Programs in modern Greek language and literature teach people the spoken and written traditions of Greece since the 1400s. Students learn current dialects and uses of the language. Students also learn how to apply the knowledge to business and technology.

For people in Greece, even though it began the modern era, 1400 wasn't a very good year. The Ottoman Turks invaded, ruling for about 400 years. Many Greeks fled the country, joining the Renaissance underway in other European nations. Greece later won its freedom in the early 1800s but was not reunited with Crete until 1913. The Ottoman influence on the language and literature of Greece and Crete is one focus of this major.

Many people wonder about the difference between ancient Greek, and Greek as it is spoken and written today. While the language has changed quite a bit over the centuries, it is interesting to note that the 24 letters of the alphabet used in ancient Greek are the same used in modern Greek today. Therefore, Greek speakers today often can read the ancient texts in their original form and understand much of it.

In modern Greek language and literature programs, you study just what the name implies – language and literature. You take courses from different fields of study, such as art, anthropology, and history. You learn about Greek culture and history. Although this program concentrates on Greek culture and language in modern times, many programs include course work on ancient Greece and the important people and literatures of that time. Therefore, you can study the works of Homer and Plato in addition to recent Nobel prize-winning poets!

Most importantly, you learn to speak modern Greek. You also learn how to read and write the language. After Greece regained its freedom from Turkish rule, there was a movement to revive the "classical" language. Other people felt that the Greek language should take a more popular, or "demotic" style. Because of this conflict, many modern works of Greek literature are written in different styles of Greek. Therefore, many programs teach you how read and speak both. (The demotic style was recognized as Greece's official language in 1976).

Many courses also teach you translation techniques. In addition, you read original, untranslated works of literature, including poems, essays, epics, and novels. You also study folklore and film.

Over 50 colleges and universities offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in modern Greek language and literature. Some two-year colleges offer the first two years of study. Students can often transfer these credits to a four-year school. Master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree. Most people with graduate degrees become professors.

Students who major in modern Greek language and literature may be able to choose concentrations such as:

• Conversation
• Dialects
• Folklore
• Interpreting
• Linguistics
• Literature
• Teaching
• Translation