Classics
Entry requirements
A level
Specific subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking. Information: Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A Levels.
Access to HE Diploma
We require 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
18 points (6, 6, 6) in Higher Level subjects.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
Scottish Higher
We will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. If an applicant has not been able to take 3 Advanced Highers, offers may be made with a combination of Advanced Highers and Highers, or on a number of Highers.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
The Classics degree is language-focused, although how much language is studied and at what level depends upon you. The course is designed to be equally suitable for students who have A-levels (or equivalent) in Greek and/or Latin and for students with no experience in one or both languages. We offer modules in both Latin and Greek, in prose and verse, at every level, from complete beginner to very advanced, and you’ll be able to take modules which are appropriate to your level of language experience and (at Advanced and Higher levels) your particular interests in the subject.
**Year 1**
You’ll take two interdisciplinary modules that will give you grounding in the central periods of Greek and Roman culture:
Introduction to the Greek World
Monuments and Memory in the Age of Augustus.
You’ll also take courses in Greek and/or Latin language, at the appropriate level.
Other first-year optional modules have previously included:
Lives of Objects
Early Greek Philosophy
The Craft of the Ancient Historian
Language, Translation and Interpretation.
**Year 2**
You’ll take a module to study representative examples of Greek and Roman epic; you’ll be introduced to a wide range of approaches to the study of epic including its role as a device for memorialisation and explore the ways in which the genre developed in Greek and Roman antiquity and beyond:
Traditions of Epic.
Study of Latin and/or Greek continues in the second year.
Many of the other modules in the second year are broad surveys, for example of a historical period or a literary genre.
Historical offerings have previously included:
The Hellenistic World
Crisis of The Roman Republic
Emperors and Dynasties
Literary, philosophical and cultural topics have previously included:
Greek Literature and The Near East
Interpreting Greek Tragedy Today
Creation and Cosmology
Ancient Political Thought and Action
Stoicism
Dialogues with Antiquity
Classical Receptions and Contemporary Cultures
Theatre and Spectacle in Ancient Rome
**Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a Year Abroad)**
You’ll write a Dissertation on a topic chosen at the end of your second year in consultation with an adviser, with who you’ll meet regularly for guidance throughout Year 3. Your study of Latin and/or Greek will proceed to the next level, with the texts becoming more difficult or fragmentary. Most other modules in the third year cover specific topics that arise out of the research interests of the members of staff.
Historical modules have previously included:
Greeks and Persians
Roman Syria
Writing Alexander
The Life and Times of Cicero
Urbs Roma
The Later Roman Empire.
Literary, philosophical and cultural topics have previously included:
The Literature and Language of Ancient Babylon
Comedy and Tragedy, Laughter and Sorrow
Hellenistic Poetry: Theory and Practice
Roman Law and Latin Literature
Love and Sex in Ancient Poetry
Technologies of Knowledge in Antiquity
Knowledge and Doubt in Hellenistic Philosophy
**Study Abroad**
This course includes an optional European Studies element, where you may spend the third year of a four-year course studying at a European university (for further details please see our website). Students interested in studying abroad apply to transfer to the European Studies course after their first year of study. We also participate in the University-wide overseas exchange programme, which offers the opportunity to spend your second year studying at one of our partner universities in North America or Australasia.
We review course structures and core content every year and will publish finalised core requirements for 2023 entry from September 2022. Please note the list of optional modules available in any year vary depending on available teaching staff. The lists above provide an example of the type of modules which may be offered. For more information on this course, please see our website.
Modules
**Year 1** You’ll take two interdisciplinary modules that will give you grounding in the central periods of Greek and Roman culture: Introduction to the Greek World, Monuments and Memory in the Age of Augustus. You’ll also take courses in Greek and/or Latin language, at the appropriate level. Other first-year optional modules have previously included: Lives of Objects / Early Greek Philosophy / The Craft of the Ancient Historian / Language, Translation and Interpretation. **Year 2**You’ll take a module to study representative examples of Greek and Roman epic; you’ll be introduced to a wide range of approaches to the study of epic including its role as a device for memorialisation and explore the ways in which the genre developed in Greek and Roman antiquity and beyond: Traditions of Epic. Study of Latin and/or Greek continues in the second year. Many of the other modules in the second year are broad surveys, for example of a historical period or a literary genre. Historical offerings have previously included: The Hellenistic World / Crisis of The Roman Republic / Emperors and Dynasties. Literary, philosophical and cultural topics have previously included: Greek Literature and The Near East / Interpreting Greek Tragedy Today / Creation and Cosmology / Ancient Political Thought and Action / Stoicism / Dialogues with Antiquity / Classical Receptions and Contemporary Cultures / Theatre and Spectacle in Ancient Rome. **Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a Year Abroad)** You’ll write a Dissertation on a topic chosen at the end of your second year in consultation with an adviser, with who you’ll meet regularly for guidance throughout Year 3. Your study of Latin and/or Greek will proceed to the next level, with the texts becoming more difficult or fragmentary. Most other modules in the third year cover specific topics that arise out of the research interests of the members of staff. Historical modules have previously included: Greeks and Persians / Roman Syria / Writing Alexander / The Life and Times of Cicero / Urbs Roma / The Later Roman Empire. Literary, philosophical and cultural topics have previously included: The Literature and Language of Ancient Babylon / Comedy and Tragedy, Laughter and Sorrow / Hellenistic Poetry: Theory and Practice / Roman Law and Latin Literature / Love and Sex in Ancient Poetry / Technologies of Knowledge in Antiquity / Knowledge and Doubt in Hellenistic Philosophy. We review course structures and core content every year and will publish finalised core requirements for 2022 entry from September 2021. Please note the list of optional modules available in any year vary depending on available teaching staff. The lists above provide an example of the type of modules which may be offered. For more information on this course, please see our website.
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Classics
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
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Classics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section 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.
Classical studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a category for graduates taking a wide range of courses that don’t fall neatly into a subject group, so be aware that the stats you see here may not be a very accurate guide to the outcomes for the specific course you’re interested in. Management, finance, marketing, education and jobs in the arts are some of the typical jobs for these graduates, but it's sensible to go on open days and talk to tutors about what you might expect from the course, and what previous graduates did.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
History and archaeology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£30k
£37k
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.
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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:
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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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