Undergraduate courses

Our courses

All our courses provide you with a well-rounded knowledge of classical civilisations, and expose you to inspiring topics that are chronologically and geographically diverse.

You have the flexibility to shape your own degree by selecting from a wide range of optional modules offered by the Department of Classics. You also have the opportunity to choose to study a modern language module or a university wide module on current issues such as climate change, offered by departments outside the Department of Classics.

On all our courses, you may be permitted to undertake a placement year or a study abroad year between Part 2 and Part 3 of the course. In such cases you will transfer to a four-year course. This is available through internal transfer only.

BA Ancient History

Study the Greek and Roman worlds and neighbouring cultures in their political, literary, social, cultural and religious contexts, across a period spanning from around 2000 BC to around AD 600.

Immerse yourself in the rich cultures of ancient Greece and Rome and the wider history of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern world, from Egypt to the Byzantine Empire and beyond.

In the National Student Survey 2023, 100% of our students said teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2023, 100% of respondents studying BA Ancient History).

Learn more about BA Ancient History

BA Classical Studies

Discover the classical world and approach ancient culture and history from diverse perspectives. You’ll explore the ways in which later cultures have responded to the legacy of the ancient past, and choose from a wide variety of modules in art, society, literature, religion and philosophy.

No language study is required, although it is offered as an option.

Learn more about BA Classical Studies

BA Classics

Read ancient texts in their original form and learn how languages, both ancient and modern, develop and function.

Both Latin and Ancient Greek are available at beginner’s level – whether or not you have experience of ancient languages, you can develop an advanced knowledge of Latin and Ancient Greek, engaging directly with the words written by ancient authors.

You can choose to take a modern foreign language too. Classics students often find that this complements their study of Latin and Ancient Greek.

Learn more about BA Classics

Joint degree courses

BA Ancient History and History

Take a journey through your favourite historical periods, from ancient Greece and Medieval Europe to Cold War Britain.

This course enables you to study the classical world alongside modern history.

You will be encouraged to include elements of ancient languages throughout your degree programme.

Learn more about BA Ancient History and History

BA Museum and Classical Studies

Learn to think and research like a museum professional, while exploring the classical world through literature, material culture and history.

Central to the course is the hands-on experience you will gain at our three on-site museums, including the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, which is situated in the Department of Classics.

Consider the environment in which artefacts are displayed, how they are catalogued, and the meanings they hold for different audiences.

Learn more about BA Museum and Classical Studies

BA Classical Studies and English Literature

Explore the extraordinary legacy of the classical world and its enduring influence on modern literature and culture.

On this course, you'll study texts written in every era, from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, and contemporary writing in English from across the globe.

Learn more about BA Classical Studies and English Literature

BA Philosophy and Classical Studies

Examine some of our most fundamental ideas about truth, reality, right and wrong as you discover the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome.

This course will equip you with the ability to think logically, evaluate arguments critically, and to challenge your own ideas and those of other people.

Learn more about BA Philosophy and Classical Studies

BA Ancient History and Archaeology

This course combines the study and critical appraisal of ancient historical sources with practical experience and the academic study of archaeology. You will learn about pre- and protohistoric, classical, and medieval periods, in Britain, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Near East and other parts of the world.

Learn more about:

BA Ancient History and Archaeology

BA Ancient History and Archaeology with Professional Placement

BA Ancient History and Archaeology with Study Year Abroad

Fees and funding

There is a variety of funding support available to our undergraduate students. You may be eligible for government loans, grants or bursaries.

Students from the UK can receive government loans to help towards tuition fees and living costs. UK students may also be eligible for other grants and bursaries depending on their circumstances.

Fees and funding at the University of Reading