YÖK Undergraduate Atlas
Click here for the registration of the Ancient Greek Language and Literature Undergraduate Program on the YÖK (Council of Higher Education) Undergraduate Atlas.
Frequently Asked Question
I have never had any education in Ancient Greek or Latin before. Would this be a problem?
No. The program provides Ancient Greek language courses, starting from the alphabet, designed for beginners with no prior knowledge. Students enrolled in the Ancient Greek Language and Literature undergraduate program also receive Latin language courses during the first two years.
Why do I need to learn Ancient Greek and Latin together?
There are two reasons for this, one arising from historical background and the other practical. With the influence of the teaching of classical languages (Ancient Greek and Latin), which has been intertwined with basic education in Western civilization since the Middle Ages, these two great classical corpora (Ancient Greek and Latin corpora), which have many common aspects with each other, have been named as a unified research discipline under a single common name “Classical Philology” (klassische Philologie (German) / philologie classique (French)). Therefore, a classical philologist must have a command of both languages and use them competently. It is an extension of this tradition that some well-known publishers of “critical editions” (e.g. Teubner) still publish the preface in Latin under the title Praefatio. In addition to this educational influence, the close relationship between these corpora forces the Greek philosopher to know Latin and the Latin philosopher to know Greek. For example, how can a philologist who cannot read Plato’s texts fully understand Cicero? Or how can a Greek philologist who does not know Latin work on the fragmentary texts of Hellenistic thought? For both traditional and practical reasons, therefore, the study of these two languages cannot be separated. Although Greek philology was not very familiar with Latin from its Hellenistic foundations, it was inseparably fused with Latin philology in the historical process.
How can I benefit from learning Ancient Greek and Latin?
Learning the grammars of Ancient Greek and Latin, like all classical languages, requires much more effort and meticulous focus compared to learning the grammars of modern languages. Being aware of what these languages provide in terms of knowledge due to the amount of effort expended provides additional motivation in the learning process. Primarily, Ancient Greek and Latin offer a significant advantage in learning Western languages directly or indirectly through the grammatical features and vocabulary they have bequeathed. With their contributions, Ancient Greek and Latin are also essential for those who aspire to specialize in linguistics in the future. In addition, the “grammar and syntax analysis” method employed during the learning of Ancient Greek and Latin provides a crucial foundation for acquiring analytical thinking practice and competence in scientific methodology. The “analytical” and “synthetic” forms of reasoning in problem-solving are encompassed in the applications of “grammar and syntax analysis” in these classical languages, making it beneficial not only for candidates aspiring to become “Classical Philologists” by completing the Ancient Greek Language and Literature undergraduate program but also for those who aim to gain analytical thinking practice and competence in scientific methodology.
How long would it take me to read and understand an original text in Ancient Greek?
While there is an objective answer to this question based on certain criteria, it is also directly related to the amount of effort you put in as a student. In the first two years of the Ancient Greek Language and Literature program, after learning certain grammatical features of Ancient Greek and Latin, details of syntax are covered, and exercises are conducted to read a text in the third and fourth years. Students who closely follow the program and make an effort to engage with texts may start reading some original texts written in the Attic dialect in the fourth year. For a student who gradually increases their vocabulary and text-reading experience, reaching the competence of a “classical philologist” as a professional is possible in an ongoing process. However, it should be noted that learning classical languages requires a learning process that spans many years, and a classical philologist learns new things in every encountered text, and this process of expertise never truly ends.
How can I benefit from my knowledge of Modern Greek when learning Ancient Greek?
The alphabet of Ancient Greek is also valid for Modern Greek, with changes in tone and breath marks. Undoubtedly, this commonality provides a certain convenience in learning Ancient Greek. However, Modern Greek is quite different from Ancient Greek in terms of grammatical features, syntactic patterns, phonetics, and to a large extent even the meanings of words. Ancient Greek is a language in which verbs, nouns and adjectives are always conjugated, as in many classical languages. For this reason, when learning Ancient Greek, you should make sure that your knowledge of Modern Greek does not hinder the new knowledge to be learnt.
What does a classical philologist do; what job opportunities are available for graduates?
Click here for the employment areas of our graduates.
Which double major and minor programs can I apply to and under which conditions?
Click here for the regulation on the principles of transfer between associate and undergraduate programs, double major, minor and inter-institutional credit transfer in higher education institutions.
Academic Registration System (AKSIS)
Click here to connect to Istanbul University Student Automation System/Academic Registration System (AKSIS).
E-Learning (Common Courses)
Click here to connect to Istanbul University Formal Education Learning Management System.
Weekly Course Schedule
Click here for the weekly course schedule.
• 1st Year: Res. Asst. Özge Acar
• 2nd Year: Assoc. Prof. Emre Erten, Lect. Dr. Emel Karayel
• 3rd Year: Assoc. Prof. Filiz Cluzeau
• 4th Year: Assoc. Prof. Filiz Cluzeau
• Advisor of the Double Major and Minor Programs: Assoc. Prof. Erman Gören
Among our alumni, there are faculty members working in this field at Turkish universities. The main reason for this is that Ancient Greek is essential in ancient studies in departments such as Archaeology, Philosophy and History. As a matter of fact, the fact that some of our graduates find employment opportunities in these departments is an indication of this basic need. Some of our graduates also work in museums and conservation boards. However, it is not a requirement for an individual who graduates from the Ancient Greek Language and Literature undergraduate program in higher education to work as a professional classical philologist under all circumstances. We have graduates who work as editors and translators with the solid skills gained from teaching classical languages. In addition, the cultural insight, historical awareness and problem-solving abilities gained by the classical philology formation cause our graduates to achieve successful results in almost every field.
FACULTY MEMBERS AMONG ALUMNI
- Prof. Dr. Güler Çelgin (Emeritus) (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Prof. Dr. A. Vedat Çelgin (Emeritus) (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Prof. Dr. Hamdi Şahin (Istanbul University, Department of History)
- Prof. Dr. Esin Ozansoy (Istanbul University, Department of Western Languages and Literature)
- Prof. Dr. Zeynep Sencan Altınoluk (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Department of Archaeology)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Güneri Yöyen (Sakarya University, Department of Psychology)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Öztürk (MSGSU, Department of Archaeology)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Yarlıgaş (Medeniyet University, Department of History)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nihal Petek Boyacı (Medeniyet University, Department of Philosophy)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erman Gören (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Erten (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eyüp Çoraklı (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Dr. Pelin Erçelik (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Inst. Dr. Emel Karayel (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Instr. Vicdan Taşçı (Istanbul University, Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures)
- Instr.Dr. Marika Bekar Pandelara (Istanbul University, Department of Western Languages and Literature)
- Instr. Dr. Nilay Ediz Okur (Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Archaeology)
- Instr. İbrahim Bingöl (Mardin Artuklu University, Institute of Living Language)
MEMBERS OF MUSEUMS AND COUNCIL OF CONSERVATION AMONG ALUMNI
- Gülnur Çekmeceli (Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
PROFESSIONALS IN THE OTHER FIELDS AMONG ALUMNI
- Gökçe Güner Gökçeoğlu (Executive Assistant)
- Seçil Erbayaroğlu İnce (Product Manager)
- Yeliz Küçük Öztürk (Teacher)
- Sezar İnceoğlu (International Sales Manager)
- Aren Çınar (Ground Services Officer)
- Evangelia Bülbüloğlu (Teacher)
- Seray Mumcu (Business Development Manager)
- Ertuğrul İnanç (Translator/Philologist)
- Emre Poyraz (Tourist Guide/Translator)
- Okan Demir (Tourist Guide/Translator)
- Mehmet Yıldız (Software Engineering Manager)
The purpose of the Classical Philology Society of Istanbul University, Faculty of Letters, is to enhance the knowledge of students studying in the departments of “Ancient Greek Language and Literature” and “Latin Language and Literature”, which are engaged in Classical Philology. The society aims to encourage students to engage in Classical Philology, conduct research in this field, document their studies in writing, present them orally, and engage in activities such as seminars, panels, conferences, reading sessions, excursions, etc., in line with the objectives of the Classical Philology Society.
FIELDS OF ACTIVITY
• Organizing domestic and international field trips to increase the knowledge and cultural awareness of students related to Ancient Greek/Latin languages and cultures (archaeological sites, museums, specialized libraries, etc.).
• Arranging seasonal exhibitions within the faculty (commemorating retired professors, scientific exhibitions related to Ancient Greek/Latin languages and cultures, etc.).
• Organizing extracurricular reading groups and workshops to work on Ancient Greek/Latin written documents.
• Publishing the “TABVLA, The Journal of the Classical Philology Society” containing news about the society's seasonal activities, book reviews, interviews with experts in Ancient Greek/Latin language and culture, translations of scientific articles, etc.
• Hosting the “Classical Philology Student Symposium” (Ancient Languages And Cultures Student Symposium) to facilitate the participation of undergraduate and graduate students from the departments of Ancient Greek/Latin Language and Literature, both nationally and internationally.
BOARD MEMBERS (2023-2024): Arda Zeyrek (Chairman of the Club), Nisa Nur İnci (Vice-Chairwoman), Maria Demirci (Bookkeeper), Ayşegül Özger (Secretary), Büşra Nizamoğlu (Board of Directors Member), Zeynep Naz Çekirdekçi (Board of Directors Member), Julia Ece Gonzalez (Board of Directors Reserve Member), Yiğit İhsan Avcı (Board of Directors Reserve Member), Baybars Pelit (Chairman of the Board of Inspection), Enes Karaca (Board of Inspection Member), Mert Kurtuluş (Board of Inspection Member), Kayra Dalaman (Board of Inspection Reserve Member), Evren Uçar (Board of Inspection Reserve Member).
BOARD OF CLASSICAL PHILOLOGY SOCIETY
