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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 can concentrate primarily on Greek or on Roman history, or give equal attention to both; you can look at significant periods (eg the Roman Empire), or great individuals (eg Alexander) or key themes (eg Slavery). You can explore outside the normal range of ancient historical subjects (eg Ancient Persia, the world of Byzantium); and you can branch out into other areas entirely (eg Greek and Roman archaeology and art, Greek and Latin literature and thought). The core elements of the programme provide training in the central skills of historical study; and you will also come away with at least one year's study of ancient Greek or Latin to your credit.

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
Graduates in classics are equipped with the analytical and presentational transferable skills valued by employers. Our graduates have entered heritage-related professions, journalism, the media, education, law, accountancy, banking, computing, the civil service, teaching and the performing arts. Some continue studies at graduate level.

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, 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 – most obviously in art and archaeology, but not only these – 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 core 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 have to take a set number of modules directly related to the programme title. At the same time, a generous allowance of free choice means that you can explore much more widely. All programmes involve some language work, in either ancient Greek or Latin, or both.

The precise degree structure is currently being reviewed in order to provide more choice, especially for second-year students and those taking joint degrees. However, in the first year the language acquisition modules will remain obligatory along with introductory modules tailored to support each degree programme. 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 Museum of London and the British Museum in our undergraduate teaching.

The major London galleries – the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection, the Victoria & Albert Museum (again), the Courtauld Gallery and Tate Britain – are full of classically-themed work, just as central London is full of Neoclassical, Greek revival and other classically-inspired buildings.

On the library front, normal student needs are served by the University of London (Senate House) Library, as well as the King's Maughan Library and Information Services Centre; while for the investigation of special topics, there are the world-class research collections of the Institute of Classical Studies and the Warburg Institute. Classical and classically-inspired drama can be experienced first-hand more richly and more frequently in London theatres than anywhere else in the world. We are also ideally located for easy access to the European continent, enabling our students to travel and participate in excavations.

SPECIAL NOTES
At King's, the student Classics Society provides a lively focus for departmental life. Read more about the Society: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/people/class.aspx

 
Lecture theatre