Classics/History

Classics and History together form one of the most intellectually ambitious combinations available at university, spanning nearly three thousand years of recorded human experience and bringing together two disciplines with deep methodological roots. Classics involves the study of the literature, history, art, and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome, and the study of Latin and Greek opens access to these civilisations in their own words, at whatever level of prior experience you bring. History, in its broader sense, encompasses the full range of periods and regions that have left sufficient evidence for scholarly analysis.

At the University of Glasgow, this part-time programme allows you to combine these two fields flexibly while managing other commitments. You will develop skills in working with primary sources, both the ancient texts at the heart of Classics and the more varied archive, material, and documentary evidence that historians use. The programme also includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to experience a different academic tradition and to study periods or topics that benefit from immersion in a different cultural context.

Across both strands, you will develop the capacity for sustained analytical reading, careful argument construction, and clear written communication that employers across many fields value highly.

Graduates of Classics and History go on to careers in education, law, journalism, the civil service, archival and heritage work, politics, publishing, and the charitable sector. The combination of ancient world knowledge and broader historical awareness is valued in cultural institutions and in any role that requires intellectual range and the ability to think clearly about complex problems over long timescales. Postgraduate study in classical studies, ancient history, medieval or modern history, law, or archaeology is a natural route for those who wish to develop their expertise further or pursue academic careers.