The Latin program is designed to provide thorough and rigorous training in ancient Latin. Majors may leverage the training this major provides toward advancement in a variety of fields, including teaching. (Majors of ours have gained admission to Master of Arts in Teaching [MAT] programs in Latin.)

The Judaic studies program offers students an interdisciplinary perspective on three millennia of Jewish culture: Jewish social, religious, and political history; Jewish literature — biblical, modern, and postmodern; Jewish thought; and modern Israel.

The Classics Studies, Greek and Latin program is designed to provide thorough and rigorous training in ancient Greek and Latin, the principal languages and literatures of the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond. Our majors have found doors for them in a variety of fields: teaching, scholarship (including PhD work in Classics Studies, archaeology, etc.), and careers of all sorts.

The Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies Program (LACAS) offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Latin America, the Caribbean, and people of Latin American and Caribbean descent in the United States. LACAS majors examine culture and economic and social problems throughout the Americas. By choosing this central, students not only learn more about a range of cultures and societies but also about global interconnectedness.

The Korean studies major is based on the premise that both contemporary and historical understanding of Korea, its interrelations with larger East Asia and its global importance today cannot be fully grasped without a deep understanding of its language, history, social systems, and culture.

The Judaic studies program offers students an interdisciplinary perspective on three millennia of Jewish culture: Jewish social, religious, and political history; Jewish literature — biblical, modern, and postmodern; Jewish thought; and modern Israel. The curriculum draws from both the humanities and the social sciences and covers a wide array of topics including modern Hebrew and Yiddish. Judaic studies majors can construct their areas of specialization within the major.

The Japanese studies program fosters detailed, nuanced knowledge and understanding of various aspects of pre-modern, modern, and contemporary Japanese culture and society, including history, language, literature, visual culture, politics, and economics.

The Italian major provides students the opportunity to study the rich language, vast history, and intriguing culture of the beautiful country of Italy. The mastery of spoken and written Italian is developed through the study of an evolving artistic tradition: Medieval literature and culture, Renaissance philosophy, modern Italian poetry and prose, contemporary cinema, and new media.

History is one of the most respected departments at Harpur College of Arts and Sciences. Our faculty thrives in scholarship and teaching. Our curriculum explores human societies over time and across the globe while preparing students to conduct their historical research. Our courses explore everything from the history of the modern U.S. to the history of ancient China, and many classes cut across geographic boundaries to address such questions as women and gender history, imperialism, environmental history, and the history of science, technology, and medicine.

Our interdisciplinary German Studies curriculum offers a diverse range of courses in language, literature, and culture. The program emphasizes the study of culture in the broadest sense and offers an international approach to education through recognized study-abroad programs in Leipzig, Germany, and Graz, Austria. Courses on topics from intellectual and cultural history to literary studies to linguistics and visual culture are designed to allow students to follow their passions, develop their intellectual curiosity, and pursue their interests with rigor and depth.

The Geography Department empowers students to address several contemporary problems such as physical resource development, racial/ethnic patterns, urban decay, business geography, and pollution. The curriculum helps students better understand how natural and human environments become organized geographically by institutional decisions and the consequences of human actions.

The French major offers two areas of study: French and Francophone Studies, French Language and Linguistics. As the student progresses within the major, the specialization of either French or Francophone studies or linguistics will begin through strategic course selections. Students will typically also choose to double major within a different discipline to build a holistic degree plan.

The philosophy, politics and law (PPL) major is an interdisciplinary major focused on law, policy, government and citizenship. It draws on philosophy, political science, history and other areas of study. PPL majors learn how to think critically, write well and cogently debate about social, political, ethical and legal issues.

The Department of English, General Literature, and Rhetoric provides students the opportunity to study literature and language in their many manifestations. In addition to an English major, the department offers coursework in globalization and culture. Literature courses provide undergraduates with a foundation in literary history as well as an opportunity to explore a variety of genres while fostering critical reading and research skills.

A Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy teaches students to examine the world using logic and critical reasoning skills. Philosophy asks fundamental questions about the world we live in: about the meaning of human life; the nature, purpose and limit of human knowledge; the character and contents of our moral experiences; and the justness of our institutions.