Honour Moderations (or Mods) are a set of examinations at the University of Oxford at the end of the first part of some degree courses (e.g., Greats or Literae Humaniores).
[3] However, in recent years, the subject matter has been changed so that proficiency in both Latin and Greek languages is no longer required and the number of papers in the exam has been reduced, along with an extension in the time allowed to finish.
The traditional aim was for students to develop their ability to read fluently in Latin (especially the Aeneid of Virgil) and Greek (concentrating on the Iliad and the Odyssey); this remains the case today, but the course has changed to reflect the continuing decline in the numbers of applicants who have had the opportunity to study Greek and Latin at school.
Since the early 1970s, students can begin learning Greek during the preparation for Mods (an option originally called Mods-B, the brainchild of John G Griffiths of Jesus College).
Classics I at Oxford receives some of the most privileged students in the country, with a majority coming from fee-paying schools with high-quality teaching.