BA Classical Studies
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UCAS code
Q810 -
Typical offer
BBB -
Year of entry
2023/24 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
-
Year of entry
2023/24 -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
Explore the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, consider the legacy of the ancient world in modern culture, and be inspired by the highly regarded and award-winning teaching on our BA Classical Studies course.
Discover the classical world on this course, open to students from any academic background. Through the study of translated texts you can explore genres and themes like poetry, tragedy and love in classical literature, and their influence on the modern world. Broaden your knowledge with optional modules in subjects including art, society, and history, and take advantage of our own unique collection of Greek and Egyptian antiquities. You will learn in a supportive and engaging environment: in the Department of Classics, we achieved a 91% satisfaction score for the teaching on our courses (National Student Survey, 2022).
You will have the opportunity to pursue your own interests and tailor your degree to your own tastes by selecting from a wide range of modules in classics, classical studies, and ancient history. You can enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through optional Latin and Greek language modules, or explore the modern legacy of the ancient world. For example, if you are interested in cinema, you can choose to study the representation of the ancient world in films like Ben-Hur, Gladiator, and Troy. You can also discover Rome through our unique, award-winning digital model of the city. You can also choose from modules outside of the Department of Classics, such as Archaeology, English Literature or Philosophy.
You will receive careers and employability training in your first and second years and you can also study a modern language as part of your degree.
You can apply to study abroad on all our degrees, with bursaries for independent travel available, as well as popular departmental trips. The British School at Athens and the British School at Rome both offer summer school opportunities. We also have close links to overseas institutions in Europe, Canada, the USA and Australia. You can apply to spend one term or one academic year abroad as part of your degree.
Placement
We encourage you to undertake placements as part of your course. You will receive professional training to help you secure a top-quality placement and prepare you for the experience. Placements provide the chance to put your newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice and to gain valuable real-world experience. Students can transfer to a four-year degree in order to benefit from a Professional Placement Year, or you can apply to spend a full academic year studying abroad.
Students in previous years have gained work experience in charities, barristers' chambers, the government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, in foreign countries, and in commercial units such as Oxford Archaeology. The University's museums, including the Department's own Ure Museum, also provide a number of voluntary work placements, ranging from helping with school visits to preparing displays and exhibitions.
Overview
Explore the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, consider the legacy of the ancient world in modern culture, and be inspired by the highly regarded and award-winning teaching on our BA Classical Studies course.
Discover the classical world on this course, open to students from any academic background. Through the study of translated texts you can explore genres and themes like poetry, tragedy and love in classical literature, and their influence on the modern world. Broaden your knowledge with optional modules in subjects including art, society, and history, and take advantage of our own unique collection of Greek and Egyptian antiquities. You will learn in a supportive and engaging environment: in the Department of Classics, we achieved a 91% satisfaction score for the teaching on our courses (National Student Survey, 2022).
You will have the opportunity to pursue your own interests and tailor your degree to your own tastes by selecting from a wide range of modules in classics, classical studies, and ancient history. You can enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through optional Latin and Greek language modules, or explore the modern legacy of the ancient world. For example, if you are interested in cinema, you can choose to study the representation of the ancient world in films like Ben-Hur, Gladiator, and Troy. You can also discover Rome through our unique, award-winning digital model of the city. You can also choose from modules outside of the Department of Classics, such as Archaeology, English Literature or Philosophy.
You will receive careers and employability training in your first and second years and you can also study a modern language as part of your degree.
You can apply to study abroad on all our degrees, with bursaries for independent travel available, as well as popular departmental trips. The British School at Athens and the British School at Rome both offer summer school opportunities. We also have close links to overseas institutions in Europe, Canada, the USA and Australia. You can apply to spend one term or one academic year abroad as part of your degree.
Placement
We encourage you to undertake placements as part of your course. You will receive professional training to help you secure a top-quality placement and prepare you for the experience. Placements provide the chance to put your newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice and to gain valuable real-world experience. Students can transfer to a four-year degree in order to benefit from a Professional Placement Year, or you can apply to spend a full academic year studying abroad.
Students in previous years have gained work experience in charities, barristers' chambers, the government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, in foreign countries, and in commercial units such as Oxford Archaeology. The University's museums, including the Department's own Ure Museum, also provide a number of voluntary work placements, ranging from helping with school visits to preparing displays and exhibitions.
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.
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.
Structure
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL1SO | Ancient Song | PROF Ian Rutherford |
CL1TR | Texts, Readers, and Writers | PROF Eleanor Dickey |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL1G1 | Ancient Greek 1 | PROF Amy Smith |
CL1GH | Greek History: war, society, and change in the Archaic Age | PROF Amy Smith |
CL1L1 | Latin 1 (C) | MRS Jackie Baines |
CL1RH | Roman History: the rise and fall of the Republic | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
AP1SB1 | Introduction to Management | PROF Julian Park |
AR1EMP | Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome | PROF Roger Matthews |
AR1EMP10 | Early Empires: Mesopotamia, Egypt & Rome [10 credits] | PROF Roger Matthews |
AR1FOR | Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death | DR Ceri Falys |
AR1FOR10 | Forensic Anthropology and the Archaeology of Death [10 credit] | DR Ceri Falys |
AR1REV | Revolutions in Human Behaviour: 4 Million Years BC to the Present | PROF Steve Mithen |
AR1REV10 | Revolutions in Human Behaviour: 4 Million Years BC to the Present [10 credits] | PROF Steve Mithen |
AR1SOC | Contemporary world cultures: an introduction to social anthropology | DR Alanna Cant |
AR1SOC10 | Contemporary world cultures: an introduction to social anthropology [10 credits] | DR Alanna Cant |
EC110 | The Economics of Climate Change | DR Stefania Lovo |
FT1ATF | Approaches to Film | DR Adam O'Brien |
FT1ATP | Analysing Theatre and Performance | DR Matt McFrederick |
FT1CSS | Comedy on Stage and Screen | DR Simone Knox |
IL1GICC | Intercultural Competence and Communication | MS Joan McCormack |
LS1GL | Globalization and Language | DR Tony Capstick |
MC1HPE | Museum History, Policy and Ethics | DR Rhi Smith |
MC1PP | Presenting the Past | DR Rhi Smith |
ML1IL | Introduction to Linguistics | MR Federico Faloppa |
MT1CC | The Science of Climate Change | PROF Nigel Arnell |
PO1INE | Inequality | DR Jonathan Golub |
PO1WAR | War and Warfare | DR Vladimir Rauta |
PP1GJ | Global Justice | DR Shalini Sinha |
PP1ML | The Meaning of Life | DR George Mason |
PP1RP | Radical Philosophy | PROF Maximilian De Gaynesford |
TY1WTF | What the font? Making and using typefaces | DR Rob Banham |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL2AE | Ancient Epic | DR Christa Gray |
CL2DR | Ancient Drama | PROF Barbara Goff |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL2AE | Ancient Epic | DR Christa Gray |
CL2AEL | Ancient Egyptian Language and Hieroglyphs | DR Hana Navratilova |
CL2AF | Ancient World on Film | DR Dimitra Tzanidaki-Kreps |
CL2AGW | Ancient Greek Warfare | DR Emma Aston |
CL2APL | Academic Work Placement | DR Emma Aston |
CL2CGH | Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander | DR Emma Aston |
CL2DR | Ancient Drama | PROF Barbara Goff |
CL2EGR | Egypt and the Greco-Roman World | PROF Ian Rutherford |
CL2G2 | Ancient Greek 2 (I) | MRS Doukissa Kamini |
CL2G3 | Ancient Greek 3 (I) | DR Dimitra Tzanidaki-Kreps |
CL2JP | The Justinianic Plague | DR Arietta Papaconstantinou |
CL2L2 | Latin 2 (I) | MRS Jackie Baines |
CL2L3 | Latin 3 (I) | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL2PR | Prospects for Classicists and Ancient Historians | DR Emma Aston |
CL2RME | Rome's Mediterranean Empire; A World of Cities | DR Andrew Souter |
CL2RO | Roman History: From Republic to Empire | PROF Annalisa Marzano |
AR2F17 | Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Analysis | PROF Mary Lewis |
AR2M8 | Medieval Europe: power, religion and death | DR Gabor Thomas |
ED2TS1 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 1 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
FT2WD | Wildlife Documentary: Ecology and Representation | DR Adam O'Brien |
IL2GICC | Intercultural Competence and Communication | MRS Daniela Standen |
IL2GMB | Modern Britain Society, History and Politics | MRS Daniela Standen |
LS2LAT | Introduction to English Language Teaching | MRS Suzanne Portch |
LS2LNM | Language and New Media | PROF Rodney Jones |
MC2CCM | Curatorship and Collections Management | DR Rhi Smith |
MC2LE | Museum Learning and Engagement | DR Rhi Smith |
ML2GF | Science, perversion, and dream in global fantastic literature | DR Alice Christensen |
ML2STA | Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe | DR Veronica Heath |
MM2101 | Founder Dilemmas | DR Norbert Morawetz |
MT2CC | The Science of Climate Change | PROF Nigel Arnell |
PO2AMG | American Government and Politics | DR Graham O'Dwyer |
PO2GPH | Global Politics and History | DR Kerry Goettlich |
PO2MIR | Modern International Relations | DR Joseph O' Mahoney |
PO2PWS | Politics of the Welfare State | DR Christoph Arndt |
PO2THI | Political Thinking | DR Alice Baderin |
PP2EA1 | Ethical Argument 1: Philosophy and How to Live | DR Luke Elson |
PP2GP1 | Global Philosophy 1 | DR Shalini Sinha |
PP2HKW1 | Hume, Kant, and Wittgenstein 1 | DR Severin Schroeder |
PP2IDR1 | Ignorance, Doubt, and Relativism 1 | DR Jumbly Grindrod |
PP2MM1 | Meaning and the Mind 1 | DR Jumbly Grindrod |
PP2OID1 | Oppression, Inequality, and the Enemies of Democracy 1 | DR Charlotte Newey |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL3DP | Preparation for Dissertation in Classics | DR Emma Aston |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
CL3AA | Anatolia and the Aegean in the Late Bronze Age. The Context for the Trojan War | PROF Ian Rutherford |
CL3AB | Ancient Biography | PROF Timothy Duff |
CL3AEL | Ancient Egyptian Language & Hieroglyphs | DR Hana Navratilova |
CL3AP | Greek & Roman Painting | PROF Amy Smith |
CL3BSR | British School at Rome Undergraduate Summer School | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL3DN | Dissertation in Classics | DR Emma Aston |
CL3EGY | History and Culture of New Kingdom Egypt | DR Hana Navratilova |
CL3FCC | From Classroom to Courtroom: Mastering the Art of Persuasion in the Ancient World | DR Christa Gray |
CL3G4 | Ancient Greek 4 (H) | DR Dimitra Tzanidaki-Kreps |
CL3G5 | Ancient Greek 5 (H) | DR Dimitra Tzanidaki-Kreps |
CL3INP | Independent Third Year Project | DR Emma Aston |
CL3L3 | Latin 3 (I) | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL3L4 | Latin 4 (H) | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL3L5 | Latin 5 (H) | DR Andreas Gavrielatos |
CL3LAE | Late Antique Egypt | DR Arietta Papaconstantinou |
CL3MT | Modern Tragedy | PROF Barbara Goff |
CL3RA | ‘Race’ in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds | PROF Barbara Goff |
AR3HCP | The Anthropology of Heritage and Cultural Property | DR Alanna Cant |
AR3R9 | Archaeology of the City of Rome | DR Philippa Walton |
FB3LNPA | Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition | DR Vimal Karani |
GV3CC | Climate Change | PROF Maria Shahgedanova |
GV3ESM | Ecosystems Modelling | DR Shovonlal Roy |
GV3TRC | Tropical Rainforests, Climate & Lost Civilisations | PROF Frank Mayle |
LS3IC | Intercultural Communications | DR Erhan Aslan |
LW3CRY | Criminology | PROFESSOR Jo Phoenix |
ML3IC | Identity and Conflict in Modern Europe | DR Athena Leoussi |
ML3LP | Language and Power | MR Federico Faloppa |
MM302 | Entrepreneurial Project | MR Keith Heron |
PO3FPT | Feminism and Political Theory | DR Sarah Goff |
PO3GAP | Gender and Politics | DR Rose De Geus |
PO3IPE | International Political Economy | DR Jonathan Golub |
PO3USF | US Foreign and Defence Policy since 1950 | DR Graham O'Dwyer |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Fees
New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250*
New international students: £20,300
*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.
Flexible courses (price per 10 credit module)
UK/Republic of Ireland students: £750
International students: £1275
Careers
A degree in classical studies will provide you with a range of transferable skills, including critical thinking, researching, written and oral communication, adaptability, and the ability to understand different cultures. Studying Latin and Greek also demonstrates linguistic flair and provides a firm foundation for learning other languages. Our degrees incorporate specific careers and employability training.
93% of graduates from the Department of Classics are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation. [1] They have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including work in accountancy and banking, the 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 Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, University of Oxford, the British Museum, the BBC, the Museum of London Archaeology and the Natural History Museum.
[1] Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20; includes first degree Classics responders.