Philosophy and Modern Greek

Philosophy and Modern Greek is a pairing that connects two of the oldest and richest intellectual and cultural traditions in the Western world. Philosophy, in its origins a Greek endeavour, develops the capacity for rational argument, conceptual analysis, and critical thinking about fundamental questions of knowledge, ethics, reality, and language. Modern Greek, while drawing on an ancient linguistic lineage, is the living language of contemporary Greece and Cyprus, and a door to modern Greek literature, culture, society, and politics, as well as to the historical depth of the Byzantine and Ottoman periods that connect ancient and contemporary Greek civilisation.

At the University of Oxford, this three-year full-time programme reflects Oxford's tutorial-based teaching model, which provides intensive personal engagement with the material under the guidance of research-active specialists in each area. You will develop the rigorous analytical and argumentative skills that philosophy demands, learning to criticise and reason logically about questions from epistemology and ethics to philosophy of language and philosophy of mind. The Modern Greek component develops your language skills from whatever level you enter at, gives you access to modern Greek literature and culture, and allows you to explore the historical and intellectual connections between ancient philosophical traditions and contemporary Greek thought and life.

You will develop exceptional skills in logical reasoning, argument analysis, literary interpretation, language acquisition, and sustained academic writing across two very different but deeply connected disciplines.

Graduates from philosophy and Modern Greek programmes pursue careers in education, the civil service, journalism, law, publishing, international organisations, academia, and the cultural sector. The analytical rigour of philosophy and the linguistic and cultural depth of Modern Greek together produce a graduate of unusual intellectual versatility. Postgraduate study in philosophy, Modern Greek, classics, or a related humanities discipline is a natural continuation.