Classical Archaeology and Greek

Classical archaeology and Greek is a degree that takes you into two complementary approaches to the ancient world: the material evidence left by Greek and Roman civilisations, and the written tradition of ancient Greek literature, philosophy, and thought. Classical archaeology is concerned with the physical traces of the Graeco-Roman world, examining sites, objects, buildings, and landscapes to reconstruct how people lived, worshipped, traded, and made meaning. Ancient Greek, one of the great intellectual languages in human history, opens direct access to texts that have shaped philosophy, literature, history, and science from antiquity to the present.

At the University of Edinburgh, this MA programme allows you to study both the material record of the ancient world and the Greek language, developing expertise that bridges two rich and mutually illuminating ways of knowing the past. Through archaeology, you will learn to interpret physical evidence, engage with excavation and museum collections, and understand the methodologies that allow archaeologists to reconstruct ancient life. Through Greek, you will develop the linguistic skills to read ancient texts in the original, from Homer and the tragedians to Plato and Thucydides.

The programme runs over four years and includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to engage with different research traditions, fieldwork environments, and cultural contexts. Edinburgh's research strength in classics and archaeology and its connections to significant collections and field sites enrich both strands of the degree.

Graduates move into careers in museums and cultural heritage, archaeology and field work, education, publishing, journalism, cultural policy, and the civil service. The close reading, analytical, and research skills developed across both disciplines are highly transferable. Postgraduate study in classical archaeology, classical studies, ancient history, or museum studies is a natural route for those who wish to pursue research or professional work in the heritage and cultural sector.