Ancient History and Philosophy

Ancient history and philosophy is a combination with deep intellectual roots. The civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome were not only the origin of western philosophy, they were also the subject of some of the most detailed and sophisticated historical analysis ever produced. Studying them together means you are always reading ancient texts both as historical evidence and as philosophical arguments, developing both the historian's instinct for context and the philosopher's attention to reasoning and conceptual precision.

The two disciplines illuminate each other in ways that neither fully achieves alone.

At the University of Leeds, this full-time, three-year degree allows you to explore the ancient Greeks, Romans, and the civilisations they traded with, fought against, and influenced, through their literature, architecture, art, and material culture. You will study the development of ancient societies, from Athens, Sparta, and the Peloponnesian League through the age of Alexander to Rome from Republic to Empire, and you will examine how these civilisations have been received and interpreted by later cultures. The philosophy component engages with the philosophical traditions that grew out of the ancient world and their relationship to contemporary philosophical questions.

The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, providing substantial professional and international experience. The typical entry tariff is 136 UCAS points.

Graduates from ancient history and philosophy programmes move into careers across the humanities, including education, journalism, the civil service, law, museum and heritage work, publishing, arts administration, and academic research. The depth of classical learning and the philosophical training together produce a distinctive combination of critical rigour and cultural breadth. Postgraduate study in ancient history, classical studies, philosophy, or archaeology is a natural continuation for those who wish to specialise or pursue research.