BA Ancient History

With our BA Ancient History degree, immerse yourself in the rich cultures of ancient Greece and Rome - their history, societies, achievements, beliefs and values - and discover how these ancient civilisations have influenced the modern world.

Ancient history is the study of the Greek and Roman worlds over a period spanning from 2000 BC to around 600 AD and covers parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. You will learn about these ancient cultures in their political literary, social, cultural and religious contexts.

This flexible course allows you to pursue your own interests and choose from a wide range of research-led subjects. 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Classics).

You can enhance your knowledge of the ancient world by studying Latin or Greek, or gain an understanding of the ancient past through hands-on experience with artefacts from the Ure Museum – the University's internationally important collection of Greek and Egyptian antiquities. You can also explore ancient Rome through our unique digital model of the city.

Your first year will be one of discovery and experimentation. Core modules will provide you with a solid grounding, while optional modules let you explore the different approaches, periods, and cultures that interest you. In your second year you will be encouraged to become more independent, proposing your own areas of study and setting your own essay questions. You can refine your interests in your final year and focus on your dissertation.

You will be encouraged to gain direct experience of ancient sites through independent travel, for which scholarships are available. You can also apply to study at the British School at Athens and the British School at Rome, which both offer summer school opportunities to University of Reading students.

In the National Student Survey 2023, 100% of our students said teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (100% of respondents studying BA Ancient History).

Placement

All students are encouraged to undertake a work placement and the Department benefits from a dedicated placements officer to help with CV writing and letters of application. Students in previous years have gained experience in charities and barristers' chambers, and within a division of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The University's museums can also provide a number of voluntary and work placements.

If you would like to gain first-hand experience of life in another culture you can choose to study abroad for part of your degree through our Erasmus+ programme. The Classics Department also has close links to overseas institutions including the University of Malta.

For more information, please visit the Department of Classics website and the Museum Studies website.

Overview

Learning

In the National Student Survey 2023, 100% of our students said teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (100% of respondents studying BA Ancient History).

Placement

For more information, please visit the Department of Classics website and the Museum Studies website.

Entry requirements A Level BBB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Typical offer

BBB

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Compulsory modules

Greek History: War, Society, and Change in the Archaic Age

Track the upheavals, innovations, and conflicts across ancient Greece and beyond. Using evidence, you’ll reconstruct the events and practices that are subject to ongoing debate.

Roman History: The Rise and Fall of the Republic

Investigate a period marked by profound socio-political changes in Rome and discover the evidence for ancient history and modern methodological approaches, considering the relevance of Roman antiquity to issues in the modern world.

Texts, Readers and Writers

Develop the knowledge and skills required to succeed in academic study of the ancient world including the literature, writing and numeral systems of ancient Greece and Rome.

The Past in the Present

Understand the value of materials and how they contribute to our knowledge of antiquity. You’ll learn how to handle and conserve objects and how museums encourage audiences to engage with the ancient world.

Optional modules

Ancient Song

Discover a range of lyric poetry from ancient Greece and Rome and consider a range of thematic approaches to reading the surviving texts.

Latin 1-3

You’ll be taught elements of the Latin language, literature, and culture to enable you to read the language at an elementary level.

Ancient Greek 1-3

Learn elements of the Ancient Greek language, literature, and culture, enabling you to read the language at an elementary level.

Presenting the Past

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander

Discover the Greek classical age (479-323 BC), how to interact with sources, and principles and methods central to the study of ancient history.

Roman History: From Republic to Empire

Gain knowledge of the historical, political, social, and economic developments of the imperial era of Rome, using various sources to investigate the impact of the Roman world on the present day.

You'll also select one of the following employability modules:

Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians

Set yourself targets in order to make impactful job applications following your graduation, relating your experience of exploring career paths to selected careers in the ancient world.

Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians with Placement

Complete a work or academic placement in summer to enhance your employability. You’ll relate your experience of exploring career paths to selected careers in the ancient world.

Curatorship and Collections Management

Optional modules

Ancient Epic

Discuss interpretations of Greek and Latin epic hexameter poetry such as the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid.

Ancient Drama

Discover ancient drama by examining their content, themes, and performance style and uncovering the context in which they were produced.

Ancient Greek 1-4

Develop your skills to become competent reading ancient Greek authors and further your knowledge of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of the language.

Latin 1-4

Further your knowledge of the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of Latin to increase your confidence when reading authors in the original Latin.

Greek Sculpture and Architecture

Gain knowledge of sculpture and architecture in the Greek world, from its beginnings to the end of the Hellenistic period and consider how, why, where and when these media developed.

My Mother's Sin and Other Stories

Discover Greek poetry and fiction from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. You’ll consider historical, sociocultural, and wider literary developments of the period and how they illustrate attitudes to the ancient past.

Museum Learning and Engagement

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Dissertation in Classics

Investigate a topic within classics to form the basis of an extended piece of original research or an original artistic production. To prepare for the dissertation you’ll participate in workshops and submit an assessed proposal.

Independent Project in Classics

Conduct research, explication and documentation of a topic presented in a format different from the traditional dissertation. You’ll prepare for the project by participating in workshops and submitting an assessed proposal.

Optional modules

Latin 1-6

Practice unseen translation to improve your language skills and achieve greater fluency in Latin with increased knowledge of the language’s grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

Ancient Greek 1-6

Increase your fluency in Ancient Greek by practicing unseen translation and developing advanced knowledge of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

Greek and Roman Painting

Investigate and critique Greek and Roman painting by exploring the styles and techniques used to decorate architecture and free-standing objects in the ancient world.

'Race' and Ethnicity in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds

Challenging the notion that ‘race’ and racism are modern concepts, you’ll explore racial and ethnic otherness in Greek and Latin texts along with how classical texts continue to shape our thinking on these issues.

From Classroom to Courtroom: Mastering the Art of Persuasion in the Ancient World

Consider the relationship between theory of rhetoric and the practice of oratory in antiquity by examining the construction of ancient speeches and the skills required for composing and delivering them.

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £22,350

UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

A degree in Ancient History will provide you with a range of transferable skills. Historians have to analyse a wide variety of sources to produce reasoned conclusions, and this helps develop clear thinking, written and oral communication skills, time management, adaptability, independence, and the ability to understand different cultures.

Our recent graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including work in accountancy and banking, government and the civil service, law, heritage and museums, teaching, publishing, public sector management, libraries and archives, and media research and production. Recent employers include GCHQ, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Oxford University, the British Museum, the NHS, the Environment Agency, and Sotheby's.

BA Ancient History

Placement

UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

EU student fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

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