Ancient Greek Language and Literature
Why Greek?
Learning ancient Greek gives you access to the fascinating world of the Greeks. Delve into a thousand years of literature and history, spanning the epics of Homer, Plato's philosophy, the New Testament, and first-hand accounts of the last days of the Roman empire!
Greek at KU
Greek (GRK) is offered at all levels by the Department of Classics. So if you want to explore the world of Socrates and Alexander the Great in the original language, this is the perfect place to start!
Beginner
Nearly all students come to KU without having taken ancient Greek before, so the best place to start is by enrolling in our beginners’ course, GRK 104 Elementary Ancient Greek. This course is offered in the Fall and is the first part of a two-semester introduction to Greek grammar and its core vocabulary. The introductory sequence is completed by taking GRK 108 Ancient Greek Readings and Grammar in the Spring.
Intermediate and Advanced
When you have completed our introductory sequence, you will have the language skills necessary to enroll in our 300-level Greek courses. In the Fall, you should enroll in either GRK 301 Philosophy and Oratory or GRK 303 Greek Narrative Prose. These courses help you to consolidate your understanding of Greek grammar and vocabulary through readings from authors such as Plato, Lysias, and Herodotus. These courses also introduce you to the study of Greek literature, culture, and history. In later semesters, you can take other 300-level courses dedicated to Greek poetry, including Sophocles and Homer, and later Greek, such as Roman authors and the New Testament.
On completion of the introductory sequence and two 300-level courses, you will meet the CLAS language proficiency requirement.
Graduate
700-level Greek courses are graduate level courses. Advanced undergraduates may enroll in these courses with the permission of the instructor.
Not every course is offered every semester. Check our current course list to see which courses are currently being offered.
