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Classics MA

London, Bloomsbury

Learn from international experts while enjoying unrivalled access to the rich resources London offers for studying the ancient world. The Classics MA is taught by UCL Greek & Latin in collaboration with King's College London and Royal Holloway, University of London. You’ll study the languages, literatures and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome and the ancient Middle East while developing critical thinking skills, paving the way towards a raft of career options. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£15,100
£7,550
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£31,100
£15,550
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct – 28 Jun 2024

Applications not yet open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

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. Students undertaking the MA in Classics are expected to be able to use authors and sources in one or more ancient languages.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

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.

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

The programme enables students to study in-depth key aspects of the languages, literatures and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, the ancient Middle East and their reception. It provides students with the skills of critical and conceptual thinking and equips them with the tools necessary for further research, including training in the use of digital resources online, library catalogues and archives.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with either Greek or Latin or ancient Middle Eastern language at advanced - typically BA - level, who wish to develop their knowledge and understanding of the languages and literatures of ancient Greece, Rome and the ancient Middle East, with a view to progress on to further research or as a qualification in its own right.

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

What this course will give you

UCL Greek & Latin is one of the most renowned centres for postgraduate study and research in the ancient world, with a large staff of international experts in Greek and Latin literature, languages of the ancient Middle East, papyrology, historical linguistics, philosophy, ancient history and classical reception. Its MA programmes open a pathway to a wide variety of careers.

The department is very well resourced for the study of the ancient world and UCL's central location provides unrivalled access to the British Museum, British Library, Senate House Library, Warburg Institute and the Institute of Classical Studies. 

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

The foundation of your career

The MA Classics offers a wide range of skills highly valued by employers, such as advanced oral communication; the ability to abstract and synthesise information, and to construct and manage arguments; independent and critical thinking on difficult issues; IT skills, including the ability to access and evaluate data; and good time management, organisational, and planning skills. Students go on to employment in many sectors including advertising, publishing, education, law, finance, libraries and museums, and the culture industries.

Employability

The MA is an ideal springboard for a PhD programme, and students will find unique opportunities to acquire skills in the handling of documentary evidence particularly valuable for further research. Some students go on to pursue research at UCL or other institutions. Others have developed their skills in order to enter careers in teaching, publishing, the media, cultural heritage or the legal, business, charitable or financial sectors.

Networking

Additional activities are available both within the department, the Institute of Classical Studies and the wider UCL community to help you to develop your employability through public talks, seminars and other networking opportunities.

Teaching and learning

The classes are taught as seminars which include presentations supported by independent learning.

The programme is taught in small seminars or classes, rarely exceeding twelve participants. Students are expected to prepare for class each week, typically by reading preparatory material and texts in the original Greek or Latin or ancient Middle Eastern language. Student performance is assessed through coursework essays, unseen examination, and the dissertation.

Students on the MA Classics can expect around 140 contact hours and 1200 hours of self-directed study across the duration of the course.

Modules

During the course, you will undertake a compulsory module on the research methods, skills and resources needed to study Classics at postgraduate level. These include bibliographic, digital and library resources, appropriate methodologies, writing and presentation skills, and advice on choosing your dissertation topic.

Across Terms 1 and 2, you will also advance your knowledge of Greek and/or Latin and/or ancient Middle Eastern language and literature through the study of genres, individual works, themes, concepts or approaches, where texts are read in the original. You may also study the ancient world more broadly, such as its history, art or thought and its reception in later cultures. You may also study, subject to the approval of the programme tutor, some topics in non-classical fields that can enrich your understanding of Classics, such as Translation, Film, Comparative Literature or Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

In Term 3, you will receive further training in presentation skills and the writing of a dissertation. During this term and across the rest of the programme, you will plan and produce a dissertation on an aspect of Classics that utilises advanced knowledge of at least one of the classical languages and requires independent research on which you will be guided by an academic supervisor.

During the course, you will undertake a compulsory module on the research methods, skills and resources needed to study Classics at postgraduate level. These include bibliographic, digital and library resources, appropriate methodologies, writing and presentation skills, and advice on choosing your dissertation topic.

Across years 1 and 2, you will also advance your knowledge of Greek and/or Latin and/or ancient Middle Eastern language and literature through the study of genres, individual works, themes, concepts or approaches, where texts are read in the original. You may also study the ancient world more broadly, such as its history, art or thought and its reception in later cultures. You may also study, subject to the approval of the programme tutor, some topics in non-classical fields that can enrich your understanding of Classics, such as Translation, Film, Comparative Literature or Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

In year 2, you will receive further training in presentation skills and the writing of a dissertation. During this term and across the rest of the programme, you will plan and produce a dissertation on an aspect of Classics that utilises advanced knowledge of at least one of the classical languages and requires independent research on which you will be guided by an academic supervisor.

During the course you will undertake a compulsory module on the research methods, skills and resources needed to study Classics at postgraduate level. These include bibliographic, digital and library resources, appropriate methodologies, writing and presentation skills, and advice on choosing your dissertation topic.

Across years 1 and 2, you will also advance your knowledge of Greek and/or Latin and/or ancient Middle Eastern language and literature through the study of genres, individual works, themes, concepts or approaches, where texts are read in the original. You may also study the ancient world more broadly, such as its history, art or thought and its reception in later cultures. You may also study, subject to the approval of the programme tutor, some topics in non-classical fields that can enrich your understanding of Classics, such as Translation, Film, Comparative Literature or Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

In your final year, you will receive further training in presentation skills and the writing of a dissertation. During this term and across the rest of the programme, you will plan and produce a dissertation on an aspect of Classics that utilises advanced knowledge of at least one of the classical languages and requires independent research on which you will be guided by an academic supervisor.

Compulsory modules

MA Classics: Research Methods and Dissertation


Optional modules










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 are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

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

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 and Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Department of Greek & Latin

The MA Tutors Maria Wyke and Gesine Manuwald discuss the two MA programmes Classics and MA Reception of the Classical World, and postgraduate life in the UCL Classics community, and answer any questions potential applicants had.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £15,100 £7,550
Tuition fees (2024/25) £31,100 £15,550

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

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

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

The wealth of departmental seminars, colloquiums, symposiums and student organised work in progress sessions give ample opportunities to present research, receive feedback and participate in discussion.

Furthermore, the department’s membership to the University of London’s Institute of Classical Studies enables participation in intercollegiate conferences and workshops where the above opportunities can be experienced with a wider audience.

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

Funding options may be possible for applicants to this programme, including UCL Scholarships for UK/EU & Overseas Students and UCL Greek & Latin departmental studentships. For more information on the latter, please see the 'Funding for MA students' page on the department web pages.

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 Classics at graduate level
  • why you want to study Classics at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic background and training meets the demands of a challenging programme
  • where you would like to go subsequently with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Greek and Latin
Greek and Latin

classics.office@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.