Classics

Classics is the study of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds through their languages, literatures, history, philosophy, and material culture. It is a discipline that has shaped the intellectual history of the West more profoundly than almost any other, and that continues to generate new scholarly debate about texts, artefacts, and historical processes that have fascinated readers and researchers for centuries. To study classics is to engage with some of the foundational works of Western thought, from the epics of Homer and the tragedies of Sophocles to the philosophy of Plato and the history of Thucydides, while also developing the linguistic precision and critical rigour that close engagement with ancient languages demands.

At Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, this programme is designed for students who already have a knowledge and love of either Latin or Greek and want to add the other ancient language while deepening their engagement with the classical world. You will develop or consolidate your command of both Greek and Latin, reading texts in the original and developing the kind of linguistic confidence that opens the full richness of ancient literature. Alongside language study, you will explore classical history, philosophy, literary analysis, and the archaeological and material dimensions of ancient life.

The programme runs over three years and includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement. This combination offers you professional experience in relevant fields, whether in cultural heritage, publishing, education, or elsewhere, alongside the opportunity to study in a different scholarly environment and cultural context.

Graduates from classics degrees move into careers in education, publishing, heritage and museums, law, the civil service, journalism, broadcasting, and many other fields where the analytical, linguistic, and research skills developed through the discipline are valued. The rigour that classics demands transfers exceptionally well to professional environments that require careful reasoning and precise communication. Postgraduate study in classical studies, ancient history, or related fields is a common route for those who wish to continue their research.