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Ancient History

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BA

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Full Time

| UCAS code: Q806
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

The Ancient History BA programme is for students who wish to concentrate on the history of the ancient world. Prior acquaintance with Ancient Greek or Latin is welcome, but not assumed. You are encouraged, but not obliged, to take at least one language module. You can concentrate primarily on Greek or on Roman history, or give equal attention to both; you can look at significant periods (e.g. the Roman Empire), or great individuals (e.g. Alexander) or key themes (e.g. Slavery). You can explore outside the normal range of ancient historical subjects (e.g. Ancient Persia, the world of Byzantium); and you can branch out into other areas entirely (e.g. Greek and Roman archaeology and art, Greek and Latin literature and thought). The historical modules also provide training in the central skills of historical study.

You may either begin this programme in your first year, or transfer into it from another Classics Department BA programme in your second year, provided that you achieve good marks in your first-year courses.

Greek play
Every year (since 1953), students in the Department of Classics have produced and performed a Greek play - the only production in the UK to be performed annually in the original Greek. Read more about the Greek Play (and its history).

Study abroad
It is easier now than ever before to spend part of your time as a King's student studying abroad. The destinations currently favoured by Classics students are both in the US:

  • The University of California
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Find out more about studying abroad




ABOUT THE Department of Classics

CAREERS
A King’s Classics degree, particularly the rigour of language learning, will equip you with the transferable skills of research, analysis, presentation and critical thinking that are valued by future employers. Our alumni enter a wide range of professions, including law, banking, the civil service, information technology, librarianship, education, heritage industries, the media, journalism and the performing arts. A significant proportion proceed into higher professional or academic qualifications, often pursuing postgraduate degrees at King’s.

Recent graduates have found employment as
• Assistant Tax Advisor, Ernst & Young
• Human Resources Administrator, Health resources International
• Web Administrator, Intrico Products Ltd
• Illustrator, Self Employed Illustrator
• Marketing and Publishing Graduate scheme, the telegraph Media group
• Research Intern, Environment Agency
• Sales Operations Admin, Associated Press TV news
• Latin Teacher at a university
• Client Relations Associate, Fidelity Investment Managers
• Customer Management Executive, CMC Markets
• Senior Course Support Assistant, Coventry University


TEACHING STYLE
Teaching in the Department of Classics takes a wide variety of forms, including language-classes, large-group lectures, seminars, and individual supervisions. The particular mix will depend in part on your year of study and in part on the combination of courses you choose. A number of courses involve museum and gallery visits, field trips, and the use of study collections; a growing number have their own web resources and e-discussion groups. Seminar presentations and discussion are important in the first- and second-year modules. One-to-one supervision is a special feature of the third-year dissertation. This range of teaching will equip you with the transferable skills of analysis and presentation that employers value.

STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT
Our degree programmes combine focus and flexibility. In each programme you take a set number of modules directly related to the programme subject and then choose from a wide selection of optional modules. A generous allowance of free choice means that you can explore much more widely all aspects of the cultures of Greece and Rome. All programmes involve some language work, in either ancient Greek or Latin, or both. Assessment is by a combination of coursework and end-of-year examinations.

LOCATION
London is a superb place to study and experience the Greek and Roman worlds, and all the major resources are within easy reach (and often walking distance) from the centrally located Department of Classics at King's. The British Museum houses one of the world's premier collections of not only Greek and Roman but also Egyptian and Mesopotamian archaeology and art, and is supplemented in this by the Soane Museum, the Museum of London, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. We collaborate closely with the British Museum in our undergraduate teaching.

The major London galleries are full of classically-themed work, just as central London is full of Neoclassical, Greek revival and other classically-inspired buildings. Classical and classically-inspired drama can be experienced first-hand more richly and more frequently in London theatres than anywhere else in the world.

For libraries, normal student needs are served by King's Maughan Library and Information Services Centre, as well as the University of London (Senate House) Library; for the investigation of special topics, there are the world-class research collections of the Institute of Classical Studies and the Warburg Institute.


SPECIAL NOTES
The King’s Greek Play has been an annual tradition since 1953 and it is the only production in the country to be performed every year in the original Greek. Students (with all levels of Greek) participate in the direction, production and performance of the play, bringing to the stage playwrights from Aeschylus to Aristophanes.

Students run the Classics Society, which publishes the Satyrica newsletter and organizes regular lectures, theatre outings, themed parties, private tours around museums, nights out and trips abroad – in recent years, group expeditions have been made to Italy and Turkey.

The department also promotes teaching Latin in disadvantaged primary schools through the Iris Project; this offers students a highly unusual experience that is both enriching and will impress future employers.

All students are offered the unique opportunity to study abroad as part of a Classics degree at King’s, and recent popular destinations include The University of California and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Our students also have opportunities to attend the annual summer schools at the British Schools in Athens and Rome, and participate in archaeological excavations in Greece and Italy, as well as further afield.