Overview
Sometimes known as the "birthplace of democracy" Athens is an ideal place for liberal arts students to study. The Athens program takes place at the College Year in Athens and has a wide array of courses available that focus on both ancient and modern day Greece and Mediterranean cultures. Many courses will involve on-site teaching around Athens and Greece connecting the coursework with the wealth of historical sites, monuments, landscape and art present in that region of the world. The Academic Center is the heart of the program where the classrooms, library, student lounge and many other program services are located. Minimum GPA required by host program: 3.0 GPA, open to change depending on situation.
Academics
Find College Year in Athens classes.
Students study at the College Year in Athens (CYA) Academic center located in the heart of Athens. Art History, History, Politics, and Classical Studies, majors find a wide variety of courses to enrich their degrees. Other humanities majors should also investigate the Athens program including Environmental Science, Anthropology, Literature, Religion, and Philosophy. The curriculum covers three academic areas: Ancient Greek Studies, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, and European and East Mediterranean Studies. It is possible to take courses from all three academic areas.
Students are highly encouraged to take Modern Greek Language classes while studying on the Athens program. Modern Greek coursework ranges from the beginning levels of Greek through the advanced levels of Greek. More course information is available on the College Year in Athens semester courses website.
"Study-travel" - academic excursions - are led by faculty and other local experts and play an important role in this program's curriculum. Students visit sites that are significant to ancient, Byzantine and modern Greek history during trips to Crete, the Peloponnese, and Centeral and Northern Greece. The locations of these excursions varies from semester to semester.
Housing
Students live in apartments with four or five other students. Apartments are ten to twenty minutes away from the Academic Center. Each apartment is equipped with wi-fi, and has furnishings including kitchenware and some bedding. Students must bring towels, sheets and pillow cases. Mid-day meals are provided on weekdays except on holidays. Dining facilities are available on the ground floor of the CYA Academic Center. Most students prepare their own breakfasts and dinners with easy access to markets around the apartments. The apartment buildings also house Athenians which increases the potential for interaction with local Greeks. Read more about housing on the CYA site.
Dates
The Athens program is available in the fall and spring semesters. The fall semester starts at the beginning of September and ends in the middle of December. The spring semester starts in late January and ends mid-May.
Cost
Please see the Willamette Sponsored Programs Cost Matrix for detailed explanation of the cost of each program. The insurance provided by the Athens program is only for hospitalization in Greece. Please ensure that you have health insurance coverage for outpatient care and diagnostic services. Please see our health insurance website for further information about insurance requirements for Willamette sponsored programs.
Resources
- College Year in Athens Homepage
- Program Application (Do not begin until instructed by OIE)
- CIA World Factbook
- Lonely Planet Guide