Classical Civilisation

Classical civilisation is the study of ancient Greece and Rome through their literature, history, philosophy, mythology, religion and material culture, approached through texts in translation rather than requiring proficiency in Latin or ancient Greek. It opens the ancient world to students who are drawn by the ideas, stories and societies of antiquity rather than primarily by the languages themselves, and it develops a sophisticated understanding of two civilisations that have shaped the intellectual and cultural foundations of the Western tradition. Questions about democracy, empire, justice, art, religion and the relationship between individual and society are as alive in classical civilisation study as they were in the Athens of Pericles or the Rome of Augustus.

At Durham University, this three-year full-time programme is offered with a rich set of structural features: a sandwich year with embedded work placement opportunities and a year abroad. The work placement and year abroad together give you both professional experience and the chance to engage with the physical landscape and academic traditions of other countries, potentially including visits to classical sites in Greece and Italy. The typical entry tariff for this programme is around 168 UCAS points, consistent with Durham's high academic standards.

You will engage with ancient literary texts in translation, including epic, drama, lyric poetry, history and philosophy, alongside archaeology, art history, ancient religion and the reception of the classical world in later periods. The programme develops your ability to read closely, interpret carefully and argue with precision about texts and their contexts, which are skills applicable far beyond the discipline itself. Durham's strong research environment in classics and its active academic community make it an excellent place to study antiquity.

Graduates of classical civilisation programmes work in education, publishing, museums, archives, heritage organisations, journalism, law, the civil service and management consulting. The analytical, reading and writing skills developed through classical study are consistently valued in professional contexts that require precision with language and the capacity to handle complex material. Postgraduate study in classical reception, ancient history, classical archaeology, museum studies or humanities more broadly is a well-supported route for those who wish to specialise.