Macquarie Ancient Language School

Posted on October 24, 2012

For all my Australian and New Zealand readers: In January 2013, a number of academics including myself will be teaching at the Macquarie Ancient Language School. If anyone is interested please read the information below and I recommend my Beginner’s Koine Greek Class 😛

This is an excellent opportunity and is fun and educational. Before starting teaching at MALS (Macquarie Ancient Language School), I took six courses over the course of my undergraduate and loved everyone of them. Hope to see some of you there.

Information below is taken from the Macquarie University Page for MALS. 

Macquarie Ancient Languages School
(within the Ancient Cultures Research Centre)
Short intensive sessions are held in a variety of ancient languages in January and July each year.

The 2013 Summer School will be held from 7 to 18 January (excluding weekend)

About the Macquarie Ancient Languages School
The Macquarie Ancient Languages School, an initiative of the Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, has been running since 1981, offering courses in a wide variety of languages associated with Ancient History and Biblical Studies. Held over two weeks in January and one week in July, the School has branched out from its beginnings in Classical Greek to include classes in Koine Greek, Latin, Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Classical Hebrew, Coptic, Akkadian, Sanskrit and a range of other ancient languages. Some are offered at each school, others on a rotational basis, for example, Aramaic, Hittite and Hieratic.

There are also opportunities to participate in hands-on courses, working with papyri, inscriptions and coins from the collections in the Museum of Ancient Cultures. New courses are incorporated into the programme on a regular basis. Recent additions include the Linear B Tablets, Latin Inscriptions, the Vindolanda Tablets, and Latin Psalms. There are also introductory courses on various topics – for example, Etruscan, Old Norse, Cuneiform and Celtic Languages.

Are you looking for a challenge in 2013?
Perhaps you are considering enrolling in a degree programme and would like to include an ancient language?
Taking part in a Macquarie Ancient Languages School is a great way to ‘test the water’, prior to enrolling in an accredited unit.
Classes in Classical Greek, Koine/New Testament Greek, Egyptian Hieroglyphs and Hebrew are offered at three levels, ranging from Beginners (requiring no prior knowledge) to Advanced level, reading from selected texts.

Classes in other ancient languages are conducted at the Beginners level in January, with follow-on classes in July, subject to student demand. Examples of languages offered in the past include Coptic, Akkadian, Aramaic, Sanskrit, Syriac, Hittite and Sumerian, and more recently, Demotic and Hieratic.

Classes are open to people of all ages (from 16 years) and are suitable for:

intending students of Greek and other ancient languages in tertiary institutions and theological colleges, and those interested in learning to read the New Testament in Greek
secondary teachers and students of Ancient History
those interested in learning more about their heritage, for example, those with Celtic, Greek or Italian ancestry
those with a general interest in language
those interested in English literature, in European civilisation, in drama, philosophy, theology, in the ancient world generally, and in the many fields in which ancient literature and thought have been for centuries a powerful influence.
Teaching is in small tutorial groups meeting either in the mornings or afternoons. The timetable is planned to allow students to enrol in more than one subject – for example, a morning class in Koine Greek might be followed by a practical session on Greek Papyri in the afternoon. The timing of both Summer and Winter Schools is designed around the Macquarie University calendar, making it possible for currently enrolled students to attend. For those considering an ancient language as part of their degree, such a course is an ideal introduction to the subject, prior to enrolling in an accredited unit. Similarly, both Schools take place in NSW school holidays, so that secondary school students and teachers may attend.

Many of our students come back year after year, not only to enjoy the contact with other like-minded students, but also to brush up on their Greek or other ancient languages, and to continue their fascination with the worlds opened up by the language and literature of these ancient cultures. Their continued attendance is testimony to the enthusiasm generated by the Macquarie Ancient Languages School over the past three decades.

For the 2013 Summer School programme, click here.

For an application form, click here.

For enquiries please contact:
Jon Dalrymple
Ancient Cultures Research Centre
Department of Ancient History
Macquarie University NSW 2109
Telephone: (02) 9850 9962
Fax: (02) 9850 9001
Email: mals@mq.edu.au