Classics and the Ancient World

Classics and the ancient world is one of the most intellectually ambitious programmes available to undergraduates, engaging with the civilisations, languages, literatures, philosophies and material cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East across a span of several millennia. It asks you to grapple with texts and objects that have shaped the intellectual traditions of much of the world, and to develop the analytical and linguistic skills to engage with them on their own terms.

At University College London this three-year full-time programme offers a flexible structure with different routes, allowing you to develop expertise in one or more ancient languages from a range of options that includes Ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Hittite, Akkadian and Sumerian. Alongside language work you will engage in broad study of the ancient world, with in-depth options in ancient literature, philosophy, history and archaeology. You will encounter the power of Greek tragedy and the argumentative brilliance of Platonic dialogue, read Latin poetry and the oratory of the Roman forum, and examine the archaeological evidence for ancient societies from the ruins of Mesopotamian cities to the monuments of classical Athens.

The programme encourages a sophisticated approach to the ancient world, and you will develop your own scholarly voice through individual module essays and a final-year dissertation.

Classics develops rare and rigorous capacities: the discipline of mastering complex ancient languages, the interpretive skills to read very different cultures on their own terms, and the analytical confidence to move between close textual and broad historical questions.

Graduates move into law, the civil service, journalism, publishing, education, heritage, museum work, academia and the arts. Many pursue postgraduate study in classics, ancient history, classical archaeology, philosophy or linguistics, and the discipline is outstanding preparation for research and professional careers that demand precision and intellectual depth.