Classical Studies with Foundation Year

Classical studies is a richly diverse and multidisciplinary field that engages with the culture, history, archaeology, philosophy and literature of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. It sits within a tradition of inquiry that stretches back to the Renaissance and beyond, and it asks questions that remain as urgent as they were in antiquity: about justice, power, democracy, love, death, empire and the nature of the good life. The classical world also provides a fund of primary material, textual, archaeological and artistic, that rewards careful study and repays a lifetime of engagement.

At Birkbeck College, this part-time programme includes a foundation year, making it accessible to students who are entering or returning to higher education and who want to build their confidence and skills before progressing into the main degree. You will explore the ancient Greek and Roman worlds through a wide range of evidence, including literary texts, inscriptions, material culture and archaeological remains. The programme develops your ability to construct and communicate arguments based on complex and often fragmentary evidence, to understand the limits of historical knowledge while pushing those limits further, and to engage with how the study of the ancient world can illuminate and challenge contemporary debates.

Graduates from classical studies programmes pursue careers in education, academia, the civil service, publishing, journalism, law, museums, heritage organisations and the cultural sector. The analytical, research and communication skills developed through classics are among the most transferable that the humanities produce, and many employers value the combination of intellectual rigour, cultural breadth and writing ability that classicists bring. Postgraduate study in classical studies, ancient history, archaeology, philosophy or classical languages is a natural next step for those who want to develop specialist expertise.