American School of Classical Studies at Athens

The Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens announces the establishment of a new summer session focused on the teaching of Medieval Greek, beginning in summer, 2005.

Founded in 1881, the American School is the most significant resource in Greece for American scholars in the fields of ancient and post-classical studies. One of the two major research libraries of the School, the Gennadius Library, which houses 110,500 volumes and archives, is devoted to post-classical Hellenic civilization, and will offer a four-week Summer Session for Medieval Greek at the Intermediate Level from mid-July to mid-August, 2005. The objective is to familiarize students who have a sound foundation in Classical Greek with Medieval Greek language and philology by exposing them to primary sources, different kinds of literary genres, paleography and epigraphy as well as bibliographic and electronic tools, drawing on the resources of the Gennadius Library. The program will also include site and museum visits. The session, which will be led by two professors to be selected in Fall 2004, will have ten members.

STRUCTURE

The four-week program will include daily analysis and translation of Byzantine texts; paleography; introduction to the bibliography of Byzantine philology and electronic resources; introduction to the collections of the Gennadius Library; visits to area museums and libraries including the Byzantine, the Benaki, and the Epigraphy Museums and the National Library; visits to sites, museums, and monuments outside Athens including Thessaloniki, Hosios Loucas and Daphni; and individual tutorial and assignments for each student determined by his/her specific needs and field of study.

ELIGIBILITY

The program is offered at the intermediate level, and will be geared to students enrolled in a graduate program in any field of Byzantine studies in a North American or European university. A minimum of two years of college level Classical Greek (or the equivalent) is required. If there are available spots, college professors in North America or Europe who have no access to the instruction of Medieval Greek in their home institutions may also be considered. A diagnostic test (available electronically) will be administered to finalists before the final selection of students is made.

ACADEMIC CREDIT

The American School is not a degree-granting institution. No grades are given for its programs, nor are transcripts provided. An optional final exam at the end of the program may be provided if requested, and the directors will write a letter to the participant's home institution, if requested, recommending that credit be granted, provided that the student has satisfactorily participated in the program and passed the final exam.

COSTS

The fee of $2,500 covers the entire four weeks in Greece. This includes tuition, lodging for the entire period, domestic travel within Greece, and museum and site fees. International airfare to and from Greece, meals, and incidental expenses are the participant's responsibility. Two scholarships are available for the full amount of the fee, awarded on the basis of academic merit. Rates and fees are subject to change without notice.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Applications can be downloaded from the ASCSA web site.

Or contact the ASCSA U.S. office at:

6-8 Charlton Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-5232
Tel: 609-683-0800
Fax: 609-924-0578
E-mail: ascsa@ascsa.org

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation (one from the academic advisor and one from a Greek language teacher) along with the application to:

Professor Michael B. Cosmopoulos
Chair, Committee on the Gennadius Library
American School of Classical Studies at Athens
6-8 Charlton Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-5232