Traveling Academy

  Greece

• Athens: 
Athinai (Athens)

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: April 15, 2009

Description: Exploring the Classical World through Greek Drama. Orientation in Chicago June 20-21, 200; study abroad in Greece June 22 - July 11, 2009.

This unique interdisciplinary humanities course takes students to Greece where they have the extraordinary opportunity to study ancient Greek drama in its literary and social contexts. A series of excursions both within and outside Athens supplement the core of the program on the island of Spetses and make the studies come alive as students examine the physical sites related to the works they read. The course is open to high school students who will be juniors and seniors during the 2009-2010 academic year.

Students first arrive in Chicago for pre-departure orientation, program overview, and discussion about safety while living abroad. Afterward students and the program leaders depart for Athens where, under the direction of an archaeologist, students explore sites and museums integral to the curriculum's theme: the religious, dramatic, and political centers of the Acropolis, the Theatre of Dionysos, and the Athenian Agora. The archaeological portion of the program also includes trips to Delphi and Mycenae, culminating in a visit to the ancient theatre of Epidauros to see a performance by the National Theater of Greece.
A detailed itinerary will be sent to accepted students, but you may inquire for a preliminary schedule and itinerary now.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2009
Program Instructors:
Cynthia L. Rutz, Lecturer, Committee on Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities; PhD candidate, Committee on Social Thought
Michaelangelo F. Allocca, Lecturer, Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults, Graham School of General Studies

Highlights: Having gained an archeological sense of the importance of dramatic performance, the group will then proceed to the island of Spetses, Greece, for the classroom portion of the program. Program directors will guide students in close readings and critical analysis of selected works by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, with supplementary readings in Aristotle's Poetics and other works relating to Greek drama. The daily program while on Spetses consists of tailored instruction in modern Greek by an experienced Greek language instructor, seminar discussions of the works studied, and lectures on Greek drama and its production in classical Athens. In addition, students will have the opportunity to enjoy poetry readings, Greek traditional dance classes, and the Athens Centre Theatre Festival, which includes productions of Greek dramas in English translation. Time to explore the picturesque island and practice Greek will be built into the schedule: students can rent bicycles (cars are not allowed on Spetses), go swimming or sailing, or explore the streets and beaches on foot.

Cost in US$: $ 7,485 (cost for the 2009 Traveling Academy course have not yet been determined)

Not Included: transportation to and from Chicago, passport, international health and medical evacuation insurance; course materials and books; dinners except where noted, beverages with such noted dinners (except coffee, juice and water), and personal expenses.

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European and World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel to Greece in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of approx. 15

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application

University of Chicago Summer Sessions's Mission Statement: William Rainey Harper envisioned a full-fledged adult-education program within the University of Chicago, which promised to satisfy the community's demands for the best of everything. Today, Chicago's Graham School of General Studies does combine the best, bringing the inspiration of "the Chicago Way" -academically intense, rigorous, and exhilarating study - to its classrooms.

Year Founded: 1892