Classics/English Literature

Classics and English literature is a pairing with deep historical roots: English literature did not arise from nowhere but developed in constant dialogue with the Latin and Greek texts that educated Europeans read, translated, imitated, and argued with for centuries. Reading Milton alongside Virgil, or exploring the reception of Greek tragedy in modern drama, produces insights unavailable from either discipline alone. Classics brings the linguistic precision, historical depth, and access to foundational texts that shaped Western thought, while English literature opens the full range of imaginative writing in the language from the early modern period to the present.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year, full-time degree allows you to explore the full sweep of English literature, including American, Irish, and postcolonial writing alongside critical theory, creative writing, and the relationship between literature and other arts, media, and science. Alongside this, the classical component gives you engagement with the ancient world through its languages, texts, and cultural history. Glasgow's strength in both classical studies and English literature means you are taught by specialists with genuine research expertise in the areas you study.

A year abroad is embedded in the programme, giving you the opportunity to study in a different academic and cultural environment. The typical entry tariff of 184 points reflects high academic expectations.

Graduates of classics and English literature go on to careers in publishing, journalism, education, the cultural sector, the civil service, and law, among many other fields. The research skills, critical thinking, and quality of written argument developed through the programme are valued wherever careful and rigorous communication matters. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in English literature, classical studies, comparative literature, or related fields, and the combination is particularly well suited to academic careers or to cultural heritage and education roles.