Why study this course

In Ancient History, you will discover the Near East, Persia and the Byzantine Empire, as well as the Greek and Roman worlds, by exploring a wide range of literary, visual, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. Prior study of ancient history isn’t essential our programme will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of ancient societies, as well as the skills and knowledge that you need to succeed at university level and beyond.

For us, social and cultural topics are just as important as political history. You will encounter fascinating themes with contemporary relevance, such as warfare, gender and sexuality, religion, medicine, art and literature, and you will discover how antiquity continues to inspire the modern world.

The History element of this degree lets you shape your passion for history according to your interests, using the latest approaches to study the past with a critical eye and make connections to debates in the public sphere.

Our expertise reaches an extraordinary breadth of societies, periods and places, spanning the British Isles, Europe (east and west), Africa, Asia and the Americas. You will analyse topics from across the globe, allowing you to put into practice your skills as a historian. Moreover, prestigious collections in the University’s Special Collections and Archives give you access to a wide range of original texts and sources, including some of the world’s oldest printed books.

Combining Ancient History and History is a great way to gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge, while exploring the entire range of the human past. The time spent on each subject is equally shared, allowing you to fully absorb ancient, medieval and modern history through material, written and visual evidence.

This programme is also available with a year of study abroad, extending your degree to a four-year programme, with your third year spent at a partner institution outside the UK.

Learning and assessment

You will learn through a wide range of teaching methods, from interactive lectures, lively discussion-based seminars and workshops to group work and tutorials. These on-campus activities will be blended with a range of online environments that will enhance your learning experience and enable you to extend your studies beyond the classroom. Seminars and workshops offer a rewarding experience to engage critically with key ideas and reading on a topic. They provide a valuable opportunity to explore ideas and work closely with your lecturers and to learn from other students. In your second and third years, you will undertake independent projects with the support of an expert in the field and one-to-one tuition.

Our teaching methods foster intellectual skills, such as critical thinking, close analysis, evaluating evidence, constructing arguments, using theory and the effective deployment of language in writing and in debate. We also help you gain experience in team working, independent research and time management.

We pride ourselves on nurturing a friendly, personalised and supportive environment, placing a strong emphasis on individual one-to-one meetings at key points throughout the degree. Bringing a wealth of expertise across theme, period and geography, your lecturers will share the latest thinking in the classroom, including their own cutting-edge research.