QUALIFYING EXAMINATIONS IN GREEK AND IN HEBREW

1. In order to begin coursework for the licentiate in the Biblical Faculty each student must demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. This knowledge is checked by means of examinations in Greek and Hebrew which take place during the regular examination sessions, in the months of February, June and October.

2. Only students who pass the qualifying examination in Greek or in Hebrew or who successfully complete both semesters of the propaedeutic courses in those languages (see n. 4) may enroll in the advanced courses of the corresponding language. In order to enroll in any of the courses in the exegetico-theological section or in seminars it is necessary to have passed the examinations in both Greek and Hebrew. The students who pass only one of the two examinations (either of Greek or of Hebrew) must pass the examination in the other language within a period of 18 months.

3. The preparation for the qualifying examinations is the responsibility of the student, and may be done privately or in any center of study.

   For the private preparation of the examinations the following textbooks are recommended:

   For Greek:

   • J. Swetnam, An Introduction to the Study of New Testament Greek, Part I, Morphology, II edition (Subsidia Biblica 16; Pontificio Istituto Biblico, Rome 1998) [Italian translation by C. Rusconi: Il greco del Nuovo Testamento. Parte prima: Morfologia (Edizioni Dehoniane, Bologna 1995)].
   • S.C. Ranjar, Grammar of New Testament Greek. An Introductory Manual (Subsidia Biblica 52; G&B Press, Rome 2020).
   • E. G. Jay, New Testament Greek. An Introductory Grammar (London 1979) [italian translation: Grammatica Greca del Nuovo Testamento (Casale Monferrato, AL, 1993)].
   • M. Carrez, Grammaire Grecque du Nouveau Testament (Neuchâtel, Suisse 1966).

   For Hebrew:

   • T. O. Lambdin, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (New York 1971).
   • J. Weingreen, A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew (2 ed.; Oxford 1969).

4. For those who do not have a sufficient knowledge of Greek and/or Hebrew, instructors of the Biblical Faculty offer propaedeutic courses in those languages.

5. The qualifying examinations are presented according to the outline given below in point 7). They are graded by professors of the Biblical Faculty appointed for this purpose by the Dean of the Faculty.

6. Each of the qualifying examinations in Greek and Hebrew may be taken only twice. A third possibility to take an examination may be granted by the Dean of the Biblical Faculty, with consideration being given to the results of the preceding examinations. The grading of the examinations is in percentages. To pass an examination a minimum of 60% in each of the two parts of the examination is required. A grade below 60% in one of the two parts requires the repetition of both parts.

7. Each of the qualifying examination has two parts:

   1. written examination in grammar [2 hours];
   2. written examination in translation [2 hours];

   The subject matter for the examination is as follows:

   a) Written examination in grammar:

   • Translation from the Greek/Hebrew of 35 fundamental words; the words are taken from a list of basic vocabulary as found, for example, in Swetnam, Introduction, Lessons 1-67, for Greek; and for example, in Lambdin, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, Lessons 1-55, for Hebrew.
   • Construction of 25 verbal forms.
   • Parsing of 25 verbal forms and of 15 noun and other forms.

   Grading of this part of the examination will be done on the basis of the following criteria: each correct answer is worth one point; a wrong answer is worth no point (even if the error is only partial).

   b) Written examination in translation

   A translation is asked, without the aid of a dictionary, of passages taken from the Gospels of Mark and/or John as regards Greek; and of passages taken from the Book of Judges (except Chapter 5) as regards Hebrew. In addition, the translation of a passage from another book of the New Testament in Greek and from Hebrew prose narrative from the Old Testament, with the aid of a dictionary, is asked.

   The grading of this part of the examination is based on an overall assessment and takes into account the length of the passage translated, the quality of the translation, and the errors made. A failing grade in this part will result in a repeat of the entire examination, even if the result of the first test was positive.
   

   N.B.: The examinations may be done in one of five languages: English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. The examining professor may grant the possibility to use other languages. A modern-language dictionary may be used during the written examination.

Dates

In 2023-24 qualifying examinations may be taken on the following dates:

sessions:	autumn	winter	summer
Greek: grammar / vocabulary	28 Sep 2023	29 Jan 2024	07 June 2024
Greek: translation	29 Sep 2023	30 Jan 2024	08 Jube 2024
Hebrew: grammar / vocabulary	02 Oct 2023	05 Feb 2024	13 June 2024
Hebrew: translation	03 Oct 2023	06 Feb 2024	14 June 2024

he qualification examinations are aimed at an almost immediate start of the Licentiam curriculum; therefore they can be taken either in the session that precedes the first semester of registration (October or February) or in one of the two sessions immediately preceding.

Those who intend to take the qualifying examinations must register at the Secretary’s Office of the Institute either in person or by mail. Registration requires payment of a fixed fee ( € 55) for each language.

Deadline for registration:

Date di scadenza per la prenotazione:

• Autumn session: Sep 15
• Winter session:  Jan 15
• Spring session:  May 20

Address:

Secretary’s Office
  Piazza della Pilotta, 35 — 00187 Roma (Italia)
  Tel.: +39-06 695266179 - Fax: +39-06 695266211
  e-mail: pibsegr@biblico.it