The Graduate Certificate in Hellenic Studies recognizes advanced training in Hellenic Studies. Award of the Certificate will attest: (i) linguistic competence to support research in Hellenic Studies, (ii) competence in interdisciplinary approaches to Hellenic Studies, (iii) familiarity with a sufficiently broad range of subjects under the Hellenic Studies umbrella.

A student who obtains a certificate in Hellenic Studies will have the qualification appear on their University transcript, demonstrating that they have met standards of competency in the field of Hellenic Studies accepted by Princeton University.

Hellenic Studies is an interdisciplinary field engaged with the Humanities and select social sciences. It engages with one of the longest-standing and most pervasive cultural traditions, those originated in classical Greece. Equally, it attends to the states, peoples, cultural, and social production in the Eastern Mediterranean from the end of the classical period. The field encompasses variously the study of the Byzantine Empire in all its aspects, and the Ottoman Empire, especially minorities within that empire, and the modern state of Greece situated within its Mediterranean, European, and Near Eastern contexts. History, Literature, Art and Archaeology, Visual and Material Culture, Religion, Anthropology, Sociology, History, Politics, Philosophy, Architecture, Music, Economics, European Studies, Near Eastern Studies, and International Relations relating to the region of Greece all receive attention within the field.

The certificate is awarded to those who have fulfilled its requirements by the time of their Final Public Oral Examination (FPOE).

Eligibility:

Eligibility is limited to graduate students admitted to a Princeton University department. Students cannot be admitted to Princeton University by application to the Graduate Certificate in Hellenic Studies.

PhD students in all departments are eligible for the Certificate. Students enrolled in the Classical and Hellenic Studies PhD track in Classics are not eligible for this Certificate. Admission to the certificate will ordinarily coincide with admission to a graduate degree program of a student to the University, but students may enter at any time prior to the end of regular enrollment if they find their interests veering towards Hellenic Studies. Students are advised to enter the Certificate program in time to fulfill the requirements, notably while they are still in an enrollment status that allows them to complete course requirements. Potential Certificate Students should complete the online sign up form to indicate their intention to pursue the certificate. The Director of the Graduate Certificate will offer advising to all candidates for the certificate toward meeting its requirements.

Academic Requirements:

(1) Seminar Requirement

The Executive Committee of the Program in Hellenic Studies will designate a number of seminars every semester from amongst current course offerings as being ‘eligible’ Hellenic Studies seminars. Certificate students must complete three such courses to earn the certificate, at least one of which must be a seminar outside their home department, which should be taken for a grade when that option is offered. Courses counted toward the Certificate may also be counted toward elective requirements in the home department, if the home department permits this.

(2) Language Requirement

Certificate students are required to demonstrate competence in Modern Greek to support research in Hellenic Studies. Competence will be demonstrated by passing an examination or through enrolled completion of HLS 101-107 over four semesters. Students may request consideration by the Director of the Graduate Certificate for the use of ancient or medieval Greek to meet this requirement in extraordinary circumstances. Such circumstances may include cases where research interests have compelled a student to learn ancient or medieval Greek over and above normal curricular requirements. In cases where this variance is permitted, candidates must pass an examination to demonstrate competence.

(3) Interdisciplinary co-curricular requirement

Candidates for the Certificate are required attend a Reading Group in Hellenic Studies for a minimum of two semesters at five sessions per semester prior to their FPOE. Students must designate in advance the semesters they will elect to apply to this requirement to the Director of the Graduate Certificate for tracking purposes. Semesters may be non-consecutive and must include attendance at no fewer than ten sessions. For each Reading Group session, students will typically read a designated book and prepare to participate in its discussion. Students will be expected to lead a session of the Reading Group presenting the results of their research under (4) below. Students are also encouraged to attend Hellenic Studies scholarly events such as lectures and workshops whenever practicable.

(4) Study or research in or on Greece

In order to earn a graduate certificate in Hellenic studies, graduate students must complete a significant amount of academic work in or on Greece. This requirement may be fulfilled in two ways. Ordinarily graduate students meet this requirement by studying in Greece for a minimum of five weeks. Study in Greece may include summer courses, including language study, participation in an archaeological project, archival research, etc. In special cases, with permission from the Director of the Graduate Certificate, students may satisfy this requirement by studying in other parts of the Hellenophone Mediterranean. Students must receive pre-approval of their proposed plan to meet the requirement from the Director of the Graduate Certificate. Students may also, with permission of the Director of the Graduate Certificate, meet this requirement on campus through research on Hellenic material culture drawing on the resources of the Princeton Art Museum and/or the Library’s Special Collections.

Students will submit a report on their activities to the Director of the Graduate Certificate, normally by the beginning of the following academic year. The report should explain in what way the work accomplished under their approved proposal for this requirement contributes to their doctoral research, and/or their professional development, including their teaching. The report could take the form of a short research paper (c. 10 pages), a syllabus for a proposed course, or some other form by prior agreement with the Director of the Certificate. Students will be required to lead a session of the Hellenic Studies reading group (item (3) above), with a presentation based on their report.

Administration and Academic Oversight:

Students should address their inquiries about the Certificate to the Hellenic Studies Director of the Graduate Certificate. The Director will oversee the progress of students enrolled in the Certificate and assure that eligible courses are identified in good time for student enrollment. Award of the Certificate will follow review by the Executive Committee of the Program in Hellenic Studies at the time of the candidate’s Final Public Oral Examination.