MA Classics - Focal Area Greek Studies
Students specialising in Greek Studies within the MA Classics programme study Ancient Greek from a literary and linguistic perspective. The cultural history of ancient Greece is also important for understanding the surviving texts.
The MA Classics preserves the strengths of specialized expertise in the classical studies of the ancient world – which are excellently represented in Heidelberg across the individual disciplines – and complements them with a multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and comparative approach to the cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and adjacent regions. Students receive a sound education in their chosen focal area, which qualifies them for a doctorate, whilst at the same time developing a broad interdisciplinary perspective. This enables them to address complex research questions from multiple perspectives and with methodological rigour.
Each focal area pursues specific qualification objectives tailored to the degree programme. The modules offer in-depth study within specific disciplines and ensure eligibility for doctoral studies. The fundamental interdisciplinary approach is reflected in joint courses that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
Subject-specific learning objectives
The scope of Greek Studies extends chronologically up to the dawn of the Middle Ages, roughly the 6th century AD. Two interrelated approaches are central to the discipline's methodology: the historical and the literary. The historical approach links Greek Studies with other classical disciplines, in particular Ancient History, Classical Archaeology and Indo-European Studies. Together with these disciplines, it seeks to explire the culture of the Greco-Roman world in antiquity. Literary analysis focuses on the text itself, its form, its meaning and its stylistic and aesthetic qualities. It establishes links with other philological disciplines that investigate analogous issues within their respective fields. The relevance of Greek Studies to the present day is essential to the very purpose of the discipline and of the course of study.
The focal area Greek Studies within the MA Classics programme focuses on the surviving corpus of ancient Greek texts. It provides students with a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of these texts, a range of interpretative methods from literary and linguistic perspectives, and meaningful connections to related disciplines (such as Latin Studies, Modern Literature, Philosophy, Theology and Cultural Studies). Students acquire a methodologically informed understanding of Greek texts, including more specialised areas, against the backdrop of Greek and Latin literary history, their context and their enduring influence. They develop the ability to apply advanced academic methods and insights, to work independently in accordance with academic principles, and to grasp the broader context of their discipline.
Courses
All courses in Classical Philology (Greek and Latin Studies) and the other focal areas of the Master’s programme can be viewed via heiCO.
Please note that the registration periods for courses in the individual specialisation areas and related degree programmes vary. Information on the relevant periods can be found on the departments’ websites and on heiCO.
The registration period for courses in Classical Philology (Greek and Latin) for the winter semester is as follows:
1 September – 30 September 2026.
Individual courses can be registered for until 7 October.
Withdrawal from courses is generally possible until 7 October 2026.