Classical Studies and Modern History
Classical Studies and Modern History is a degree that spans an extraordinary range of human time, from the civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome to the events and movements of the last three centuries, examining what both periods can tell us about power, culture, and the making of the world we inhabit. Classical Studies encompasses the literature, social and cultural history, philosophy, religion, and art of the ancient Mediterranean world, as well as the reception of those traditions in subsequent centuries. Modern History explores the forces that have shaped the contemporary world, from the revolutions of the eighteenth century to the political, social, and international changes of the twentieth.
At the University of St Andrews, the Classical Studies component offers remarkable range and depth, inviting you to engage with the power of Greek tragedy, the beauty of Roman sculpture, the intellectual twists of Platonic dialogue, and the social and religious life of ancient societies. The Modern History element examines the major transformations of the recent past with equal seriousness, developing your skills in archival research and historical argument. The degree runs over four years on a full-time basis and includes the option of a year abroad, extending your academic experience internationally.
Together these two disciplines develop historians who can think across very different periods, evaluate contrasting types of evidence, and construct well-grounded arguments from complex and sometimes incomplete material. Graduates work in archives, museums, education, journalism, the civil service, law, publishing, the heritage sector, and many other fields. The combination of ancient and modern perspectives, and the critical and analytical skills they build together, is a genuine intellectual asset in almost any direction.
Postgraduate study in ancient history, modern history, classical studies, or related disciplines is a natural next step for those who wish to pursue specialist research.