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Greek undergraduate modules

Sub-Honours (20 credits each)

  Semester 1Semester 2
Year 1 GK1001. An intensive beginners’ Greek course, for those with little or no previous experience of the language. Taught through language classes and computer-assisted learning, it is also useful for studying subjects in the Schools of History and English. GK1002. This course provides a follow-on from GK1001, and introduces students to the reading of real Greek texts, both prose and verse: the current set work is Lysias' speech On the Killing of Eratosthenes.
GK1005. This course is designed for students with Higher or 'A' Level Greek, or an equivalent qualification: as well as providing carefully designed language classes, it develops reading and appreciation of Greek literature through a special study of Plato's dialogue Ion and a play by comic dramatist Menander. GK1006. This course provides a follow-on from GK1005, and likewise seeks to build students' linguistic and literary skills. The current set texts studied are a law-court speech by Demosthenes, written for a remarkable criminal trial, and selected Greek epigrams.
Year 2 GK2003. This course is designed for students who took GK1001/2 in their first year; it aims to build on the reading skills they will already have acquired. The set texts (currently a book of Homer and selections from Lucian) explore literary narrative and dialogue in both prose and verse. Many classes are shared with GK2001, but groups are taught separately too. GK2004 . This course aims to bring ex-beginners up to a comparable level with students who had studied Greek at school. The themes of the module are ‘pastoral and passion’, explored through a selection from the poems of Theocritus and from Longus’s novel, Daphnis and Chloë.
GK2001. This course is designed for students who took GK1005/6 in their first year; it aims to build on the reading skills they will already have acquired. The set texts (currently a book of Homer and selections from Lucian) explore literary narrative and dialogue in both prose and verse. GK2002. This course, following on from 2001, explores the themes of ‘pastoral and passion’ through a selection from the poems of Theocritus and from Longus’s novel, Daphnis and Chloë.

Honours modules

See  Honours booklet (PDF, 743 KB) for more details.

Classes in the Honours programme concentrate on the interpretation and understanding of major works of literature, historiography and philosophy ranging from Homer to the Imperial era. Options include epic, tragedy, comedy, and Greek literary criticism. Attention is given in tutorials to unseen translation from Greek. As well as studying the prescribed literature, students may choose from a range of modules, which include Modern Greek. The language modules allow flexibility of choice between Greek prose composition and stylistic analysis, and study of various scholarly techniques.

Greek may be studied with another subject (for example, philosophy) for a Joint Honours degree; or on its own for Single Honours. Alternatively, a student may elect to take Single Honours in Classics, where study rooted in Greek and Latin is combined with study of subjects in the fields of Ancient History or Ancient Philosophy. Most Honours teaching is conducted in small group tutorials.

Modules that may run in any year
subject to staff commitments and sufficient student interest

See also:

Greek

What the students say

"The Classics staff are very friendly and always accessible to students."

"The lectures are generally well delivered, and unlike many subjects the reading is a pleasure."

"All in all, if you are interested in gaining a good grounding in ancient thought and society, this course is extremely useful."

Undergraduate enquiries

All admissions queries should be sent to the University admissions department; they will forward relevant questions to our admissions officer.