Theme: Reditus (νόστος)
We're Back!
August 1-8, 2027
The Conventiculum Bostoniense is a one week immersive spoken Latin program run by the faculty of UMass Boston. This year's program will be held in person on the UMass Boston campus. Whether you're totally new to speaking Latin (but can already read Latin), or whether you're already an expert Latin speaker, Conventiculum Bostoniense is a supportive and welcoming space to develop your oral Latin skills, explore innovative and research-based ancient language pedagogy, and build community!
The program includes an optional online course on second language acquisition (SLA) research and Latin pedagogy which will run July 5-26. The optional SLA course is fully online and asynchronous (meaning there are no scheduled class meetings). The online SLA course is free of cost. You may enroll in Conventiculum without enrolling in the online SLA course and vice versa. Official graduate or undergraduate credit can only be earned by those who enroll in the Conventiculum.
NEW for 2027: A limited number of dorm rooms will be available on-campus and we will have a new undergraduate section!
Enrollment opens in Spring 2027. To receive an email when enrollment opens, please complete this form.
What?
Program Offerings
Courses may be taken either for-credit (at full tuition) or as an auditor (reduced tuition). PDP letters are available for in-service teachers.
Latin 375 - Undergraduate Track: New for 2027, the Conventiculum now has an undergraduate section! This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students (and advanced high school students with instructor permission) to conversational spoken Latin. Learn how to speak Latin while building extensive reading fluency and mastering the fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary in a natural and immersive way! No prior experience with spoken Latin is necessary, but students should have some experience reading unadapted ancient Latin literature (e.g. Cicero, Vergil, Catullus, Pliny, etc.).
Latin 670 - Graduate Pedagogy Track: A track for spoken Latin communication and communicative pedagogies. This track is specifically designed for first-time participants, students, those who can read Latin but are new to speaking Latin or still in the early stages of developing oral proficiency, as well as anyone interested in language pedagogy. For-credit students in Latin 670 are strongly encouraged to also complete the online SLA course prior to the Conventiculum.
Latin 675 - Graduate Literature Track: This track is focused on reading Latin literature in Latin, using spoken Latin in reading groups. It is especially aimed at repeat participants, those who have some previous experience with spoken Latin, or those who are not interested in the pedagogical theory of the Pedagogy Track. Program sessions are centered around extensive reading of Latin literature related to the year's theme.
Online SLA Course: Prior to the Conventiculum (July 5-26, 2027) we will be offering a fully online, fully asynchronous (i.e. no scheduled class meetings) crash course on Second Language Acquisition Theory and its application to teaching Latin and ancient Greek. The online SLA course is free of charge. You may enroll in the Online SLA course without attending Conventiculum, and you may attend Conventiculum without completing the Online SLA course. The Online SLA course itsef, however, does not offer official credit. Those who wish to earn official graduate or undergraduate credit must also attend Conventiculum.
For whom?
All students, teachers, speakers, and lovers of the Latin language, from advanced high school students and undergrads to professors, are encouraged to attend. Successful completion of this program only needs an open mind and a positive attitude. No prior experience with spoken Latin is necessary! The program is designed to accommodate a wide range of Latin speaking skill levels in a supportive and friendly environment. The opportunities for one-on-one interaction and small group sessions are vast and varied at this intimate immersion experience.
Do I know enough Latin to participate?
Can you read authentic ancient Latin authors (e.g. Cicero, Catullus, Vergil, etc.), at least slowly and with a dictionary? Then you know enough Latin to participate! As a general rule, if you have taken 3-4 semesters of college level Latin courses, or 3 years of high school Latin courses, you are probably ready for Conventiculum.
A special note about high school participants
Although we welcome advanced high school Latin students, Conventiculum Bostoniense is a college class. All students will be learning with adults and treated as adults for the duration of the program. For-credit high school students will earn undergraduate college credit, not high school credit. The UMass Boston registrar requires students under the age of 18 to submit a signed parental liability waiver.
Where?
This year the Conventiculum Bostoniense will be on UMass Boston's campus in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. The campus is 20 minutes south of Downtown Boston, with views of Boston Harbor and the Harbor Islands. It can be reached by car from I-93, and for those arriving by public transit a free shuttle bus connects the campus to the JFK/UMass MBTA stop (red line and commuter rail)
A limited number of on-campus dorm rooms will be available for those attending from further away.
Cost?
Tuition:
Pricing information will be announced later in 2026!
On-campus Housing:
Pricing information will be announced later in 2026!
Contact
For all questions and inquiries, please contact Christopher Cochran, the director of the Conventiculum Bostoniense.