Undergraduate

Continuing classical Latin

On this page

• What you will study
• Entry
• If you have a disability or additional requirement
• Study materials
• Teaching and assessment
• Students also studied
• Future availability

This intermediate course builds on your knowledge of Latin vocabulary and grammar, teaching you the skills required for reading and appreciating original texts on your own – from the works of Catullus and Ovid to Virgil’s account of the fall of Troy in Aeneid II. Besides working on translation skills, you will also engage in cultural and literary study of the texts, viewing them as both great pieces of literature and rich insights into Roman culture. A natural follow on from Reading classical Latin (A297), the course also suits students with a good basic grounding in Latin.

Course facts

Register for the course

This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

This course is designed to consolidate and develop your knowledge of Latin and your competence in reading various genres of Latin texts. It is based on four published books: The Latin Language; the Cambridge Latin Anthology; R. H. Jordan’s edition of Virgil: Aeneid II; and D. West’s translation of The Aeneid.

In the first 20 weeks of your study you will work through The Latin Language to consolidate your grammar and learn new grammatical features. You will also read selections of passages from the Cambridge Latin Anthology, which include Catullus, Cicero, Horace, Martial, Ovid, Seneca, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger. In the remaining 12 weeks, you will focus on studying the set text, Virgil’s Aeneid II. Reading through this text will both hone your knowledge of Latin grammar and give you extensive practice in translation, but will also allow you to appreciate the style and literary qualities of one of Rome’s finest poets. Apart from reading most of Book 2 in Latin, you’re also encouraged to read as much of the rest of the poem as you can in West’s translation and to use this wider context to consider some of the major themes of the poem and its role in the culture and politics of Augustan Rome.

Throughout the course, you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the use of a Latin dictionary by using the Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary, which has both Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin sections. There are two audio CDs that contain a talk on the Latin language; discussions on themes and issues of translation in the Aeneid and several readings of study passages from the Cambridge Latin Anthology and Aeneid II.

Entry

This is a Level 3 course. Level 3 courses build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at Levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU.

This course follows on from Reading classical Latin (A297) which is based on Sections 1 to 4 of Reading Latin by P. V. Jones and K. C. Sidwell (Cambridge University Press). If you have not used Reading Latin before, it might be helpful to look at it to see what grammar and vocabulary is covered. 

Whatever your previous experience of studying Latin, the preparatory booklet for this course will help you to decide whether the course is at an appropriate level for you and to prepare for it. The booklet will be sent to you as part of the study material, but if you would like it before you register you can download it now as a PDF file. If you are unable access this file,  please send an A4, self-addressed envelope marked ‘A397 preparation’ to the A397 Curriculum Manager, The Faculty of Arts, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA and we will send you a copy. No postage is required. 

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Preparatory work

You are strongly advised to work through the preparatory booklet (see Entry above) before the course begins, to refresh your knowledge of the language and to note areas of grammar to consolidate. In particular we think it would be especially useful to do some work on the formation and use of the passive, and the formation of the subjunctive. You may also like to look at the interactive exercises in Latin grammar which is accessible from the Department of Classical Studies website. 

If you have a disability or additional requirement

Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Printed materials, audio CDs, website.

Scottish Classics Group, The Latin Language: A Handbook for Students

A. Carter and P. Parr, Cambridge Latin Anthology

You will need

CD player.

Computing requirements

This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.

You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.  

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.

You must submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Reading classical Latin (A297)
• Exploring the classical world (A219)
• Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds (A330)
• Reading classical Greek: language and literature (A275)
• World archaeology (A251)

Future availability

The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.

Fees 2012

See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.

Study explained

Financial support

- find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.

Study explained

- all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.

A taste of OU study

Student Reviews

I enjoyed this course but anyone thinking of doing it should be aware that it is a very different course ...
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This was an enjoyable course, though it is a big step up from the 2nd Level Latin course. You will ...
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Your questions

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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35

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