Classics Degree

TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a Subject > University Courses > Classics Degree

Introduction

Classics, put simply, is the study of the ancient world, in particular that of the Romans and Ancient Greeks. The subject ranges from the study of the languages to the social, cultural and historical aspects of these civilisations. The subject ranges from around 1600BC to around 400AD so a huge amount of material exists to be studied and there are a variety of different specialists in different fields.

Literature and artwork are the primary forms of sources and, as such, these are the areas which most courses use to base their study of classics on. The literature ranges from the epics of "Homer" and Virgil to the love poetry of Catullus and Ovid and the philosophy of Plato and Xenophon. Many texts represent the beginning of a new genre, for example, Herodotus is named as the father of history. Creativity is also important as those who can translate are encouraged to put translations into good English and to think about what could fit into the gaps in the original texts.

Art also forms a crucial part of the field with statues and temples studied by those who are interested. The field doesn't just stop there and those who wish to study the historical or social aspects of the civilisations doing so.

Course Structure

The structure of a classics course varies from university to university. Most institutions study some form of Latin and Greek with students taking either text based or language learning modules based on their abilities. Students may also take some background unit or the like to encourage learning not just of the languages, but also of their contexts.

Admissions

Academic Requirements

Academic requirements differ according to institution. Below are the entry requirements for classics courses and their entry requirements as shown on ucas.ac.uk (correct on 11th December 2010). For further information, you should check individual university websites. Typical Offers (for 2011 entry)

• Bristol - AAA-AAB
• Cambridge - A*AA
• Durham - AAA
• Edinburgh - AAA-BBB
• Exeter - AAA-AAB
• Glasgow - AAA-AAB
• KCL - AAB + pass in AS Level (Latin or Greek required at A level)
• Leeds - ABB (With Latin or Greek required at A level for Classics A or B)
• Liverpool - BBB
• Manchester - ABB
• Newcastle - ABB
• Nottingham - AAB
• Oxford - AAA
• Reading - 320 points from three A levels, or 340 points from three A levels plus one AS.
• Royal Holloway, University of London - ABB
• St Andrews - AAB
• Swansea - ABB - BBB
• UCL - AAB
• Warwick - AAB + AS level C.
• University of Wales Lampeter - 200 points with 2 A levels minimum, but 3 required and Latin or Greek required at A level.

Contrary to popular belief, the study of classics usually does not require previous study of either of the languages prior to studying the degree or even any previous study of classical civilisation or ancient history. Obviously the study of classical civilisation and ancient history would certainly be of some help to discovering the background of the languages and would help in preparation for the course.

Most universities run courses for a range of abilities and knowledge, from those that have previously studied classics to those who have little previous experience of the actual subject. The admissions criteria tend not to differ for people regardless of their experiences and so those applying are not usually disadvantaged in the slightest if they have not previously studied the subjects within the field of classics.

UCAS Form & Personal Statement

Any personal statement should focus on the subject and aim to show your passion for the subject. This will be the primary mode of convincing admissions tutors for students who have not previously studied classical subjects before and hence it should be as strong as possible. However, anyone applying for this subject should also have strong personal statements focussing on what interests them in the classical world.

If you state texts knowing that you may be interviewed for your place on the course, then remember to actually put texts in your statement that you have read.

Life as a Classics Student

Classics does not have a lot of hours of contact time a week. Initially you should expect to have around 11 hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials a week, but over the years, this will decrease somewhat. During your free time you should aim to read around the subject in general as well as read texts which are relevant to your course. This will help your understanding of the subject immensely. Those who are learning the languages can expect to use this time to study the languages even more through set homework, while those who have a sound knowledge of the languages will most likely use this time to prepare translations of set texts and even come up with thoughts about their translations.

If you have the opportunity to join a Classics society, these are great fun, and often involve activities such as pottery making, wine tasting, toga parties, and much more. Some universities also host guest speakers and also tutorials on specific topics which are outside course material, but aim to expand your knowledge somewhat. Both extra-curricular activities will vary from university to university.

Graduate Destinations and Career Prospects

See Also

Classics at Oxford