Latin

Latin is one of the most intellectually demanding and culturally rewarding languages a student can study. It is the language of one of the most enduring literary traditions in Western history, including the poetry of Virgil, Horace, Ovid and Catullus, the philosophical prose of Cicero and Seneca, the histories of Livy and Tacitus, and the enormous theological and juridical literature of late antiquity and the medieval period. Knowledge of Latin unlocks this tradition directly, and also illuminates the deep roots of many European languages and of the legal, scientific and philosophical vocabulary that runs through modern intellectual life.

At the University of St Andrews this four-year full-time MA (Hons) develops your Latin language skills to a level that allows genuine engagement with literary and historical texts in the original, alongside the literary and cultural analysis skills needed to interpret what you read. You will engage with both the formal properties of Latin texts and with the complex, influential culture that produced them, developing an understanding of Roman society, politics, religion and thought across a wide chronological range. The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop your studies in an international context.

Graduates from Latin degrees bring exceptional linguistic precision, close reading ability and cultural depth to a wide range of professional contexts. Many go on to careers in teaching, academic research, publishing, archival work and heritage management, where knowledge of Latin is directly applicable. Others find that the analytical rigour and intellectual discipline demanded by classical language study is valued across the civil service, law, journalism and a range of public sector and professional roles.

Postgraduate study in classics, ancient history, medieval studies, linguistics or comparative literature is a natural continuation for those pursuing academic careers.