St. Stephen's location in the heart of ancient Rome offers a unique dimension to the Classics Department, for the city inevitably becomes an extension of the classroom, both in history (Roman Topography, Classical Greek and Roman Studies) and language (Classical Greek and Latin) courses.

A primary function of the department is to bring together diverse disciplines to promote further appreciation of the immediate environment. Field trips form the basis of the Roman Topography course, and are undertaken where relevant in Classical Greek, Latin and in the Roman section of Greek and Roman Studies.