Why Study Modern Greek?

Why study Modern Greek language and culture? This is why.

Modern Greece is a dynamic country

It provides tremendous opportunities for both investigation and introspection. Geographically, culturally, and economically, Greece exists at a crossroads: between antiquity and modernity, between the East and the West, between Christianity and Islam, between the Balkans and the Mediterranean, between colonial powers and colonized peoples, and between the developed and the developing world. Studying Greece offers tremendous opportunities for thinking about both the global system and the position of the various historical actors that have shaped Greece—Europe, the United States, the Ottoman Empire and Turkey, and of course Greece’s citizenry—in that system.

Greece is a country of great physical beauty and history

Its mountains, beaches, and seas are magnificent. Greece’s antiquities are unparalleled in their richness and diversity. The country houses major archaeological sites from the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of the late Bronze Age (e.g., Mycenae and Knossos), Classical Antiquity (e.g., the Acropolis, Delphi, and Delos), the Hellenistic Period (e.g., Vergina), and Roman and Byzantium Civilizations. Greece provides tremendous opportunities for studying abroad and for intellectually stimulating travel.

Modern Greece provides new perspectives on the past and powerful opportunities for the present

Through our courses, we strive to enrich our students by providing access to the language and culture of this intriguing country. Our language courses, which emphasize culturally grounded language learning, allow students the opportunity complete three full years of the Greek language. Our culture courses allow students to expand their understanding of Greece through historically informed reflection on topics such as film, literature, and popular music.

Learning Modern Greek can help open the door to a variety of possible careers

It can be a stepping-stone to a career in the Foreign Service or other government agencies. Learning Modern Greek helps facilitate and enrich career opportunities in international education, assisting high school teachers and college professors in planning study-abroad opportunities for their students.

Careers in law are also possibilities. Since Greece’s merchant marine is the largest in the world in terms of tonnage, fluency in Greek combined with a law degree and a specialization in international shipping law could lead to a rewarding career that spans the great ports of the contemporary world.

There are substantial opportunities for business majors. Courses in the program dovetail nicely with the Kelley Schools BUS-X 272 Global Business Immersion, Business Culture in Greece. Additionally, many American multinationals have an active presence in the country, and the country is rapidly becoming a center of dynamic innovation. Modern Greek can also help augment academic careers in a variety of fields: history, the classics, linguistics, political science, literature, folklore, and anthropology. It is a research language of growing importance and a rich field in which to conduct research.

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Institute for European Studies

Why Study Modern Greek?