Classics

Classics is the study of the languages, literature, history, philosophy, art, and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome, two civilisations that shaped the intellectual, artistic, political, and cultural foundations of much of the modern world. It is a discipline that demands both linguistic precision and broad historical imagination, asking you to read original texts in Greek and Latin as well as to engage with the wider contexts in which those texts were produced and received. Studying classics develops an extraordinary set of analytical, communicative, and interpretive skills, as well as a deep knowledge of the civilisations from which Western culture draws so much of its vocabulary of ideas.

At the University of Glasgow this four-year full-time programme allows you to study the literature, history, art, and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome at whatever level of language study suits your background and ambitions, from beginners in Greek or Latin through to advanced reading. You will explore a wide range of texts and topics, from Homer and Athenian drama to Roman history and philosophy, developing the analytical skills and cultural knowledge that the discipline rewards. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, giving you the chance to study in a different country and to encounter classical traditions in a new intellectual environment.

Classics graduates pursue careers across a wide range of fields. The analytical rigour, linguistic precision, and cultural breadth the degree develops are valued in law, the civil service, journalism, publishing, education, heritage, and a range of other professional contexts. Teaching classics and ancient history, both in schools and in universities, is a well-established and valued path.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in classical studies, ancient history, medieval studies, or archaeology, pursuing research or specialist professional careers in areas where deep engagement with the ancient world is directly relevant.