THIS CLUSTER HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AND WILL NOT BE OFFERED IN FALL 2026.
This cluster is ideal for intended majors in Arts & Humanities.
Course Information
AGRS 10A 001: Introduction to Ancient Greece, 4 Units
- This course may satisfy requirements for Ancient Greece & Roman Studies and Political Science.
- This course meets the following L&S Breadths: Arts & Literature, Historical Studies, and Philosophy & Values.
- Schedule: TR 8:00-9:30 AM; Discussion R 5:00-6:00PM
EALANG C50 001/ SSEASN C52/ BUDDSTD C50*: Introduction to the Study of Buddhism, 4 Units
- Note: Students will be enrolled in either EALANG C50, SSEASN C52 or BUDDSTD C50 – these are all the same class, just cross-listed between three departments.
- This course may satisfy prerequisites for the following majors: Comparative Ethnic Studies and East Asian Religion, Thought and Culture.
- This course meets Philosophy and Values, L&S Breadth.
- Schedule: MWF 10:00-11:00 AM; Discussion R 1:00-2:00 PM
MELC 10 001: Middle Eastern Worlds: Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, 4 Units
- This course may satisfy prerequisites for the following majors: Middle Eastern Languages and Culture, Political Science, and Interdisciplinary Studies Field.
- This course meets the following L&S Breadths: Arts & Literature and Historical Studies.
- Schedule: TR 12:30-2:00 PM; Discussion W 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Course Descriptions
- AGRS 10A 001: Introduction to Ancient Greece, 4 Units
This course provides an introduction to the literature, culture, and history of Ancient Greece, spanning the archaic through the Hellenistic periods (8th-3rd centuries BCE)—from the emergence of early Greek city-states to the transformation of the Mediterranean after Alexander the Great. We will read and engage with a diverse range of primary sources in translation, including poetry, historiography, drama, philosophy, and oratory. Key themes include the shifting nature of Greek identity, the development of literary genres, the social and cultural contexts of performance and textual production, and the evolution of key philosophical and political ideas. Along the way, we will trace the afterlives of certain ancient Greek terms as influential concepts in intellectual history and consider different approaches to reading ancient texts, in dialogue with modern reception. - EALANG C50 001 / SSEASN C52/ BUDDSTD C50*: Introduction to the Study of Buddhism, 4 Units
This introduction to the study of Buddhism will consider materials drawn from various Buddhist traditions of Asia, from ancient times down to the present day. However, the course is not intended to be a comprehensive or systematic survey; rather than aiming at breadth, the course is designed around key themes such as ritual, image veneration, mysticism, meditation, and death. The overarching emphasis throughout the course will be on the hermeneutic difficulties attendant upon the study of religion in general, and Buddhism in particular.
*Note: Students will be enrolled in either EALANG C50, SSEASN C52 or BUDDSTD C50 – these are all the same class, just cross-listed between three departments. - MELC 10 001: Middle Eastern Worlds: Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, 4 Units
This course introduces students to the Ancient Middle Eastern world through its languages, texts, art, and material culture. Emphasis is placed on Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as well as their neighbors in Iran, Turkey, Arabia, and Africa. Students are introduced to techniques scholars use to study this evidence, including philology, archaeology, visual analysis, and digital humanities. Topics include urbanism, kingship, science, religion, and death. Students interact with original materials in campus and Bay Area museums. No prior coursework is required.
