About the 2017 Greek Workshop at UC Berkeley

UC BERKELEY DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS
2017 INTENSIVE SUMMER GREEK WORKSHOP (GREEK 15)

About the Greek Workshop

The UC Berkeley Intensive Summer Greek Workshop (Greek 15) is an intensive introduction to Ancient Greek for students with little or no knowledge of the language. We welcome students of all ages and from all stages of academic life, including high-school students, undergraduates, graduate students, and adults simply seeking to learn a new and exciting language.

The Greek Workshop lasts for ten weeks (from June 5, 2017 to August 11, 2017) and counts for ten units (the equivalent of two and a half semesters of Greek courses during the academic year at Berkeley). Classes meet 9-12 and 2-5 Monday through Friday. Full attendance and active class participation are mandatory. Students are also expected to devote several hours each evening to homework assignments and class preparation.

The first six weeks of the course offer a comprehensive introduction to Attic Greek by going through Hansen and Quinn's Greek: An Intensive Course. During the last four weeks, students read two different works of Greek literature in the original: this year, Homer's Iliad books 1 and 6 or Aristophanes' Clouds, and Plato's Symposium or Lucian's True History. Given the amount of material covered over the ten weeks, it generally proves extremely difficult to have any additional obligations while enrolled in the Greek Workshop.

Time is also set aside for students to enjoy the benefits of studying at a major research university in Northern California. On Friday afternoons throughout the summer, world-class scholars deliver lectures for students in the Greek and Latin Workshops on topics related to Greek and Roman studies. Attendance at these lectures is optional, but most students find them enjoyable and engaging. Following the lectures, there are informal symposia where students and instructors can relax and socialize with the speaker and each other after a busy week.

After completing the Greek Workshop, students will be prepared for a third-semester college Greek course, which usually read a work of Attic oratory and a work of Plato, or, in many cases, upper-level reading courses such as those focused on Herodotus, Homer, or tragedy.

While the Greek Workshop requires a concerted commitment, students almost always report that their experience was rewarding and even invigorating. The classroom environment is intense but supportive, and all the instructors hold daily office hours and are available by e-mail in the evenings to provide additional assistance. We hope that you will be a part of the Greek Workshop this summer.