Study Latin Online at UT Austin
Faculty in the University's College of Liberal Arts teach more than three dozen global languages. Through the Texas Language Gateway (TLG) partnership with University Extension, many of those languages are now available to learners everywhere.
Loquor Latine?
Latin is at the heart of the study of ancient Rome and its enduring legacy in Western culture. Through UEX's Latin courses, students can develop language skills that allow them to explore the classical world, from foundational texts in history and literature to the roots of many modern languages.
Why learn Latin?
Latin was the native language of ancient Rome and central Italy's Latium region. As the administrative language of the Roman Empire, it spread across the Mediterranean and Western Europe, remaining central to education, government, and Christianity through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Latin formed the basis for Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian) and significantly shaped English vocabulary.
Studying Latin provides access to ancient Rome’s rich literary and cultural heritage. Works by authors like Vergil, Ovid, Cicero, and Augustine have profoundly influenced Western intellectual and cultural traditions, shaping political, legal, and scientific achievements that endure today. Latin also enhances understanding of the classical foundations underlying much of modern society.
Course Sequence - Self-Paced - Register Anytime
These courses are independent study and self-paced. For each course, students have five months upon registration in which to complete all coursework and exams.
UEX courses are open-enrollment, and everyone pays the same registration fee regardless of residency status.
First-Year Latin I (LAT 506) - $1145
This course introduces the foundations of Latin vocabulary, grammar and syntax to the beginning student of the Latin language. No prior coursework in Latin is required.
First-Year Latin II (LAT 507) - $1145
Following the successful completion of First-Year Latin I (LAT 506 or equivalent), this online course will continue to build the foundations of Latin vocabulary, grammar and syntax, bringing the student to an intermediate proficiency in the language. This course includes regular readings of texts relating to Roman history and historical myths, leading up to a reading of authentic Latin (Eutropius' commentary on the war against Hannibal).
Accelerated Intermediate Latin (LAT 511K) - $1145
Following the successful completion of First-Year Latin (LAT 506 and 507, or equivalent), students enrolled in this online intermediate Latin course will apply their foundational understanding of Latin vocabulary, grammar, syntax and translation to readings of authentic Latin prose (Julius Caesar’s commentaries on the Gallic War) and poetry (Vergil’s Aeneid). This course focuses on developing students’ language skills as well as advancing competencies in translation, composition and literary, rhetorical and historical analysis. In Vergil’s Aeneid, students will also learn to scan and analyze dactylic hexameter, the distinctive poetic meter employed in Latin epic poetry.
