Theatre Studies/Classics

Theatre is one of the oldest forms of human expression, a live art that has shaped cultures from the ancient amphitheatres of Athens to the contemporary stage. Combining theatre studies with classics at the University of Glasgow brings these traditions into direct conversation, tracing the roots of Western drama through Greek tragedy and Roman comedy, and connecting those ancient forms to modern theatrical practice and theory.

You will study performance, dramatic text and theatrical history from multiple angles. The classics strand introduces you to the literature, history, art and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome, with the option to study Latin or Greek at any level. The theatre studies strand covers dramatic theory, performance analysis, directing, design and the history of theatre across periods and cultures.

Together, you will explore how ancient drama has been adapted, reinterpreted and subverted over centuries, and what ancient texts reveal about performance, ritual, politics and human experience. Glasgow has close connections with the theatre industry, giving you genuine opportunities to learn from and work with practitioners of national and international standing.

The programme runs over four years and includes a year abroad, allowing you to engage with theatre cultures and classical scholarship in another country. This international dimension is particularly valuable for a subject that draws on living traditions of performance as well as historical study. You will develop close-reading skills, analytical rigour, creative thinking and the ability to communicate ideas persuasively, both in writing and in performance contexts.

Graduates go into careers in theatre, arts administration, dramaturgy, education, writing, journalism, broadcasting, heritage and cultural organisations. Many continue to postgraduate study in performance, classical studies, drama or related fields. The combination of analytical depth from classics and creative and critical engagement from theatre studies is recognised across many sectors where both rigorous thinking and imaginative communication are valued.