The Latin program is in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, a part of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

A stone wall engraved with Latin words, the BGSU Latin major or minor opens up doors to the past and present.
  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available
  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available

Latin

The BGSU Latin major opens the doors to learning about the languages and civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome.

Modern ideas about many things — from politics to art, athletics, history, law, literature, philosophy, rhetoric, society — come from the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In addition, studying Latin expands your vocabulary, improves your grammar skills, and makes you a more effective communicator.

Awareness through Understanding

Learning about another culture through language makes you a more agile, flexible, and powerful thinker. Learning about the many ways people from other cultures live, love, fight, and die encourages you to think differently and more deeply.

Also learning about the past offers you perspective. Greek and Roman thought, expressed in ancient Greek and Latin, permeates the modern conception of life and what it means to be human AND many of the most influential works of literature were written in Greek and Latin. The increased awareness you gain through your study of the Classics enables you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and others so that you can build your future more wisely.

Stand Out in courses like

  • Ancient Greek
  • Ancient Historians
  • Apprentice Teaching
  • Classical Mythology
  • Great Greek Minds
  • Great Roman Minds
  • Latin Literature
  • Medieval Legends
  • Norse Mythology
  • Roman Life
  • Women in Ancient Greece and Rome
  • Word Power from Greek and Latin Roots

Word Power

A crude estimate suggests that of the 20,000 most common words in English, approximately half are derived from Latin, either directly or through French. And at least 2,000 words can be traced back to Greek, putting the total of English vocabulary derived from Latin and Greek at about 60%.

Moreover, at least 90 percent of the specialized vocabulary of the sciences derives from Greek and Latin.

Word power gives you control of words, the basic elements of all discourse, enabling you to speak well, read well, and write well.

Latin and Life

BGSU offers Latin as a major or minor and is the perfect preparation for jobs that require you to be an effective collaborator, communicator, problem-solver, and thinker. It also prepares you for graduate study in ancient art and archaeology, the Classics, dentistry, history, law, medicine, or philosophy.

Completing a major (or minor) in Latin through the College of Education and Human Development certifies you to teach the language at the high school level.

The BGSU Latin major emphasizes the study of the language. A separate major in classical civilization is available for a broader background in the cultures of Greece and Rome.

Curriculum

After completing Latin 2020, equivalent to the fourth year of high school Latin, you begin your major of twenty-one credits with up to two electives in ancient Greek or Classical Civilization courses. If you have not taken Latin in high school, you can earn your B.A. by taking Latin 1010-2020 and twenty-one additional credits. The time necessary for completion of the degree is not increased. If interested in learning Latin at an accelerated and intensive pace, contact one of the Classics faculty.

Study with our award-winning faculty, pioneering effective new techniques and innovative active learning strategies designed to help you reach a deeper level of learning. 

Classes in Latin take a cultural and reading approach to learning the language, which aid the development of these four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These core skills are reinforced through vivid examples of readings in Latin.

Study the Greek and Latin roots of words in the Word Power course, designed for improving your communication skills and vocabulary.

Advanced readings are available to delve into particular writers — biographers, historians, novelists, philosophers and poets. Read about the sack of Troy and the doomed love of Queen Dido in Vergil’s Aeneid. Study the scandalous careers of the early Roman emperors with Tacitus and Suetonius. Peer through the theatrical masks of comedy and tragedy as you read the dramatic poetry of Plautus and Seneca.

About 90% of the vocabulary of French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and the other Romance languages comes from Latin.

Careers

Over the course of your working career, you are expected to hold 8-10 different jobs. Today's employers seek to hire those who have learned transferrable skills that are fundamental to your study of Classics and Latin — collaboration, communication, problem-finding and problem-solving. 

Latin is excellent preparation for pre-law, pre-dental and pre-medical programs. It also provides the foundation for graduate work in ancient art and archaeology, ancient history, Classics, or philosophy.

And when you have an understanding of world languages and cultures, you gain a skill that is fundamental for today’s global citizens. When you graduate with a language degree, you can go on to find work in fields as diverse as the arts, business, education, environmental advocacy, government, health and social services, international relations, journalism, politics, theology, and translation services. 

Also, learning a second language has many neurological benefits. Increased cognitive flexibility, improved abilities in concentration and focus were found across several studies.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that in 2020 the median salary for graduates of a foreign language degree, including Latin, was $54,000.  

Go Far in your career

  • Art Historian
  • Author
  • Dentist
  • Educator
  • Journalist
  • Lawyer
  • Museum Curator
  • Physician
  • Publisher

Latin is the root language of law, medicine, politics and theology.

Students learn Latin composition, grammar, and literary analysis.

More Information

BGSU Arts and Sciences white

The Latin program is in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, a part of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Study Abroad

There is no better way to learn the language and customs of another country than to immerse yourself in that culture. All World Languages and Cultures majors are encouraged to participate in a study abroad program. The department offers study abroad opportunities in Austria, China, Cuba, France, Greece, Japan, Italy, Russia, and Spain.

Learning Communities

BGSU has a number of learning communities, which are residence hall arrangements in which students live in proximity with others who share common interests.

Global Village

The Global Village Learning Community consists of international and American students of all majors who have a sincere interest in meeting and learning about people from other countries and cultures. Residents are paired with students of different cultural backgrounds and share a living space. This unique and dynamic community is fueled by cross-cultural conversation, fun times, friendship and moments of discovery.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in Latin are expected to:

  • Read, comprehend and comment insightfully and critically on texts in Latin;
  • Demonstrate translating skills by parsing words accurately, using knowledge of Latin and English grammar and syntax;
  • Express knowledge of the genre of the works being translated;
  • Apply critical analysis and interpretive skills to Latin literature and the society that produced it;
  • Engage in rational, civil discourse about complex topics in a manner respectful of others.
Accreditation

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.  BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Latin program went through Program/Cluster Review during the Academic Year 2016-17.

More information on accreditation

Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Latin program does not lead to professional licensure.

More information on professional licensure



* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 06/23/2022 11:29AM