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Faculty of PhilosophyGreek / Classical Philology – Bachelor 25%

Students of Greek studies learn about Ancient Greek from the perspective of literary studies and linguistics. The cultural history of ancient Greece is also of major importance in order to understand the historical texts.

Facts & Formalities

DegreeBachelor of Arts
Type of programmeUndergraduate
Start of programmeWinter and summer semester
Standard period of study6 semesters
Language(s) of instructionGerman and English
Fees and contributions151.05 € / Semester
Application procedureSubjects with no admission restrictions
Application deadlinesInformation about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program.
Part-time optionYes

Course Content

Greek linguistics

Students learn about the history of the Greek language with the help of comparative linguistic methods, about the phonetic system and the evolution of phonetic rules, about the attested stages of Greek: the Mycenaean linguistic form, the dialects of the historical period, the characteristics of literary language and its variants.  A special focus is laid on post-classical colloquialisms, the so-termed Koine Greek, which laid the foundations for the development of Modern Greek. In addition, synchronous aspects of linguistics are also taken into consideration, such as regional and societal differentiation, text linguistics and more.

Greek literary studies 

Independent reading in the source language enables students to become familiar with the most important works.  Independent reading cannot be substituted with courses or lectures. The ‘reading courses’ are merely intended as impulse providers. The focus of the academic programme is on the main, or classic, works: Homer, the tragic poets, the historians Herodotus and Thucydides as well as Plato. Advanced students can select own areas interest. 

The course content can be supplemented by additional sub-disciplines. These include, for example, literary theory, stylistics and metric, rhetoric and text criticism. 

Greek culture 

Literary texts are an important source of cultural history. Students can gain further insights into cultural history a) by taking courses in other subjects such as archaeology and ancient history, b) by going on and adequately preparing for field trips to antique cultural sites (excavations, museums), c) by participating in courses on cultural-historical topics such as Greek religions.

Course Structure

At the beginning of the degree programme, translation assignments into and out of Greek will allow students to review and consolidate basic language and grammar skills. In addition, introductory courses will provide an overview of the objectives, methods, and history of classical philology (Introduction to Classical Philology), critical literary methods and theories (Introduction to Literary Studies), and linguistics fundamentals (Introduction to Linguistics). Over the course of studies, in addition to translation exercises involving increasingly complex texts, seminars and lectures will allow students to gain analytical and interpretive skills. Following completion of the introductory modules, students may also select a specialisation from the areas of either Greek literature or Greek linguistics.