Postgraduate Studies

Greek Advanced I

Module Code:

MGK0520

When taught:

Michaelmas

Credits:

20

Level

M

Method of Assessment:

One 1-hour time test on the main text (25%), one 2,500-word written assignment (25%), one 2-hour examination in December (50%)

Teaching Methods:

Language classes (residential students)

Availability

Residential and distance students

Lecturer

Owen Hodkinson

Pre-requisite(s):

Intermediate Greek I and Intermediate Greek II, or Greek A Level or equivalent. Students for whom Advanced Greek is optional can take module I, module II or both.

Contact hours:

20 to include 2 classes per week (residential students)

Syllabus:

Students will study a work or works of Greek literature in the original language.  Each year one of the advanced modules will focus on prose (e.g. a book by Thucydides, a Plato dialogue), the other on verse (e.g. a Sophocles tragedy, a selection from Homer’s Iliad) and different genres are covered by each of the modules (e.g epic, comedy, historical writing, ancient novel).  Detailed language work will be combined with the development of skills of literary criticism and attention to the historical context of the works studied.  In order to help students translate with greater skill and accuracy both modules contain an unseen translation component to continue linguistic training at an advanced level.

Learning outcomes:

The module seeks to enable students:

• to translate the Greek language at an advanced level
• to develop further their knowledge of Greek grammar through unseen translation work.
• to extend their knowledge of Greek literature
• to enhance their appreciation of the great richness and variety of the literary heritage of the Greek world
• to increase their awareness of the author’s skill and art

Transferable and other skills involved:

This module seeks to enable students:  

• to develop analytical, critical and problem-solving skills through the study of an ancient language.
• to develop critical skills through the analysis of the style and content of Greek texts.
• to enhance the use of written English through linguistic studies.
• to be able to manage your own programmes of learning with detailed tutorial guidance, and to seek and make use of feedback.

Main recommended texts:

Texts read vary each year to ensure that students read a range of genres.  Decisions re texts read are made during the summer.  Please note that Greek Advanced I and II can be taken independently from each other (i.e. you don’t have to have done I before you can do II) and that you can take Greek Advanced I or II more than once as the text read will each time be different.

Evaluation (including student evaluation):  

Students will be asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the module. This will be used by the Department in its annual review of all its teaching to help evaluate the module’s success. The external examiner will also have the opportunity to make comments and results of the questionnaires will be discussed in the SSCC.