Online Courses in Ancient Greek
Affordable college classes taught by Randolph College’s nationally-ranked faculty
Elementary Ancient Greek
Course DescriptionGreek 1101 and Greek 1102
An intensive introduction to classical Greek, with emphasis on basic grammar and syntax. Reading of simple prose and poetry. Classical Greek is also excellent preparation for Homeric and biblical Greek.
Our objective in these courses is to gain a fundamental and detailed understanding of Greek grammar and syntax in order to achieve beginning reading comprehension of works in Greek. Please note that we are not learning conversational Ancient Greek; our task, rather, is to take the first steps towards reading and understanding the language of Sophocles, Plato, Sappho, Demosthenes, and the New Testament.
Learn At Your Own PaceTake traditional courses or spread out modular courses over time.
Summer Intensive Option
We offer beginning ancient Greek online during the summer in two five-week, 4-credit classes, Greek 1101 and Greek 1102.
- GREK 1101: Elementary Ancient Greek. 5 weeks, 4 credit hours
- GREK 1102: Elementary Ancient Greek. 5 weeks, 4 credit hours
These two courses constitute a full traditional year of Greek.
Modular Option
We also offer an option where those same two 4-credit courses, totaling 8 credits, are available as 8 sequential modules, and you can choose to enroll in only as many modules as you want to complete in a session.
- GREK 1111: Elementary Ancient Greek I, 1st module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1112: Elementary Ancient Greek I, 2nd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1113: Elementary Ancient Greek I, 3rd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1114: Elementary Ancient Greek I, 4th module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1121: Elementary Ancient Greek II, 1st module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1122: Elementary Ancient Greek II, 2nd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1123: Elementary Ancient Greek II, 3rd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1124: Elementary Ancient Greek II, 4th module. 1 credit hour

GREK 1101: Elementary Ancient Greek I
Schedule
- Summer 1 (May 22) GREK 1101: 5 weeks, 4 credit hours
OR take these modules in sequence, starting in any session throughout the year:
- GREK 1111: 1st module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1112: 2nd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1113: 3rd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1114: 4th module. 1 credit hour
Sessions for 2023-2024
- Fall 1 (Aug. 24)
- Fall 2 (Oct. 23)
- Spring 3 (Jan. 11)
- Spring 4 (Mar. 11)
Textbook: Greek: An Intensive Course by Hardy Hansen and Gerald Quinn.
ISBN: 9780823216635
Software: Students will need to enable the Polytonic Greek keyboard on their computers, which comes standard on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

GREK 1102: Elementary Ancient Greek II
Schedule
- Summer 2 (Jul. 10) GREK 1102: 5 weeks, 4 credit hours
OR take these modules in sequence, starting in any session throughout the year:
- GREK 1121: 1st module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1122: 2nd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1123: 3rd module. 1 credit hour
- GREK 1124: 4th module. 1 credit hour
Sessions for 2023-2024
- Fall 1 (Aug. 24)
- Fall 2 (Oct. 23)
- Spring 3 (Jan. 11)
- Spring 4 (Mar. 11)
Textbook: Greek: An Intensive Course by Hardy Hansen and Gerald Quinn.
ISBN: 9780823216635
Software: Students will need to enable the Polytonic Greek keyboard on their computers, which comes standard on both Mac and Windows operating systems.
Your Instructor

Amy R. CohenCatherine Ehrman Thoresen '23 and William E. Thoresen Professor of Speech and Theatre, Professor of Classics
B.A., Yale University; Ph.D., Stanford University
My doctoral work focused on the interpretive implications of doubling and the three-actor convention in Greek tragedy. At Randolph, my students and I put that work on its feet by continuing the R-MWC Greek Play tradition, begun in 1909 by Greek Professor Mabel K. Whiteside. Directing the plays provides insight into the realities facing the ancient playwrights, and my research continues to argue that you cannot understand the plays without understanding how they were played. I have now directed 12 productions using original practices, 11 in the Whiteside Greek Theatre on campus and one in Greece as part of the 2009 summer travel seminar, “Practical Wisdom: Philosophy and Drama in Greece.”
Although Greek drama is my specialty, I love teaching any course that leads students into an understanding of ancient literature and culture, in translation or in the original language. I haven’t met an obscure grammatical term I don’t love, and I do my best to inspire your passion for them as well in my ancient Greek courses. I also try to help students remember that the point of learning that declension or conjugation is to be able to read the words of the ancients, and to draw us that much closer to understanding them and their importance to us.

What Our Students Say
“When doing a translation with Dr. Cohen’s supervision, it feels as if she is sitting right beside you every step of the way. Videos on the material alongside reading each chapter of Hansen and Quinn gave me a fairly good grasp of each concept even if I was not automatically picking up on everything that was going on immediately. I wanted to learn Ancient Greek in order to read original texts written by Plato and other Greek philosophers; I feel like I’m getting closer to that goal everyday.”
– Evan Pausic ’21
Randolph College is pleased to offer online classes for college credit in Ancient Greek language.
Courses are open to students at Randolph and other colleges and universities, as well as high school students and members of the general public seeking an affordable college level classical Greek language class.
All courses are taught by Randolph College’s top-ranked faculty.
Calendar
Summer Intensive Sessions (5 weeks, 4 credits each)
- Summer 1: May 22 – June 27
- Summer 2: July 10 – August 11
Modular Sessions (7 weeks, 1 credit each)
- Fall 1: August 22
- Fall 2: October 20
- Spring 3: January 19
- Spring 4: March 23
Registration
Step 1: Submit the application for admission.
Step 2: Once accepted, you will receive a code to access the registration system.
Billing & Payment
Once you register, you will be billed by Randolph College – the first billing may be as late as May, even if you register earlier.
Payment is due in full by the start of class(s). Payment options include cash, check, credit card and loans (see Financial Aid). A Monthly Payment Plan is not available.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for all undergraduate courses is $375 per credit hour and $750 for a lab course.
Physics and astronomy lab courses require an additional $50 fee for lab kits which will be delivered to you. Chemistry lab kits must be purchased separately.
Costs for textbooks and course material will vary by course.
Financial Aid
Federal aid: To be eligible for Federal aid you must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours total in any Randolph College summer courses. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to add Randolph College (003734) to your 2020-21 FAFSA and submit.
Federal aid includes the Pell grant (if applicable) and the Parent PLUS loan. If you have unused 2020-21 eligible student loans (Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized) that you want to use, please contact Financial Aid, financialaid@randolphcollege.edu.
Non-Federal aid: Alternative/private loans do not require minimum credit hours nor a FAFSA. Please contact Financial Aid if you are using an alternative/private loan so we are aware to certify.
Randolph College students: Please note that Randolph College scholarship and grant aid is not available for summer courses.
Register for the Next Session
Take the first step towards enrolling in classes.