Classical Studies and English Literature

Classical studies and English literature is a combination that places two of the richest traditions in the history of writing into sustained dialogue. Classical studies opens up the literature, history, philosophy, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome, the civilisations that shaped the foundations of European thought, law, art, and political theory. English literature brings you into close engagement with the works produced in English from the medieval period to the present, developing your skills of close reading, interpretation, and critical argument.

Together, the two disciplines give you a long view of literary and cultural history and sharpen your understanding of how later writers and thinkers have engaged with, challenged, and been formed by the ancient world.

At the University of Reading, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year with work placement and a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to combine professional experience with study in another country. Reading has established strengths in both classical and literary studies, and the combination benefits from teaching that takes both subjects seriously as academic disciplines in their own right. You will develop skills in reading classical texts in translation alongside English literature, working with primary sources across different genres, periods, and languages, and constructing well-reasoned arguments about complex material.

Graduates of classical studies and English literature are well placed for careers in education, publishing, journalism, heritage and cultural organisations, the arts, and the civil service. The deep literacy, historical range, and analytical precision developed across both subjects are valued in any organisation that requires clear thinking and articulate communication. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in classical studies, comparative literature, or English, while others enter professional fields where the combination of cultural breadth and intellectual rigour is recognised as a genuine asset.