Department of Classics

Classics embraces the study of all aspects of the cultures of Greece and Rome (their languages, literature, thought, religion, art, archaeology and history) and their influence on later ages. Because the ancient world is such a rich and many-sided subject, there are many different ways of being interested in it, and of turning that interest into structured study.

Our BA degree programmes are designed to allow you to choose the approach, and the combination of subjects, that best suits your own individual interests. Whichever of them you choose, it will equip you not only with specialist expertise (and we hope a lasting source of insight and enjoyment), but also with the adaptability, and the transferable skills of research, analysis, presentation and critical thinking, that are valued by graduate employers.

We are acknowledged as one of the very best classics departments in the country, for stimulating teaching and overall quality of student experience as well as for cutting-edge research. Because we are a department of ancient history and classical archaeology, as well as of language and literature-based classics, and of classical studies, our degree programmes offer a range of different emphases, so you can choose the one which best reflects your own interests and strengths.

Special features of our provision include opportunities to study aspects of late antique and Byzantine culture, Medieval Latin, and the classical tradition in art and literature and we make full use of London’s unparalleled resources for studying the ancient world. We encourage the learning of Greek and Latin as fundamental to the study of the ancient world, and teach both, from beginners’ level up. Real study of any culture is after all impossible without some acquaintance with its language, and we want all our students to have some experience of this way of coming to terms with the Greek and Roman worlds.

Our Single Honours programmes offer the choice between a focus on the history of the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern world (Q806 Ancient History), a focus on art history and archaeology (V414 Classical Archaeology), a focus on Greek and Latin literature and language (Q800 Classics), and a more broadly-based approach to ancient civilization as a whole (Q810 Classical Studies). But the dividing-lines between these alternative approaches are not tightly drawn. Our Classics students can take ancient historical and archaeological as well as Greek and Latin literary courses; and our Classical Studies, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History students can take a substantial proportion of language-based courses if they wish to.

Our Combined Studies programmes, as the label suggests, allow you to blend ancient world with other kinds of study. There are 50/50 combinations with Modern Languages, Comparative Literature, War Studies, and Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies, and 75/25 combinations with English, Digital Humanities, and Film Studies.