Overview

Our Ancient History MA offers you the opportunity to study Greek, Roman and near-Eastern history at an advanced level. You will also learn and refine the techniques and skills you need to be able to analyse and interpret a variety of historical sources. This is an intercollegiate course that draws on the strengths of King’s, UCL and Royal Holloway and the Institute of Classical Studies. Leads to further research or careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.

Course detail

The Ancient History MA course is organised on an intercollegiate basis, so that we combine the expertise of staff in all three of the participating colleges – King’s, UCL and Royal Holloway. The University’s Institute of Classical Studies is at the heart of this course. It not only maintains a world-class research library, but also hosts the richest programme of seminars, conferences and lectures for this subject area in the UK. The course consists of a required module, Sources & Methods in Ancient History, two to four optional modules and a dissertation. The first and last of these will provide you with concentrated training in research techniques and methodology. You will also study texts in the original languages as well as in translation. Besides purely ancient historical topics, you may also take modules from our master’s courses in Classics, Classical Archaeology & Art, and Late Antique & Byzantine Studies. You may also be able to take appropriate modules from other master’s courses at King’s. If you have ambitions to take your study of ancient history further, there are modules on this course that you will find especially valuable: Greek Papyrology, Greek & Roman Epigraphy, and Greek & Latin Palaeography. These will advance your technical skills in the handling of documentary evidence. You can also choose to take modules in Greek and Latin languages at beginners or intermediate level.

Teaching and assessment

Most modules at MA level are assessed by coursework essays (some require commentaries or museum floor plans). Some may involve written examinations. Language modules at MA level will typically include in-class tests and end-of-year written examinations.

Career prospects

Our graduates are highly sought after, and they take the skills and knowledge they developed with us to excel in careers in teaching, journalism, cultural management or the financial sector. Others have continued their studies to further research.