Department life for master's students

When you choose to study with us, you'll join a friendly, inclusive community who are as passionate about the study of classics as you are. Our academics will support you to make the most out of your time with us, and you'll have many opportunities to socialise and collaborate with your peers.

We foster an environment where our students and academics can learn from one another, building on each other’s experiences and knowledge to dig deeper into the ancient world together.

You can join our community before you even arrive in Reading. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and by joining our Facebook group you can talk to current students and academics before you begin your studies, and gain an insight into life at Reading and in our Department.

You will receive one-to-one support from your academic tutor throughout your degree. You'll also be supervised by a specialist in your chosen subject as you work on your dissertation.

Our academics are very engaged with students and follow an "open door" policy where you can approach them at any time for guidance and support.

The wider University has a range of services available to you to support your personal and professional development during your studies.

Learn more about the University's support services

You'll be based at the heart of the Department. As well as seminar rooms and academics offices, we have a dedicated study space for master's and PhD students, the Postgraduate Room.

You'll have access to a number of excellent learning resources on campus, that you can draw on throughout your studies.

These include:

• Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology
• University of Reading Library
• Special Collections
• Museum of English Rural Life
• Cole Museum of Zoology.

Our proximity to London and Oxford means you have easy access to institutions such as the British Museum, the British Library and the Ashmolean Museum, all of which are important resources for research in the ancient world.

Our academic staff and students regularly organise inspiring, lively talks, reading groups and workshops that enrich your study of classics and ancient history, as well as giving you the chance to meet scholars from around the world. 

Our postgraduate students organise their own conferences, work-in-progress seminars and annual research colloquia, where you'll be exposed to new theories and research, and gain experience of presenting your own ideas. 

You can read about past events on our Classics at Reading blog.