Program Overview
Greek Studies on Site is a center for the study of Classical literature, philosophy, and culture. It offers 3-week intensive summer programs, as well as a semester program of studies in Athens, Greece.
All our programs are open to students of Classics, Philosophy, History, and related disciplines, as well as adult learners with an interest in Ancient Greek culture.
Intensive Summer Programs:
Programs meet for 3 hours of instruction, 6 days a week. Courses are taught by Ph.D.s in Classics and Philosophy. Field study includes visits to all the major archaeological sites and museums in Athens, as well as day-trips to Sounion, Mycenae, Delphi, or the island of Aegina. The program also includes optional activities, such as traditional dance classes and local hikes.
Semester Program 2024:
Greek Studies on Site has partnered with the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, to offer a semester-long study-abroad program.
All UIUC students receive academic credit through their home institution for the classes they take in Athens. If you are a University of Illinois student interested in attending the Illinois in Athens program, please contact Mr. Kyle Schmude at kschmud2@illinois.edu.
All other applicants accepted to the semester program participate in the same courses but they are not eligible to receive academic credit through the University of Illinois. These students may explore the possibility of receiving academic credit through their home institutions.
Summer Programs
Ancient Greek Mythology
June 10-30, 2024
Read some of the most important mythological narratives while immersed in their material and social context.
This class surveys the central stories, gods, and heroes of Greek myth. We will study a variety of ancient literary and mythographical sources and interpret them in their cultural context. Many of the readings relate directly to the sites that we will visit.
View the complete syllabus here.
Ancient Greek Philosophy
in Context
scheduled for 2025
Walk in the footsteps of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics!
This course introduces students to the foundational texts of Western philosophy and to the socio-political contexts in which they were written. Through visits to archeological sites and museums, students will have the rare opportunity to take a contextual approach to the study of philosophy.
Spring Semester 2024
SEMESTER PROGRAM
February 15-May 31, 2024
During the spring semester, we shall offer the following courses:
*History and Archaeology of Athens
(3-5 hours of instruction/week)
This class offers the rare opportunity to explore in detail Greek history and art at a leisurely pace and at their very birthplace. All sessions, save two which are indoor lectures, take place within archaeological sites and museums in Athens and beyond, including four day trips (to Mycenae-Argos-Nafplion, Sounion, Eleusis, and Olympia/Delphi). View the complete syllabus here.
*Modern Greek for Beginners
(5 hours/week)
This seminar covers levels A1 and A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). By the end of the semester, participants will be able to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment, and to discuss aspects of their background and environment.
*Internship opportunities
Students may also be able to take up internship positions, offered by Katheti, Study in Greece, and the Book History Lab of the University of Athens. Contact us for details.
Custom Seminars
Are you a teacher interested in bringing your students to Greece? Are you a group of students interested in the Classical world? Greek Studies on Site offers custom seminars for groups of travelers, which may be organized year-round.
In the past, we have designed courses on Homer, Greek Drama, Athenian Democracy, Symposia, and Animals in Antiquity.
Contact us to design a seminar that meets your needs.