Guided Reading in Greek and Latin Authors

Module title	Guided Reading in Greek and Latin Authors
Module code	CLAM118
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	15
Module staff	Professor Claire Holleran (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	5

Module description

This module is designed for students with an advanced knowledge of Latin or Greek, enabling you to enrich and expand your reading of key works or genres of Greek and Latin literature in the original. Taking the form of independent study under the supervision of a member of academic staff with relevant expertise, the module allows you to broaden the context of your specialised work in Classics and Ancient History. The body of texts chosen for study may come from any area of classical literature and should correspond in length to approximately two books of Homer. Texts must be agreed with a potential supervisor before the start of the module and approved by the programme director of the MA.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The overall aims of the module are:

• To broaden your knowledge of ancient literature, with a particular view to addressing current gaps in your expertise

• To enable you to develop specific interests and focuses through sustained independent study of a particular author or genre.

• To sharpen skills in reading and interpreting texts in the original.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate advanced close reading skills, engaging with the language, style, themes, and context of the chosen text(s)
2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the text(s) studied and their significance

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Demonstrate sophisticated critical and analytical skills which can be applied to a wider range of ancient texts
4. Demonstrate advanced linguistic mastery of Latin or Greek

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Demonstrate sophisticated skills in independent research and interpretative analysis, including the ability to identify research questions and construct a cogent argument
6. Communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively in both oral and written forms

Syllabus plan

The chosen literature is to be read at an even pace across the term, according to a schedule agreed with the assigned supervisor at the start of the module. There will be at least five supervision meetings across the term, devoted primarily to the scrutiny and discussion of interpretative issues, but also designed to monitor progress, offer advice on difficulties encountered, and provide detailed feedback.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
5	145

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching	5	5 individual supervision meetings
Guided independent study	35	Reading of original text (indicative number of hours)
Guided independent study	110	Interpretation and research (indicative number of hours)

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Discussion of interpretative issues arising from independent study in each supervision meeting	1 hour	1-6	Oral feedback from supervisor

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Critical Interpretation	25	1000 words	1-6	Mark; written and oral comments
Essay or extended critical commentary	75	3000 words	1-6	Mark; written and oral comments

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Critical Interpretation (1000 words)	Critical Interpretation (1000 words)	1-6	Referral/deferral period
Essay or extended critical commentary (3000 words)	Essay or extended critical commentary (3000 words)	1-6	Referral/deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral: if you miss an assessment for certified reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Commitee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral: if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%), you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Supervisors will offer advice on the best available texts, commentaries, and relevant critical literature. The following texts may provide a useful starting-point:

A. Dihle, A History of Greek Literature from Homer to the Hellenistic Period. London, 1991
A. Dihle, Greek and Latin Literature of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Justinian. London, 1991.
P. Easterling and B. Knox, eds. The Cambridge History of Classical Literature. Vol. 1 Greek. Cambridge, 1985.
E. Kenney and W. Clausen, eds. The Cambridge History of Classical Literature. Vol. 2 Latin. Cambridge, 1982.
S. Kraus and C. Stray, eds. Classical Commentaries: Explorations in a Scholarly Genre. Oxford, 2015.
D. M. Schaps, Handbook for Classical Research. Routledge, 2010.
J. P. Sullivan and I. J. F. de Jong, Modern Critical Theory and Classical Literature. Brill, 2018.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE –

Key words search

Ancient Greek, Latin, literature, literary criticism, analysis

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	Greek/Latin V or equivalent advanced Greek/Latin course or academic module
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	01/01/2019
Last revision date	24/03/2025