Concordia Summer in Greece

About the program

As part of the CMLL’s 2024 Study Tour students will explore the archaeological remains of ancient Greece, from the Neolithic period through to late antiquity. Beginning in Athens, we will investigate the major monuments and museums of the city (e.g., Akropolis, Agora, National Archaeological Museum) before departing by bus to the Peloponnesus. Along with the region’s major archaeological sites and museums (e.g., Mycenae, Tiryns, Sparta, Pylos, Epidauros), we will visit the major Byzantine site of Mystra. Along the way, students will have an opportunity to try out their athletic prowess on the running tracks at Olympia and Nemea. We will next travel to central Greece to experience Delphi and the Sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena before heading south to sites in Attica, including the battlefield site of Marathon. Our final destination is Crete, reached by an overnight ferry ride from Piraeus, where we will investigate the island's Minoan sites (e.g., Knossos, Malia, Phaistos, Gournia) as well as monuments and museums from later antique periods (e.g., Eleutherna, Kissamos). A particular highlight will be the site of Phalasarna, in northwest Crete, where a town thought to be a pirate lair was destroyed by the Roman invasion in 67 BCE. At times, students will receive tours from scholars actively working on these sites.

As we study Greece’s antiquities, we will connect the country’s past to its present and future. We will examine ancient and modern wine making and olive oil production through visits to wineries (Nemea, Lyrarakis) and an olive processing plant (Corinth). Ceramic technology both ancient and modern will be demonstrated at Margarites, on Crete, and a phyllo maker (Rethymnon) will exhibit an age-old food technology. Walking tours of Byzantine and later forts and walls (Chania, Herakleion, Rethymnon) and the WWII airstrip and cemetery (Maleme) will reveal much about the turmoil of post-antique Greek history. Visits to Hossios Loukas and Arkadi Monastery will demonstrate the importance of Greek religious life, which has been ongoing for centuries. Other cultural activities include visits to Folklore Museums, and exhibitions of folk dancing and traditional foods. Students will have opportunities to swim at various beaches, including Matala, the location of 1960s-70s "hippie caves” (Roman tombs, actually) where artists like Joni Mitchell played “that scratchy rock and roll, beneath the Matala moon”. Students will have one day off (May 5; orthodox easter) to pursue their own activities or just relax.

During these excursions professors will lead students through the sites, describing, and analyzing structures and spaces. Museum visits will highlight the most informative artifacts and connect them to sites we have visited. Extra time allows students time to research on their own. Because students will be working closely together, they are required to learn to live and work together as a group while they contribute to the success of this summer program.

Upon the successful completion of the two courses mentioned below, students will be able to: a) develop first-hand knowledge of Greece's culture, history and monuments; b) critically examine how knowledge about the past is constructed and expressed; c) understand the value given to the past by the communities living in the region; and d) come to understand the importance of cultural heritage.

The study tour and courses are led and taught by Dr Jane Francis and Dr Matthew Buell (CMLL, Concordia University), who each have decades of experience in archaeological fieldwork in Greece, the study of its antiquities, and with teaching and training students on site in Greece.

Dates & course

Dates: June 6 , 2024 - June 26, 2024

Courses: Undergraduate courses (6 credits total):        

• CLAS 370: Practicum in Archaeology (3 credits)

This course will require students to participate in the Study Tour (June 6-26th) and complete a series of projects. Each student will be assigned a site or monuments and will take the role of professor in explaining and teaching this to the group in a presentation of  15–20 in duration. Students will all keep a Daily Reflective Journal in which they will examine and reflect upon the day's activities and learning experiences; these will include thoughtful comments on both intellectual reactions to academic course content as well as on contemporary Greek culture. Students will also contribute to a Blog about our travels through Greece and write a final reflective—but academic—essay based on their experience in Greece.

• CLAS 398: Monuments and Artifacts of Ancient Greece (3 credits)

Students will enrol in second course (CLAS 398) in the fall 2024 term, but some of the work may be completed at any point before then, after the completion of the Study Tour. This course focuses on specific artefacts seen and studied while in Greece. Students will write three assignments based on a selected artefact: a catalogue entry; an essay outline; and an academic research paper. Students will present an oral version of this research at a small conference held at Concordia during the fall term.

Upon the successful completion of these courses, students will be able to: a) develop first-hand knowledge of Greece's culture, history and monuments; b) critically examine how knowledge about the past is constructed and expressed; c) understand the value given to the past by the communities living in the region; and d) come to understand the importance of cultural heritage.

Estimated cost & bursary

Program fee: $6650.

Fee includes:

• Accommodation for twenty (20) overnights in 3 *** star centrally located hotels in twin-bedded rooms, in central locations with all modern comforts in Athens, Nauplion, Sparta, Pylos, Olympia, Delphi, Heraklion, Matala, Rethymnon and Chania as mentioned above (and singles for professors)
• Five (5) dinners, full course with local specialties, including welcome and farewell dinners
• Bus transportation in modern motor coach with selected driver, as per 
• Private bus transfers at appointed times upon arrival in Athens and departure in Crete
• Ferry tickets to Crete in 3- or 4-berth cabins with private amenities (2-berth cabins for professors and spouses)
• Cultural activities such as winery visit in Nemea and in Heraklion, olive oil press visit in Corinth and Greek Dancing class in Olympia.
• Assistance in obtaining guiding permit in Greece from local authorities for professors based on proper documentation.
• 24-Hour Assistance from local reps in Greece.

Bursary: 

To offset the costs for students of going abroad, Concordia International offers a bursary to students who qualify. To qualify, you must be a Concordia student enrolled in a Concordia Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree program and approved to participate in the field school. 

• Field school applicants do not need to submit a bursary application as it is part of the on-line field school application, and you will automatically be considered for the bursary.
• The bursary will be applied to student accounts. Details on the payment of the bursary will be sent to successful applicants. 

Contact Concordia International if you have any questions on your eligibility for funding.