The faculty of Philology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, is one of the oldest and largest academic entities in the country. Philology is understood her in the continental sense of the study of both language and literature. The faculty is concerned specifically with the Greek language and literature of all periods (Archaic, Classical, Byzantine, and Modern, as well as Folklore). The classical orientation of western education in general, along with the importance of the linguistic and literary tradition for the national identity of the newly founded Greek state gave Philology a leading role in the scholarly and educational course of the nation. In fact, during the first decades of the University's existence, Philology, History and Archaeology, formed the curriculum of an extra year of study, compulsory for all students of the University who had not chosen them as their main field.
The Higher Education Law of 1982 allowed the Schools of the University to be subdivided into Faculties, which are independent units, self-governed with regard to all administrative and academic matters; the Faculty of Philology was thus established in 1984 as part of the School of Philosophy. Today it is its largest Faculty, with 64 members of academic staff and approximately 2000 students. It consists of four Departments (Classics, Byzantine Literature and Folklore, Modern Greek Literature and Linguistics). In the last decades the Faculty has flourished, leaving behind for good its erstwhile reputation of conservatism. It has modernized its study programmes, it has enlarged and enhanced its international presence and it has forged strong ties with other centres of learning in Greece and abroad.
The Faculty of Philology is committed to the study of Greek Culture as well as the theoretical principles of its disciplines (Literary Theory, Linguistics and Folklore).
In pursuit of excellence in scholarship the Faculty seeks:
- To provide high-quality specialized knowledge in the areas of the Humanities that it serves and to promote humanistic studies as a national and international cultural treasure.
- To provide opportunities of advanced research in these areas
- To train high-quality Secondary Education teachers, with a sound knowledge of their field coupled with a firm pedagogical foundation
- To offer assistance to the State in the planning of its educational and cultural policy
- To interact with the wider community disseminating and popularizing its Humanist scholarship, in the firm belief that Humanist values contribute in the most essential manner to the quality of life, especially in times of crisis.
The comparative advantages that make the Faculty of Philology a competitive choice include
- The very high level of the Faculty (all members are holders of doctoral degrees from universities in Greece and abroad and the Faculty a strong international presence through its publications and participation as well as organization of international conferences)
- The very high level of Students (indicated by the high threshold in the annual entrance examinations)
- The new, flexible and cutting-edge Programme of Undergraduate Studies
- The operation of three different and non-overlapping Programmes of Postgraduate Studies
-The Programme of the Faculty of Philology, with five directions of study
-The interdepartmental Programme for the Teaching of Greek as a Second/Foreign Language (Department of Linguistics and Department of Pedagogy)
-The interinstitutional Programme "Technoglossia" (Technology and Language), in cooperation with the National Technical University of Greece.
- The recently undertaken innovative actions, including fund-raising research proposals, to tackle new challenges in Greece and abroad
- The implementation of life-long learning and training projects, which enhance and update the knowledge and skills of the Faculty's alumni
- The increasing opening of the Faculty to the wider community
The Structure of the Faculty:
- Students: c. 1800 undergraduates, c. 100 graduates at the Master's level, c. 150 doctoral students
A varying number of Erasmus Students
- c. 400 students of the School of Greek as a Second Language
- Academic Staff: 64, often reinforced by visiting professors from universities world-wide
- Administrative Staff
- Technical Instruction Staff
- The theatres and classrooms of the School of Philosophy
- The four libraries (soon to be united with the other libraries of the school in the new purpose-built Library)
- The five Laboratories
