Academic Profile
The Department of History and Archaeology was established in 2019 (Government Gazette 70/7.5.2019, issue A, after the law 4610/2019) following the annulment of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management and New Technologies which was established in 2004. According to the new academic charter of the University of Patras, contained in the Presidential Decree 52/2022 (Government Gazette 131/07.07.2022, issue A), starting from the academic year 2022-2023 (a) the Department of Museology is merged with the Department of History-Archaeology and the students of the Department of Museology who registered until the academic year 2021-2022 continue and complete the Program of Studies of their Department of admission and receive the corresponding degree (as indicated in the relevant Roadmap), (b) the Department of History-Archaeology is now based in Patras.
The core of the educational Program deals with the history and the archaeology of a large part of the Mediterranean area from the prehistoric times until the 20th century. Lectures deal with various aspects of the civilizations that grew up or were established in this area, mainly those who were developed in the area of modern day Greek state: the prehistoric Aegean civilizations, the ancient Greek, the Roman, the Byzantine, the Venetian, the Ottoman, as well as the Modern Greek.
Taking under consideration that the Department of History and Archaeology succeeded a previous Department with different academic program, the current curriculum offers a larger variety of courses than in other History and Archaeology Departments, such as museum studies, cultural heritage management, public archaeology, etc. The most appealing and innovative part of the offered courses are those dealing with digital humanities, a section of the humanities studies that has drawn large attention during the last years worldwide.
The Department of History and Archaeology awards diplomas up to the doctorate level. The mandatory minimum length of study leading to the Bachelor’s degree is set at eight (8) semesters (four-year courses). The annual educational Program comprises two semesters, fall and spring semester, each representing thirteen (13) full teaching weeks. Lectures and classes take place in these periods. The exact dates of the beginning and the end of the fall and spring semester, as well as the examination periods, are determined by the Administrative Committee of the University of Patras. The number of students admitted per year in the Department is set to the input of students at each university requirements.