Hellenic Studies Summer School (HSSS)

Description

The Hellenic Studies Summer School (HSSS) is an intensive and diverse academic experience that engages students in a critical exploration of Hellenic culture from ancient to modern times. Choosing from courses in literature, language, history, art, philosophy, architecture, dance, and Olympic Games, students explore connections between Greece’s past and present, as well as the significance of Hellenic culture in the world today. The program integrates coursework with active, experiential learning and meta-cognitive practices to foster cultural immersion and critical thinking.

Students may attend this program — featuring fully-accredited (NECHE) courses — independently or as part of a study abroad program organized in concert with an ACG partner institution. HSSS students will take two 3-credit courses, reside in ACG’s apartment-style residences and visit significant historical and cultural sites on weekend and evening excursions. The program will be offered in Summer Session I 2024 (mid May to mid June).

A certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the Hellenic Studies Summer School.

Aim and Objectives

The Hellenic Studies Summer School (HSSS) is addressed to college students from all over the world who wish to develop a (better) understanding of the significance of Greek culture in the modern world. It aims to engage students in an investigation of Greek history and culture that spans over 3,000 years, with a focus on how salient aspects of contemporary Greek (and much other modern) culture relate to their earlier antecedents.

HSSS aims at enabling participants to:

  • develop a sense of how cultural, historical and political events of the past have translated into Greece of the modern era and the contemporary western tradition (and beyond);
  • trace the development of Greek history and culture across traditionally-drawn boundaries;
  • gain a better appreciation of Greece and its people;
  • learn experientially through study-related travel and on-site teaching;
  • immerse themselves in language and culture;
  • function successfully in a different speech/culture community thereby developing empathy and a heightened knowledge of effective approaches to intercultural communication;
  • develop a heightened appreciation of the importance of individual and social responsibility as well as personal and civic values.

Special Features of the Program

a. Tradition of academic excellence

ACG’s 146-year legacy of academic excellence and its location in Athens afford students the singular benefit of studying in a living laboratory that bridges the ancient and contemporary realities of Greece while receiving credit through a leading U.S. accrediting body (NECHE).

b. Exceptional campus and facilities

The Aghia Paraskevi campus, situated on the western slopes of Mt. Hymettus, some ten kilometers from the center of Athens, offers a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside in a park-like setting. Its original buildings, designed by the renowned Greek architect, Constantine Doxiades, rise along the hillside and offer splendid views of Athens. Many kilometers of wooded mountain trails are easily accessible by foot from campus.

Campus features include:

  • Academic buildings with smart classrooms, computer and science laboratories, fine art studios and exhibition areas, the Pierce Theater and Black Box Theater.
  • A spacious, modern library designed to hold 250,000 volumes.
  • Athletic facilities including a gymnasium, state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, running track and soccer field.
  • The Student Success Center featuring a “one stop shop” for advising, registration, student affairs and cashier services.
  • The ACG Art Gallery and a large collection of outdoor statuary.
  • An open-air Greek theater with breathtaking views of Athens.
  • A student center with dining facilities – including Dipnosofistirion (a high-quality Greek dining chain that has also been certified as a ‘Gold Class’ organic kitchen) and Starbucks – as well as student organization offices.
  • A Byzantine chapel.
  • Wireless and wired internet access.

c. Housing

The American College of Greece operates a modern Residence Complex just a short walk from campus. Students housed in ACG apartments live in a safe, clean, residential environment in a quiet neighborhood with nearby grocery stores, cafés, restaurants and shopping centers. Our Residence Complex features fully furnished studio, single and double bedrooms in shared apartments as well as laundry facilities and 24/7 residence assistance.

 

d. Diverse curriculum

The HSSS offers courses that explore diverse topics relating to salient aspects of Hellenic culture. Students examine various aspects of exciting themes from new and often unexpected perspectives, learn in unconventional and creative ways and engage in critical thinking. Courses are taught by highly qualified scholar-teachers who hold terminal degrees. Academic credit earned at Deree-ACG is easily transferred to all other colleges and universities in the United States.

e. In-the-field instruction and study travel

Cultural activities, field trips and on-site teaching provide students a “hands-on” experience and maximize their learning potential. By directly observing sites, monuments, people and cultural events, students engage in an active in-depth investigation of objects, human beings, phenomena and ideas and draw meaning and understanding from these experiences and interactions. The program takes advantage of a stimulating environment to make teaching and learning more creative, to invigorate instruction and to help students discover new ways of expressing academic creativity.

f. Extensive cultural immersion

Through experiential learning employed in the courses, direct contact with members of the host community and various co-curricular activities, participants have a rich cultural immersion experience and develop the skill to see things from the perspective of the local community members. They also develop an awareness of how they are informed by their own culture and make sense of cultural differences. These skills are becoming more important as students look for jobs in the global marketplace.

Furthermore, participants who attend language courses and hence develop the ability to speak the language to a certain extent have ample opportunity to practice it in a variety of natural settings. Participants seek and discover new, culturally appropriate strategies to achieve and maintain effective communication with the local people. This intercultural communication outside the classroom gradually increases their mastery of the language and their confidence in using it.

g. Critical Reflection

In this program, students are frequently engaged in critical reflection. This includes both written reflections and discussions through which students and faculty collectively draw meaning from their learning and experiences in Greece.

h. HSSS Study Abroad Comprehensive Fee

Accommodation TypeComprehensive Study Abroad Fee
(HSSS Program Only)
Double Room (in shared apartment)$ 4,420
Single Room (in shared apartment)$ 5,090
Private Studio$ 5,330

What is Included:

Housing
Students are defaulted into Double Room accommodations (housing of two students in one bedroom). You can choose to upgrade to a single bedroom or studio apartment for an extra charge contingent on availability. Please contact the Office of Residential and International Student Services for more details on housing.

Complimentary Laundry Facilities
Free laundry facilities are available in student housing.

Tuition
Up to 6 credit hours

Field Trips and Events
HSSS field trips and events include: Orientation, Downtown Athens Tour, Visits to the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum, and more.

Airport Pick-up
We offer airport pick-up for students arriving at the designated time on move-in days.

Olympic-quality Athletic Facilities
As the official training site of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, our campus offers our Olympic-quality fitness center, pool, track, tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, soccer field and more. In addition, a well-equipped fitness center located in the student housing complex.

Internet Access
Wireless and wired internet access is available in student residences and on campus.

Official Transcript
ACG provides an official transcript shortly after the conclusion of the semester to your home university. 

The Study Abroad Comprehensive fee does not include

  • Food: a fully equipped kitchen is available in all apartments.
  • Books: the average cost is *approximately € 100.
  • Spending money/personal expenses: we recommend *approximately € 1,000 for daily expenses, including meals, transportation, personal travel, entertainment, and incidentals.

*Please note this estimate is approximate for required hard copy books. E-books, utilized for some courses, are included in the fees, and do not require an additional purchase.

**Please note this estimate is approximate, and students should base their budget on their personal spending habits.

Curriculum

HSSS students take two 3-credit courses and may, thus, earn up to six transferable college credits.

In Summer Session | 2024, students may choose two of the following courses:

Course rubric Course title Instructor Days Time slot
CL 1002 Ancient Greek I Tobias Myers M-F 11:10-13:10
GR 1000 Modern Greek I Sophia Zevgoli M-F 09:00-11:00
GR 1101 Modern Greek II Maria Kyriakaki M-F 13:20-15:20
AH 2122 * Topography and Monuments of Athens Metaxia Papageorgiou M-F 09:00-11:00
HY 3060 Greece: The Birth of a Modern Nation Haris Vlavianos M-F 09:00-11:00
DR 3344 Re-reading Greek Tragedy and the American Drama Tonia Tsamouris M-F 11:10-13:10
DR 2033 ** Athens Theater Festivals: ‘Then and Now’ Athanasios Vovolis M-F 13:20-15:20
DA 2019 Ancient Greek Themes in Modern & Contemporary Dance Daphne Mourelou M-F 13:20-15:20
HHU 2230 *** Antigone's Dilemma: Citizenship and Resistance in the Contemporary World Natasha Remoundou M-F 11:10-13:10
SM 3003 Olympic Games and Sports Mega Events Stella Leivadi M-F 13:20-15:20

* Required museum and sites visits – Additional fees apply.

** Required theater visits – Additional fees apply.

*** Registration in this course is subject to the International Honors Program requirements and has to be approved by the IHP Director.

Extra- and co-curricular activities may include:

Pre-departure Activities

Visit to the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum

Field Trips to Cultural Sites

Athens Festival Events/Performances

Athens Street Art Tour

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