Contact and FAQs

UC BERKELEY DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS
2012 INTENSIVE SUMMER LATIN WORKSHOP

Contact Information
If you cannot find an answer to your question about the Workshop here, please send an email to John Lanier, the 2012 Latin Workshop director, at jtlanier@berkeley.edu.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below first, however!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the dates for the workshop?

The workshop runs from June 4 - August 10, 2012.

How should I address the workshop staff?

We are not formal here in the workshop. First names are fine.

Does the workshop fill up?

There are only 40 spaces in the workshop, and the program does typically fill up. To guarantee yourself a spot in the workshop, you should register early.

Can I audit the workshop?

Auditors are not permitted in the workshop.

I want to attend the workshop, but need to miss a week (or more) of class. Can I still attend?

The workshop is very fast-paced and there is little opportunity for students to catch up if they fall behind. Missing one week of class, especially during the first half, is the equivalent of missing five weeks of a regular Latin class. In certain circumstances this may be allowed (if the student has had prior Latin experience, etc.), but typically this will bar you from participating in the workshop.

How do I register for the workshop?

Registration information for the workshop can be found here. Further questions about registration should be directed to Berkeley Summer Sessions.

How much does the workshop cost?

Fees are listed in the schedule of classes. The fees are $4,060 for University of California undergraduates, $5,100 for University of California graduate students, and $4150 for students unaffiliated with the University of California.

How much does it cost to live in Berkeley for the summer?

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most pleasant and desirable places to live in the U.S., and thus the cost of housing here is a little higher than many of us would like. If you're willing to share housing, however, you can often get away with paying about $800 a month for rent. The UC Berkeley Dorms are available for summer housing, though their expense and the age range of the people staying there make other options better for all but the youngest students. The Berkeley Co-op Houses offer inexpensive housing and board (in most cases) in exchange for two hours of co-op work per week. Another option is the International House, which is very close to campus, offers a better environment for older (i.e. graduate) students, but is a little bit more expensive. You can also check for summer sublets on craigslist or calrentals.

Luckily, there are plenty of inexpensive places to eat out around the Berkeley campus, and, if you are willing to prepare some of your own meals, fresh fruits and veggies are some of the least expensive in the nation, especially if you shop at the Berkeley Bowl.

I really want to live in San Francisco. Is that a realistic possibility?

In the past some students have lived in San Francisco during the workshop, though it is strongly discouraged. Since students spend so much time in class, there is little opportunity during the week to enjoy living in San Francisco. Moreover, students who live too far from campus sometimes miss out on opportunities to study with other workshop students. That said, many districts of the San Francisco are easily accessible by BART and commuting time can be as short as 30-40 minutes. If you choose to live too far from BART, however, you can wind up with a commute that is nearly two hours in each direction.

The amount of Latin that I will be learning in the workshop seems immense. Will I be able to handle it?

The Workshop is designed for students who have no Latin experience, and most students of this type are able to succeed in the workshop. Moreover, help is readily available to students who are struggling. During the first half, all three of the instructors will hold daily office hours and are available to answer any questions about difficult points of grammar or syntax. In addition, the instructors actively cultivate a non-competitive atmosphere for the program. In the past the workshop has been very collegial, and we encourage students to form study groups. Students may well find that working through a problem with their peers is the best way to reinforce the grammar that they are learning.

That said, a real commitment to the workshop is critical for success. Students will be in class for six hours daily, and the homework and review will take at least two to three more hours of work. This means that the workshop is equivalent to a full-time job. Students who treat the workshop like a job usually meet with success. Those who do not give the course this kind of commitment rarely do well. For this reason, we strongly discourage students from attempting to participate in the workshop while holding down a part-time job or taking any other classes. Similarly, dissertating students should expect to make little progress on their dissertations during the workshop.

I've taken Latin in the past. Will I still benefit from the workshop?

In general, if you have recently taken (and done well in) a course where you have been reading Latin, then the workshop probably isn't going to do you much good. If you have only taken all or part of a first-year sequence of Latin, or if your Latin has atrophied from years of disuse, you may well find the workshop's curriculum very helpful.

What sort of Latin course will I be ready to take after the workshop?

Any student who does well in the workshop will be ready to take their institution's second year Latin sequence (typically courses in which students read Cicero, Virgil, Catullus, vel sim.). Some students may find that they are ready to take more advanced courses.

I'm a graduate student and I'm taking the workshop because have to pass a translation exam in the fall. Will the workshop prepare me for this?

Most students who do well in the workshop have little trouble passing their Latin reading exams when they go back to their home institutions. Students are, however, strongly encouraged to take a reading course in Latin in the fall after the workshop whether or not they pass their exam. Languages that are acquired quickly can also disappear quickly, so it is important that students reinforce the material that they learned over the summer.