Classical Studies

Classical studies is the academic exploration of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, encompassing their history, literature, philosophy, religion, mythology, art, architecture and archaeology. It is a discipline that takes the ancient world seriously on its own terms while also examining how classical antiquity has shaped and continues to shape Western culture, law, political thought and aesthetic values. Far from being a purely backward-looking subject, classical studies trains you to read across a wide range of sources, to think comparatively and to engage with some of the most enduring questions about human nature and social organisation.

At the University of Winchester this three-year programme takes an explicitly multidisciplinary approach. You will establish your framework through the study of key events, figures, themes and concepts drawn from history, literature, mythology, philosophy, religion, and the material evidence of art and architecture. As you move through the degree, you will develop the analytical depth to engage with these different kinds of evidence in their own right and in relation to one another, learning how myths and literary texts illuminate social values, how buildings embody political ideologies and how philosophical arguments respond to specific historical moments.

The ability to move confidently between different types of source and different disciplinary approaches is one of the distinctive intellectual skills the programme develops.

Graduates of classical studies find that their combination of wide learning, critical reading and the ability to construct careful argument is valued across a broad range of careers. Teaching at secondary level, museum and heritage work, publishing, journalism, law, the civil service and cultural policy are among the most common destinations. The analytical and communicative skills developed through the study of ancient texts and contexts transfer readily to any profession that requires close engagement with complex material and the clear articulation of ideas.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in classics, ancient history, archaeology or related fields.