Admission Prerequisites & Application Process

How to Apply

In order to take courses and Programs of Study (POSts) offered by the Department of Classics, a student must be registered in the University of Toronto, generally in the Faculty of Arts and Science. There are no special requirements for admission to programs and courses offered by the Department of Classics. You will simply need to meet the requirements for admission to the “Humanities” stream at U of T (see below). Students must apply through the University of Toronto’s Office of Admissions. In order to be admitted for a Fall-Winter session that begins in September, the application process should be complete by January.

Students registered in other Universities who wish to take courses at the University of Toronto for credit at their home university should consult the information for the Visiting Students program. Students will also need to contact the Registrar of their own University, in order to obtain a “Letter of Permission” for the courses to be recognized by their home university. The Letter of Permission will need to be presented to the Visiting Students office to complete registration.

The Department of Classics is not involved directly in the admissions process, and students do not need the permission of the Department to apply to the University, although the Undergraduate Coordinator would be happy to answer any questions.

University Admission Information

The Department of Classics does not admit students directly. The Faculty of Arts and Science sets these requirements for students applying for first year entry in the Humanities:

  • Apply to the Humanities admission category on the St. George campus
  • Six Grade 12 U or M courses, including English are required
  • Students outside of Ontario should have the equivalent senior high school credits

More details about U of T admissions can be found at the Faculty of Arts & Science website.

High School Prerequisite Courses

There is no required preparation for the Classical Languages (Latin and Ancient Greek) or Classical Civilization Programs of Study (POSts). Prior study of Latin or Ancient Greek is useful but far from essential for the Classical Languages programs. It is possible to start learning both languages at university and still reach a high degree of proficiency by the end of your program. It is also possible to study a wide variety of Classical Civilization courses (in history, literature, mythology, philosophy and other subjects) with no knowledge of classical languages.

What Courses Should I Take In My First Year at U of T?

The Department of Classics offers a variety of courses for First Year students to take. There are two program streams within the Department of Classics: Classical Civilization and Classical Languages. Courses offered by the Department of Classics have course codes that begin with CLA, LAT, and GRK, and are all half-year courses. Enrollment in Programs (POSts) begins at the end of the session in which students complete 4.0 Full Credit Equivalents (FCEs), usually at the end of their first year, and lasts from April to September.

For students interested in the Classical Civilization stream (courses beginning with CLA), it is recommended that they take CLA160 (Introduction to Classical Studies) and an additional CLA 200-level class. CLA160 is the only 100-level Classical Civilization class offered within the Department of Classics. There are no language requirements for the Classical Civilization Major or Minor but the societies and cultures of the Greeks and Romans are best understood in their own terms and students interested in the Classical Civilization stream are encouraged to enroll in a Classical Language (Latin or Ancient Greek) class in their first year.

For students interested in the Classical Languages stream (courses beginning with LAT and GRK), it is very strongly recommended that they enroll in LAT101/LAT102 or GRK101/102, or both. LAT101/102 is also offered by the Department every summer and GRK101/102 during the summer in alternate years, contingent upon enrolment. Programs of Study in the Classical Languages also require completion of CLA160, so it is recommended that students take this course and another CLA 200-level course as well. If you have significant formal training (e.g. three years of high school) in Latin or Ancient Greek, it is worth consulting the Undergraduate Coordinator, as you may qualify for advanced standing in the Classical Languages stream.

It is especially important to contact the Undergraduate Coordinator as early as possible if you wish to enrol in an advanced course offered by the Department of Classics and want to have considered as a prerequisite a course taken at a university other than the University of Toronto or in a Department other than Classics (e.g. if you want to take a CLA course in cinema, and you have credit with the Cinema Studies program). The Undergraduate Coordinator does not have access to academic records from other institutions. Please make available a copy of such records when contacting the Undergraduate Coordinator about prerequisites. CLA 300- and 400-level courses and LAT/GRK 200-, 300- and 400-level courses are considered advanced courses.

Please note that the enrollment system on ACORN does not check prerequisites in real time, but unless the Undergraduate Coordinator specifically approves exceptions, ACORN will at a later date automatically remove from courses students that do not meet the prerequisites. If students have questions about a prerequisite they should contact the Undergraduate Coordinator.

See the other pages for more information on Programs of Study (POSts), including specific prerequisites and Courses offered by the Department of Classics. If you are interested in hearing from current students about their first year course selection, feel free to get in touch with the undergraduate Classics Students’ Union and check out their resources.