Access Ancient Languages

Although most of the degree courses in the King's College London Department of Classics do not require knowledge of an ancient language, we at King's are committed to supporting all students who wish to study Ancient Greek and/or Latin, including those who have no prior experience of learning the languages.

Accelerated Language Pathway

King’s is unique in the UK in offering an intensive Accelerated Language Pathway which allows students with no prior experience of learning a classical language to graduate after three years having achieved an advanced level in both classical languages (ancient Greek and Latin). Similar pathways at other UK Classics Departments take four years.

For whom is this course appropriate?

Students for whom the Accelerated Language Pathway is appropriate come from many different backgrounds. You may have studied modern languages at school. You may speak a language other than English at home – bilingualism is an advantage for learning other languages. You may have been good at maths at school, or taught yourself to code, or are especially musical. Every year we have first-year students who discover a real gift for Greek or Latin even though they have done little or no language work before.

How to take the Accelerated Language Pathway

Accelerated Language is an intensive pathway which requires a high level of personal motivation and commitment, but offers you the opportunity to reach an advanced level in both ancient languages from scratch in three years.

If you wish to follow this pathway, apply to King’s as normal for the BA Classics and the Ancient World degree programme. At King’s, you will be given individual guidance and support by the Language Co-ordinator. In your first year, your module choices will include ancient Greek or Latin for Beginners. If you do well in this module, in your second year you will continue with the first language and begin the other language. You will also attend two three-week intermediate language-learning courses at the King’s Summer School, one between your first and second year, and one between your second and third year. There is no extra fee for these summer courses for students on the pathway. This pathway will equip you for advanced study of classical literature in the original Greek and Latin.

Taster days, available to Year 12 and Year 13 students, can be booked on the University of London website.

King's Ancient Languages Summer School 2024

Students on the access pathway can apply to take this summer course for credit.
We offer two Intensive Courses in Ancient Greek and Latin. These courses are six weeks long, with the option of studying either the first three week session (for absolute beginners) or the second three week session (for students at intermediate level).

Session One: Monday 1 July to Friday 19 July 2024

- Beginners’ Ancient Greek
- Beginners' Latin:

Session Two: Monday 22 July to Friday 9 August 2024

- Intermediate Ancient Greek
- Intermediate Latin

Programme

Students work through the JACT Reading Greek or JACT Reading Latin course in daily language classes and are expected to put in a number of hours of private study to consolidate class work and to complete homework assignments. Staff are on hand to offer private tutorials and surgery hours, as required. Assessment is by three in-class tests. 

Who are these courses for?

These courses offer intensive training in Ancient Greek or Latin to those who have not previously had the opportunity of studying these languages. The courses aim to bring students with no knowledge of the languages to a level where they will be able to read simple texts in Ancient Greek or Latin. These sessions are ideal for:

Those who intend to study for a Masters or Doctoral degree and wish to get ahead over the summer.
Undergraduates and Postgraduates from any university- including King's students
School students 16+
Teachers
Mature students
Current Department of Classics Access Pathway students at King's
Anyone with an interest in the Hellenic or Roman world.

Applications

If you are a current Classics BA student, you can apply to take this summer school as a module for credit via the internal application form.

All other applicants (King's Classics Department students not on the Access Pathway, King's students from all other departments, and all external applicants) should apply online following the guidance notes here.