Classical Studies and Social Anthropology

Classical studies and social anthropology is a combination that approaches human culture from two different but complementary angles. Classical studies offers, as St Andrews describes it, a degree of remarkable range and depth, including the study of Greek and Roman literature, the social and cultural history of the classical world, its philosophy, religion, and art, and the reception of classical culture in the modern world. Social anthropology examines human societies and cultures comparatively and holistically, asking fundamental questions about kinship, ritual, economy, belief, and identity across the full range of human social arrangements.

Together, the two disciplines develop an unusually broad understanding of human culture across time and space.

St Andrews' four-year full-time Classical Studies and Social Anthropology degree carries a typical entry tariff of 184 points and includes a year abroad option, giving you the chance to study at a partner institution and engage directly with another academic and cultural tradition. The combination encourages new ways of seeing both the classical world and the world of today, as the programme itself describes. You will develop skills in close reading of ancient texts, analysis of material culture and visual evidence, and the ethnographic and theoretical frameworks of anthropology, building both historical and cross-cultural analytical abilities.

Graduates work in education, heritage and museums, journalism, international development, the civil service, NGOs, social research, and roles where the ability to engage critically with culture and society is valued. The analytical breadth and interpretive rigour the combination develops are transferable across many professional contexts. Postgraduate study in classical studies, social anthropology, archaeology, or area studies is a natural next step for those wanting to deepen their expertise.