Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisation

Classical archaeology and classical civilisation together offer one of the most comprehensive approaches to understanding the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Archaeology provides the material evidence, studying physical remains from excavated sites, objects, architecture, and landscapes to reconstruct how people lived, worked, worshipped, and died. Classical civilisation brings in literary, historical, and philosophical texts, along with art, mythology, and social history, giving material evidence a richer interpretive context.

Together, the two disciplines ask not just what happened in the ancient world but how we know it and what those answers mean for our understanding of history and culture.

At University College London, this three-year degree develops your skills in both disciplines simultaneously. In the archaeological strand, you will learn to analyse physical evidence, engage with excavation reports and site studies, and think about how material culture reflects and shapes social life. In the classical civilisation strand, you will read primary sources in translation, engage with ancient art and mythology, and study the historical development of Greek and Roman society, politics, and culture.

You do not need ancient languages to study classical civilisation, though some engagement with Greek or Latin may be available. UCL's location in London gives you ready access to the collections of the British Museum and other major repositories of classical material, enriching your study considerably.

Graduates pursue careers in museums, galleries, and heritage organisations as curators, educators, and researchers. Heritage management, archaeological fieldwork, and roles with organisations such as Historic England or local authorities responsible for the historic environment are further pathways. Teaching, both in schools and higher education, draws many graduates, as does research through postgraduate study.

Academic publishing, journalism focused on history and culture, and roles in arts administration and cultural policy are also common. The analytical and writing skills developed in this degree transfer widely across the humanities and social sciences.