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Ancient History MA

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2022/23)

£12,900

£6,450

Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)

£26,600

£13,300

Duration

1 calendar year

2 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2022

Applications accepted

All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 31 Mar 2022

Applications open

Apply for this course

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. The programme may remain open if places are still available after 31 March 2022 and will be closed as soon as it is full or by 30 June 2022.

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A basic knowledge of a relevant ancient language is a prerequisite.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Advanced

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students gain a thorough grounding in the key aspects of and approaches to ancient history. They develop the ability to assess historical evidence critically and synthesise historical data from printed, manuscript, archaeological, numismatic, epigraphic, and papyrological sources, and are equipped with the tools necessary for further research in this field.

Who this course is for

The programme provides the ideal foundation for further research work, and will also appeal to students with a first degree in a relevant background who wish to extend their knowledge through a further year of study.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL History enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching.

This intercollegiate programme is taught jointly with King's College London and Royal Holloway, University of London, and students benefit from the international expertise and wealth of resources that the three colleges have to offer.

Located in Bloomsbury, UCL History is just a few minutes' walk away from the exceptional resources of the British Library, the British Museum and the research institutes of the University of London, including the Institute of Classical Studies, the Warburg Institute and the Institute of Historical Research.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Students develop an enviable range of skills by taking this degree. Debates, small-group seminars and tutorials help students acquire strong presentation and negotiation skills for their future career. The analytical and research skills gained are also highly valued by employers from a range of industries. There are many additional opportunities available, both within the department and the wider UCL community, for students to enhance their employability, by engaging in activities such as careers talks or networking events with UCL alumni.

Employability

This degree provides an outstanding foundation for those seeking to undertake PhD research and pursue an academic career. It is also popular with students wishing to go into journalism, the civil service, business, museums and heritage or education sectors.

Teaching and learning

Assessment is through unseen examinations, coursework essays, and the dissertation.

Modules

Full-time

The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures and museum visits. Most teaching is available inside UCL, but some is held in other London colleges.

The programme will introduce you to skills essential to or highly desirable for almost all fields of ancient history. You will be offered practical training in those skills and be introduced to specific aspects of the ancient world at an intellectually demanding level.

In summary, it aims to equip you with the tools for further research in ancient history by developing your critical and conceptual understanding of the field.

Compulsory modules

M.A. Ancient History: Dissertation

Sources and Methods in Ancient History

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Ancient History.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23)	£12,900	£6,450
Tuition fees (2022/23)	£26,600	£13,300

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Ancient History at graduate level
why you want to study Ancient History at UCL
what particularly attracts you to this programme
how your academic background meets the demands of this challenging programme
where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to elaborate on your reasons for applying to this programme and how your interests match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.