Ancient History/French

Ancient history and French bring together two rich and distinct scholarly traditions: the study of the Mediterranean civilisations of Greece, Rome, and the wider ancient world between the eighth century BC and the fifth century AD, and the mastery of one of Europe's most significant modern languages alongside its literature and culture. The combination is more coherent than it might at first appear. French gives you access to a substantial body of classical scholarship, since France has one of the strongest traditions of ancient history and classical studies in Europe, and the skills of close reading and analytical argument that both disciplines require reinforce each other.

At the University of Glasgow, this five-year full-time programme develops genuine depth in both subjects. In ancient history, you will study the political, social, cultural, and military history of ancient Greece and Rome, examining how these civilisations shaped Western thought, institutions, art, and literature. You will have the opportunity to learn Latin and ancient Greek if you wish, opening access to original sources that no translation can fully replace.

Your studies will range from the classical period of fifth-century Athens through the Hellenistic world to the Roman Empire and its eventual transformation into the late antique world. In French, you will develop linguistic proficiency alongside engagement with literature, cultural history, and the contemporary French-speaking world, building the skills to engage with both historical scholarship in French and the living culture of francophone societies.

The five-year duration reflects the ambition of the combination, and the programme includes a sandwich year and work placement, giving you the opportunity to gain professional experience in a relevant context.

Graduates combining ancient history and French pursue careers in education, research, museums and heritage, translation and interpreting, journalism, the civil service, law, publishing, and international organisations. The combination of deep humanistic scholarship and modern language fluency is genuinely rare. Postgraduate study in ancient history, classics, or French is a natural progression for those with academic ambitions.