Teaching a foreign language and studying its literature and culture requires excellent language skills. For this reason, you will need to have passed the qualifying examination in Greek (Graecum) at the time of your application. If you are not able to provide proof of this through your certificate of university entrance qualification, you will have to take the state supplementary examination in Greek before you begin your studies.

You will also have to provide proof of the qualifying examination in Latin (Latinum) by the beginning of the 5th academic semester at the latest. This can typically be done by submitting your university entrance qualification. Alternatively, you can attend three Latin practice classes over the course of three semesters to prepare yourself for the state supplementary examination.

Additionally, you should be interested in all dimensions of the Greek language (grammar, semantics, translation) and enjoy working with historical sources about Greek history, philosophy, or culture.

This subject is a subject of specialization in the ALPHA (B.A.) degree program. You can also study this subject as a minor within the two-subject bachelor’s degree program.

In the first two semesters of the Greek degree program, you will attend introductory courses on classical philology and learn to understand ancient Greek texts from their historical perspectives. By attending various seminars, you will improve your language proficiency, tackle Greek grammar, and translate Greek works independently.

Starting from the third semester, you will dedicate much of your time to interpreting the content of Greek writings. You will immerse yourself in various genres and different eras – from archaic Greece to the Roman imperial period. You will learn how to contextualize authors and texts within literary and intellectual history.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Good to know:
Between the 3rd and 5th semesters is the best time to go abroad during your Greek degree program. Good to know: The Greek department maintains good relationships with multiple universities abroad (e.g., Rome, Salerno, Thessaloniki, Palermo, Valladolid).

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a graduate of the Greek Studies program, you will have acquired a wide range of skills. This includes knowledge of the language, literature, culture, history, politics, and society of the ancient Greek world.

Alongside this specialist knowledge, you will also have acquired research and writing skills, experience in knowledge transfer and scientific communication, as well as intercultural and media competence. This makes you an interesting candidate for employers from a wide variety of professional fields, which primarily require intellectual or cultural skills.

Graduates typically work in the following fields:

• Researching language, culture, and literature (e.g., at universities)
• Education and culture (in association with museums, the theater, adult education, libraries, archives, and foundations of various types)
• Translation (including post-editing machine translations)
• Media and journalism, editorial work, publishing, copy editing, marketing
• Leisure, tourism, and event management

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.