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Classical Studies

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C-B,B,B

No A-level in Greek or Latin is required.

Access to HE Diploma

D:15,M:15

Access to Higher Education Diploma with a Merit or Distinction in humanities or social science units.

UCAS Tariff

96-120

The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a tariff calculator for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Part-time | 2024

Subject

Classical studies

BA Classical Studies allows you to explore the culture, history, archaeology, philosophy and literature of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Choosing from a range of options, you can study Greek and Roman societies across the Mediterranean and Near East, from the Archaic period to the Roman imperial period and Late Antiquity, and the reception of classical culture in later periods of history.

You will be encouraged to engage in wider debate on how we interpret the classical world and why this matters. You will investigate both the admirable and the disturbing facets of Greek and Roman cultures, as we delve into:

- democracy

- slavery

- sexuality

- empire.  

The nature of our knowledge about the past and the way in which histories and texts are written is a key concern. You will assess ancient source material (textual and archaeological) and question accepted histories and traditions about the past, so that you develop the ability to construct and present a convincing argument.  

At Birkbeck we believe that the study of the classical world should be accessible to all. Many of our students have no prior knowledge of either Greek or Latin. As part of this classical studies degree, you will take at least one language option, and you will have the opportunity to develop your language skills over the duration of your degree, or use these skills to enrich your study of a wide range of complementary option modules across not only classics, but also including history, archaeology, politics and philosophy. 

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

**Highlights**

- Birkbeck was ranked in the top eight universities in the UK for its History research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

- Situated in historic Bloomsbury, we are at the heart of academic London with access to unparalleled research resources. Situated very close by are: the Institute of Historical Research and the Institute of Classical Studies, with their specialist libraries, training facilities and seminars; the British Museum and other world-class galleries and museums; and the British Library, the largest national library in the world.

- In history, classics and archaeology, Birkbeck is home to thriving student societies and a number of affiliated research centres that actively run seminars, conferences and other events where some of the world's best scholars present their latest research.

- Get a flavour of our teaching and research in this area through the wide range of free online and in-person seminars, workshops and tasters; check out our Discover the Past and taster courses as well as events at the Raphael Samuel History Centre, a leading centre for public history which the department co-directs.

**Careers and employability**

Graduates can pursue career paths in museums and galleries, research and archiving, or education. Possible professions include:

- archivist

- editorial assistant

- higher education lecturer

- museum/gallery curator.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment methods

Each module is examined at the end of the academic year in which it is taken (usually by three-hour papers) and you must write a dissertation of 7000 words on a subject of your choice.

Every module you take includes some form of assessment and, in addition, an attendance requirement, so you will need to attend at least 60% of classes in order to pass.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
International
£17,620
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Birkbeck, University of London

Department:

School of Historical Studies

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What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Classics

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

86%
UK students
14%
International students
43%
Male students
57%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
25%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Classics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£24k

£24k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Classics
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-141
Lower entry requirements
Swansea University | Swansea
Ancient History with a Foundation Year
BA (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 72-80
Nearby University
University of Reading | Reading
Ancient History and Archaeology
BA (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-141

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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