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The answers given to the following FAQs are not meant to be comprehensive but to better guide you to more relevant points of information. If an answer given to a particular question here does not include the information you look for, please feel free to contact us.

What languages are involved in teaching and research of the Department of Classical Languages?

Vedic and Classical Sanskrit, Classical Greek and Latin

What languages may I major in?

Sanskrit only. Classical Greek and Latin are offered only as language components for those majoring in Greek & Roman Studies (GRS).

Whom may I contact if I wish to know more about the postgraduate programs offered by the Department?

Your first point of contact is the contact the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences.

I am interested in registering for the Certificate or Diploma Courses offered by the Department. How may I know whether I am eligible enough?

Please read the relevant sections of the current Postgraduate Student Handbook. You may also contact the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences to have your eligibility double-checked and obtain further information such as the dates for registration and payment details.

I neither majored in Sanskrit nor took Sanskrit as a subject during my undergraduate career. May I register for any of the Postgraduate Programs in Sanskrit?

Generally, NO. You must have either an Undergraduate Degree in Sanskrit or a level of proficiency which the Department would deem sufficient for you to enroll in the postgraduate program concerned. However, you may be eligible to enroll in our Diploma program in Sanskrit. Please contact the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences and have your eligibility checked.

I did not take Sanskrit for my Advanced Level Examination. May I take Sanskrit in the University as a subject of my undergraduate degree?

If you have a level of proficiency which the Department would deem sufficient for you to enroll in the Sanskrit Undergraduate Program, YES. You may need to sit a test held by the Department to prove it.

I took Sanskrit for my Advanced Level and/ or the Examinations held by the Society of Oriental Studies, Sri Lanka. May I still take Elementary Sanskrit courses (SKT 309 and/or SKT 310) and earn credits?

YES, as long as you are not offering Sanskrit as a subject of your undergraduate degree program, either special and general, at Peradeniya.

I did not take GRC (Greek and Roman Civilization) for my Advanced Level Examination. May I take GRS (Greek and Roman Studies) as a subject here?

YES, but having a prior knowledge of the discipline may be highly beneficial for your course of study.

Is there a predetermined limit of the number of students you register for the special degree programs in Sanskrit and Greek and Roman Studies?

Currently such a limit is not applied.

Are both Latin and Greek available every year as language components?

NO. Either language component is offered concerning the number of students enrolled, their interest and at the discretion of the Departmental Faculty.

I am majoring in either of the disciplines offered by the Department. May I take a course from the other discipline as a ‘subject outside discipline’ each semester?

YES.

I have a smattering of Sanskrit/ Greek/ Latin. Do you have any courses for me to brush it up?

YES, as a current undergraduate student of this University, you may request to audit the language courses and you do not have to earn credits for them. Those from outside the University may register for a Non-Degree course (Certificate course). Postgraduate Diploma-seekers must have a first degree in a related discipline and may need to sit a test held by the Department to prove their proficiency.

May I register for my Degree Program as a part-time student?

Only the postgraduate programs are offered as both fulltime and part-time programs. All undergraduate programs are fulltime programs.

I have passed the final examination for Pandit Degree held by the Society for Oriental Studies, Sri Lanka. Am I eligible to apply for a postgraduate program in Sanskrit?

Generally, NO. But you may be eligible for the Sanskrit diploma program and subsequently, i.e., upon successful completion of the diploma, for degree-offering programs.

Do I have to attend or have any opportunity for fieldwork during my undergraduate degree program offered by the Department?

NO. The Department organizes fieldtrips and onsite workshops annually but currently they are not necessary components of any degree program.

Do you have any awards or prizes for students’ academic achievements?

YES. The Department has recognized the significance of appreciating its students’ performance and achievements. There are several awards in the form of medals, prizes, and scholarships. Read more about them HERE.