Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek

Classics and modern Greek together provide a uniquely layered engagement with Greek civilisation across two and a half thousand years of history. Classics is the study of the ancient Greek and Latin worlds, examining their literature, history, philosophy, and material culture, and asking how the civilisations of Athens and Rome shaped the cultural, intellectual, and political foundations of Western history. Modern Greek connects that long tradition to the living language and contemporary culture of Greece, allowing you to trace continuities and ruptures between ancient and modern worlds in a way that few other combinations make possible.

At Oxford, one of the world's leading universities for classical studies, this four-year full-time degree gives you extensive engagement with major literary texts from both traditions alongside rigorous training in linguistic skills, beginning Greek from scratch if necessary while deepening your engagement with Latin and ancient literature. You will examine how classical culture has shaped its modern counterparts, and the degree provides opportunities to compare texts from both sides of the course directly, focusing on classical influence on modern European literature and thought. Oxford's tutorial system means you receive intensive, individualised academic guidance throughout your studies, and the typical entry tariff of 184 points reflects the exceptional academic standard expected.

Graduates from classics and modern languages programmes at Oxford go on to careers in academia, publishing, diplomacy, the law, the civil service, journalism, the arts, and many other fields that reward breadth of knowledge, linguistic skill, and analytical rigour. The combination of classical learning and modern language is particularly valuable in roles requiring cultural depth and the ability to bridge historical and contemporary perspectives. Postgraduate study in classical languages, modern Greek, comparative literature, or related disciplines is a natural continuation.