degree requirements.
For information, see the Arts Faculty's Cortona web site or contact the Undergraduate Student Services Office or the Director, University School at Cortona.