The Downward Trend of Ancient Studies: How Enrollment, Employment, and Institutional Change within U.S. Higher Education Structure Impacts Ancient Studies Engagement
Written by Jacob Lindbert MPH, David Danzig PhD, Valeria Zubieta Lupo PhD, Pallavi Mohanan PhD, Shrangi Mishra MA
This is the first publishing of a project that will continue to be tracked and monitored over the coming years as more data becomes available. The paper can be downloaded below with the table of contents presenting as follows:
Introduction....................................................................................Page 2
Indicator 1 - Degree Completion...............................................Page 4
Indicator 2 - Language Enrollment...........................................Page 15
Indicator 3 - Hiring........................................................................Page 17
Case Studies..................................................................................Page 23
About SASA....................................................................................Page 26
Supplemental Data.......................................................................Page 27
Conclusion......................................................................................Page 28
References.....................................................................................Page 29
Appendix 1......................................................................................Page 32
Appendix 2.....................................................................................Page 36
Appendix 3.....................................................................................Page 40
The decline of ancient studies reflects how universities undervalue cultural memory in favor of immediate utility. Cutting faculty and narrowing options erodes curiosity and weakens critical thinking. Playing Slope game offers a parallel: once momentum is lost, recovery is difficult—fields like antiquity need sustained support to keep knowledge flowing forward.
Consultar los números de la suerte del día puede ser una actividad entretenida para quienes disfrutan comenzar cada jornada con una pequeña curiosidad. Me parece positivo que la información sea fácil de encontrar y comprender, ya que así el lector puede revisarla rápidamente y seguir con sus actividades habituales.
I wonder if the article’s focus on enrollment and employment misses how introductory courses themselves are taught. If departments lean on large lecture formats without a digital hook, students may still be curious about antiquity but drop before the second year.
<a href="https://seedance2-5.org/
">seedance2-5</a>
What if department chairs worked directly with career services to map ancient studies skills onto specific internship pathways? That could give administrators an evidence-based way to see the field’s value before programs get marked for cuts.
<a href="https://banana2lite.com/
">banana2lite</a>
I’m not entirely convinced that employment pressure is the main culprit—my own students say they’d consider ancient studies if departments offered more interdisciplinary options. Could part of the decline be tied to how the field packages itself rather than to broader structural forces?
<a href="https://nano-bananapro.com/
">nano-bananapro</a>