Divinity and Classics

Divinity and classics together encompass the religious thought, languages and civilisations that shaped Western culture and continue to inform contemporary theology, philosophy and ethics. Divinity is the academic study of religion, theology and the sacred texts, practices and communities through which human beings have tried to understand ultimate questions. Classics addresses the languages, literatures, history and thought of ancient Greece and Rome, the civilisations whose intellectual legacy permeates European culture to the present day.

Studying them together allows you to engage with questions about meaning, morality, power and belief across some of the richest traditions of human thought.

At Edinburgh, this four-year programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at an international partner institution and experience a different scholarly tradition. You will develop skills in biblical and classical languages, reading texts in their original forms, as well as studying the history of religious ideas, systematic theology, ancient history, Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and the archaeological and material culture of the ancient world. Edinburgh has strengths in both disciplines and the combination allows you to construct a programme that reflects your particular intellectual interests.

The typical entry tariff is 168 UCAS points.

Graduates pursue careers in ministry and religious organisations, academic research and teaching, museum and heritage work, law, journalism, public service, charity work, and education. The combination of linguistic precision, historical depth and philosophical rigour that this programme develops is highly transferable and valued by employers who need graduates capable of sustained analytical thought and careful argument. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in theology, classical studies, ancient history, philosophy of religion or related fields.