Immerse yourself in the physical world and material culture of the ancient Greeks. Encounter some of the most important sites in ancient Greece, and examine in-person and up-close aspects of Greek history, prehistory, art, and culture.

Greece’s history stretches across millennia. With hundreds of archaeological sites and museums, one can walk through the remains of prior civilizations and experience for themselves the artifacts and history that makes Greece so special. Located in the southeast of Europe, it lies at the meeting point of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. Beyond Athens located on the mainland peninsula, Greece is made up of thousands of islands scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

Students take CLA 179 (1.5 hr) The Art, Archaeology, and Culture of Ancient Greece

The goal of this program is to immerse Wake Forest students in the physical world and material culture of the ancient Greeks. 

The program involves a good number of site and museum visits for a 2-week course of study, and each such visit is tied either to the most important aspects of Greek archaeology and history or specifically to one of the two courses.  Our time in Athens includes not only study of the most important Greek monuments — the Acropolis, the Parthenon — but also to the less-famous sites of Greek democracy: the Pnyx, where the Assembly met, the Monument of the Ten Eponymous Heroes in the Agora, where judiciary notices were promulgated, and the Stoa Poikile, the meeting-place and namesake of that influential Greek philosophical school, the Stoics.  Likewise, our visit to the Athenian Acropolis will have as its centerpiece the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the site where many Greek comedies were performed, and our visit to the city of Epidaurus will focus on that city’s breathtaking theater (a site for not only ancient performances of drama but also for modern performances of ancient comedy, and thus an occasion for the study of classical reception and performance history) as well as on its medical cult of Aesculapius. 

The program fee includes all site entrances, transportation and 2 meals a day meaning that personal expenses will be very limited. This program is open to all students and the credit hour can count toward the Classical Languages major, the Classical Studies major, the Classical Studies Minor, the Greek minor, or elective credit. By the end of the program, all students will be able to describe the sources of knowledge about ancient Greek prehistory, art, archaeology, and material culture; identify the periods and historical development of Greek art; relate literary texts to artifacts and physical contexts; and interpret the cultural significance of material remains.

Spring 2025 Faculty Leaders
Brian Warren
Associate Teaching Professor of Classical Languages
warrenbm@wfu.edu
(336) 701-2984

Hotels with shared rooms. Breakfast will be included in most hotels.

Students will have the opportunity to visit many Greek cities and islands including Athens, Naxos, Mykonos, Delos, Corinth and more, with numerous site and museum visits. Nearly all of the course instruction will take place outside of the classroom with famous backdrops such as the Acropolis and the Parthenon — but also less-famous sites of Greek democracy such as the Pnyx, where the Assembly met, the Monument of the Ten Eponymous Heroes in the Agora, where judiciary notices were promulgated, and the Stoa Poikile, the meeting-place and namesake of that influential Greek philosophical school, the Stoics. Students will tour and explore archaeological sites such as the Bronze Age ruins at Mycenae, monuments such as the Theater of Epidauros, and museums filled with antiquities such as the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Interest in ancient Greece
Maturity
Interview with faculty member

The total cost of study abroad can be broken down into three categories:

Program Fee (estimated) – Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program. 
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses (estimated) – These will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.

Estimated Program Fee – $5,400
Airfare (estimated) – $1,800
Personal Expenses (estimated) – $625
Estimated total cost – $7,825

*Final program fee is subject to change based on final number of participants

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a spring short-term program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least late November of the same year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your spring short-term abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Brian Warren
Associate Teaching Professor of Classical Languages
warrenbm@wfu.edu
(336) 701-2984

Tyler Favale 
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
336-758-4072
favalet@wfu.edu

WFU/Greece Global Ambassador
Willa Baker
bakewk20@wfu.edu