Ancient History and Mediaeval History

Ancient history and mediaeval history together span one of the most consequential stretches of human civilisation, from the emergence of writing and urban life in the ancient Mediterranean to the complex political, religious and cultural world of mediaeval Europe and beyond. Ancient history focuses on Greece and Rome and their neighbours, exploring the period from the eighth century BCE through to the collapse of the western Roman empire, across a geographical range that at its widest stretched from the Persian Gulf to Scotland and from Crimea to the Sahara. Mediaeval history picks up where ancient history leaves off, examining the formation of Christian Europe, the Islamic world, the Byzantine empire, the feudal order and the intellectual and cultural life of the period from the fifth to the late fifteenth century.

At the University of St Andrews you will study both periods across four years full-time, including a year abroad that deepens your scholarly perspective and gives you the opportunity to engage with other academic traditions and archives. St Andrews is a leading centre for both ancient and mediaeval historical scholarship, and you will work with primary sources across a range of languages, developing skills of documentary analysis, historical argument and critical synthesis that characterise rigorous historical practice.

Ancient and mediaeval history graduates go on to careers in heritage, museums, archives, education, publishing, journalism, law, the civil service and a wide range of other professional fields where the ability to read carefully, argue precisely and understand context is valued. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in ancient history, classical studies, mediaeval studies, archaeology or palaeography, and some go on to research careers in universities, museums or heritage organisations. The depth of historical training the degree provides is recognised by employers across both the public and private sectors.