Ancient History with a Foundation Year
Swansea University
UCAS Code: V111 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Swansea University
UCAS Code: V111 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a Grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
We require a minimum of 5 passes at Grade A*-C, including Welsh/English Language
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.
Swansea University recognises the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as equivalent to one full A-Level.
About this course
Ancient History explores and examines the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome and their interactions with the world beyond. Such civilisations may appear distant but remain influential even today.
This programme, with a Foundation Year, gives you an exciting introduction to Higher Education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful in your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after Further Education or are returning to education after a gap.
The programme will introduce you to theories, methodologies, and sources (including archaeology) to help you grasp the variety of lived experiences in the ancient world. Studying this four-year BA degree opens up a range of exciting career opportunities by helping you develop skills which are highly valued by employers.
You’ll also have the chance to get to grips with Greek and Roman history and society, architecture and archaeology, warfare and empire, gender, religion, politics and economics, or to learn about ancient Egypt. You can also choose to learn ancient Greek or Latin.
We are based in our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.
Ancient History at Swansea is ranked:
• 2nd in the UK for Student Experience (Times Good University Guide 2025)
• 2nd in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2025)
• 3rd in the UK for Teaching Quality (Times Good University Guide 2025)
• Top 20 in the UK for Graduate Outcomes (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Top 51-100 in the World (QS World Rankings by Subject 2024)
Your degree programme will be delivered through lectures, tutorials and seminars and you will have the option to study a semester abroad in either the USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong or Singapore.
If you prefer to stay closer to home, and you want to enhance your student experience and career prospects, you can gain teaching experience by leading workshops for the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership.
Modules
Your first year will be spent on your Foundation, preparing you for Higher Education. Topics on this foundation including skills development and introductions to key themes on your degree, including Academic Writing and Skills Development, Critical Reflection and Problem Solving, and History, Memory and the Creation of Identity.
After successfully completing your Foundation, you’ll move on to your BA degree. You’ll study two compulsory modules and four optional modules, with topics including Greek, Latin, Gods and Heroes, Ancient History, Society and Culture, and a Field Trip.
Year 3 consists entirely of optional modules, allowing you to shape your own learning, with topics typically including Archaic Greece, Gender in the Roman World, Plato’s Republic, and a Schools Work Placement, teaching ancient history and languages.
Your degree with culminate in year 4, with a wide range of optional modules that can include Culture and Control in Roman Britain, advanced levels of Greek or Latin, Ancient and Medieval Monarchy, and a compulsory Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology Dissertation.
For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/classics-ancient-history-egyptology/ba-ancient-history
Assessment methods
We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:
• Presentations
• Group Work
• Personal Reflection
Throughout your undergraduate Ancient History degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/classics-ancient-history-egyptology/ba-ancient-history/ or get in touch with us at [email protected]
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
College of Arts and Humanities
What students say
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After graduation
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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.
£16k
£21k
£26k
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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