Bachelor of Arts (BA)

BA Classics

Explore the language, literature and culture of the Greek and Roman worlds in this richly varied course.

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Year of entry: 2026
  • UCAS course code: Q800 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Study with a language

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Overview

Course overview

  • Explore the literature, culture, and history of the Greek and Roman worlds. You will also take specialist courses in ancient literature, history, religion, philosophy, art, Egyptology, or archaeology.
  • Study the legacy of the ancient world and uncover its impact on modern culture.
  • Beginner and advanced study options are available for Greek and Latin. Students must study one language throughout the course.
  • Study at a Top 10 UK university for History, Philosophy and Theology (THE World University Rankings 2024).
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Discover Classics and Ancient History at The University of Manchester

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Telephone
+44 (0)161 509 2871
Email
Website
https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/cahae/
School/Faculty overview

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

A-level

ABB including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

A-level contextual offer

BBC including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

  • live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
  • live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
  • have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

UK refugee/care-experienced offer

BBC including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

  • have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
  • have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and Grade 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.

Other entry requirements

Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.

Country-specific entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see Accepted entry qualifications from your country

English language requirements

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;

IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each sub-test, or;

An acceptable equivalent qualification.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.

If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa (previously known as a Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found  here .

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Fees and funding

Fees

Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

Advice to applicants

Potential candidates are expected to demonstrate why they have chosen this particular degree in their personal statement and express why the course interests them.

Applicants submitting mitigating circumstances

If you are submitting information about mitigating circumstances that have affected, or are likely to affect, your academic performance, you should include this in the referee's report.

We cannot usually take into account information that is supplied after an adverse decision has been made on an application by the admitting school.

(Examples of mitigating circumstances include family illness, problems with school facilities or an unusual curriculum followed by your school of college.)

Home-schooled applicants

If you are a student who has followed a non-standard educational route, e.g. you have been educated at home; your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course for which you are applying. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the specified academic entry requirements of the course. We will also require a reference from somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. If you are a home schooled student and would like further information or advice please contact the academic School for your chosen course who will be able to help you. 

Non-standard educational routes

Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences.  Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest.  There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.

The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates.  If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.  Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )

How your application is considered

Applications are considered on the basis of an assessment of the quality of the personal statement, the reference, and past and predicted academic achievements. We encourage applicants to give details of their motivation for studying this particular subject.

Interview requirements

We don't normally interview for this degree, except in the case of mature applicants. In considering your application, all the information on the UCAS form is taken into account, particular attention being paid to academic qualifications and predictions, to your referee's confidential report, and to your personal statement.

Returning to education

We warmly encourage applications from mature applicants and students returning to education. All such applications are considered on an individual basis. Applicants are encouraged to contact us at  ug-classics@manchester.ac.uk for any discussion that they might find useful.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

We warmly encourage overseas applicants. Applicants are encouraged to contact us at ug-classics@manchester.ac.uk for any discussion that they might find useful.

Deferrals

We welcome applications for deferred entry and feel a gap year benefits many students.

We do ask applicants to let us know as early as possible if they are intending to defer.  This helps us to adjust the number of offers we make, in order to achieve the required number of students in a given year.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.

Transfers

We will consider applications to transfer to Manchester from other universities and would normally ask for a letter explaining why a transfer was needed, relevant transcripts, a copy of the applicant's UCAS form and a confidential reference from one of the applicant's current university tutors.

We will consider applications to transfer from other degrees within the University of Manchester but applicants are required to have the A-level grades (or other qualifications) needed for entry to that degree programme.

Both of the above are subject to our having enough places to accommodate such applicants.   Enquiries should be made to the admissions administrator for the subject (see contact details). 

Course details

Course description

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Classics and Ancient History

This course enables you to study Greek and/or Latin language and literature, and explore the political, social, and intellectual history of ancient Greek and Roman societies.

You'll be taught by experts in Greek and Roman language, literature, culture and history. Course units are varied covering Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology and exploring topics as wide ranging as Greek philosophy, the literature of exile, Latin love poetry, and Greek myth.

Special collections
Through the John Rylands Research Institute and the Library’s Special Collections, our students have access to papyri, medieval manuscripts and early printed books, including very early copies of the Homeric poems. They also have opportunities to study some of the world-class Egyptology collections in the Manchester Museum.

Language study
You must study Latin or Ancient Greek for all three years because some texts are studied in their original language. Beginners and advanced level study is available, and if you enjoy language learning there are also options to study both languages.

If you have no experience of either language, you would take a beginners course in Latin or Ancient Greek in year one, progressing to advanced study of your chosen language in years two and three. If you wanted to learn a second language, you could pick this up at beginners level in year two or year three.

If you have already studied Latin or Ancient Greek at A-level, or equivalent, you could study this language at an advanced level in years one, two and three. If you wanted to learn a second language, you could pick this up at beginners level in years one, two or three.

Special features

Placement year option

Use your subject-specific knowledge in the real world through a placement year in your third year of study. It will help you to improve your job prospects, clarify your career goals, and build your external networks.

Study abroad

You can apply to spend one semester studying abroad during Year 2. Exchange partners include those in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Explore world-class collections

Enjoy unique opportunities to explore special archived material and carry out research in a wide range of archives, libraries, museums and other research institutions in Manchester and beyond.

Teaching and learning

The core of most literary and historical course units is provided by lectures, which introduce and survey the main issues, and are supported by small-group tutorials and seminars.

Language classes are taught intensively, with group size capped to encourage participation.

You are encouraged to involve yourself, under guidance, in independent study and original research.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment practices in different course units vary, but our basic aim is to achieve a good balance between formal examinations, continuous assessment, and project work.

Written examinations are held at the end of most courses. The third-year dissertation provides 22% of the total marks for your degree.

Course content for year 1

You will begin your study of Latin and/or Greek at the appropriate level for you. Alongside your language units, you will take course units in Greek literature (such as Homer's Odyssey), Latin literature (such as Virgil's Aeneid), and either Greek or Roman history (such as Archaic Greece; The Roman Republic), or both.

Depending on your choices, you may add a further course unit from across a wide range of options, including Egyptology, Archaeology, History of Art, the history of ideas, and Religions and Theology.

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CAHE10011 20 Optional
CAHE10022 20 Optional
CAHE10101 20 Optional
CAHE10132 20 Optional
CAHE10232 20 Optional
CAHE10422 20 Optional
CAHE10651 20 Optional
CAHE20151 20 Optional
CAHE20162 20 Optional
CAHE20171 20 Optional
CAHE30111 20 Optional
CAHE30121 20 Optional
CAHE30162 20 Optional
CAHE30182 20 Optional
ENGL10051 20 Optional
HIST10172 20 Optional
HIST10261 20 Optional
HIST10302 20 Optional
RELT10120 20 Optional
RELT10711 20 Optional
SALC10002 20 Optional
SALC10041 20 Optional
SALC11011 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 23 course units for year 1

Course content for year 2

You will continue your study of Latin and/or Greek language and literature, and may choose to add the second language if you didn't do so in the first year. As you increase your linguistic skills, you will have more opportunity to use that knowledge when studying literary and historical texts partly in the original languages.

You will choose additional course units from across a range of course units, including classical philosophy, ancient history, archaeology, and Egyptology.

You can also opt to study a free-choice course unit which can be chosen from a wide range on offer across the University.

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CAHE20031 20 Optional
CAHE20042 20 Optional
CAHE20052 20 Optional
CAHE20061 20 Optional
Thinking Archaeology CAHE20112 20 Optional
CAHE20151 20 Optional
CAHE20162 20 Optional
CAHE20171 20 Optional
CAHE20261 20 Optional
CAHE20272 20 Optional
CAHE20282 20 Optional
CAHE20292 20 Optional
CAHE20382 20 Optional
CAHE20501 20 Optional
CAHE20531 20 Optional
CAHE20701 20 Optional
CAHE20912 20 Optional
CAHE21041 20 Optional
CAHE21061 20 Optional
CAHE24102 20 Optional
CAHE24401 20 Optional
CAHE24602 20 Optional
CAHE25461 20 Optional
CAHE25762 20 Optional
CAHE30111 20 Optional
CAHE30121 20 Optional
CAHE30162 20 Optional
CAHE30182 20 Optional
CAHE30211 20 Optional
CAHE30221 20 Optional
HIST21192 20 Optional
HIST21241 20 Optional
HIST21251 20 Optional
RELT20140 20 Optional
SALC20081 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 35 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

You will continue your study of Latin and/or Greek language and literature. Even if you have only studied one ancient language for the first two years of your programme, it is still open to you to take the intensive beginners' course in the other language. By this stage, your fluency in your primary classical language will have reached a level at which you are able to engage with Latin or Greek texts in a sophisticated and intellectually rewarding way, creating wonderful opportunities for you to use this skill in the study of literary and historical material, and to enhance your research for your dissertation.

In addition to taking at least one literary course unit and up to two units on historical, philosophical, archaeological, or a free choice unit, you will research and write a dissertation on a subject of your choice - this thesis is your chance to carry out your own independent study of the classical past.

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
CAHE30000 40 Mandatory
CAHE20151 20 Optional
CAHE20162 20 Optional
CAHE20171 20 Optional
CAHE30031 20 Optional
CAHE30111 20 Optional
CAHE30121 20 Optional
CAHE30162 20 Optional
CAHE30182 20 Optional
CAHE30211 20 Optional
CAHE30221 20 Optional
CAHE30261 20 Optional
CAHE30272 20 Optional
CAHE30282 20 Optional
CAHE30292 20 Optional
CAHE30311 20 Optional
CAHE30321 20 Optional
CAHE30382 20 Optional
CAHE30701 20 Optional
CAHE30881 20 Optional
CAHE30912 20 Optional
CAHE31041 20 Optional
CAHE31061 20 Optional
CAHE34102 20 Optional
CAHE34401 20 Optional
CAHE34602 20 Optional
CAHE35461 20 Optional
CAHE35762 20 Optional
HIST31362 20 Optional
HIST31992 20 Optional
HIST32241 20 Optional
RELT30521 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 32 course units for year 3

Facilities

The John Rylands Library

At The John Rylands Library , you'll have exclusive access to our internationally significant collections, including papyri, medieval manuscripts and early printed books such as very early copies of the Homeric poems.

Manchester Museum

The UK's leading university museum has more than four million objects spanning millennia, including one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the UK. Go behind-the-scenes to handle, analyse and interpret rare artefacts, including exclusive material specific to ancient history.

Visit our facilities page to find out more.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

All our courses involve the development of strong transferable skills, encouraging students to think logically to interpret and analyse information and data.

A degree in Classics or Ancient History will give you the ability to communicate well. It will show a deep understanding of varied cultures and societies, preparing you for a career in many industries.

You can also apply to spend a year gaining valuable workplace experience on a work placement.

Throughout your degree and for two years after, you'll have access to dedicated support for your subject. The careers and employability page has more on how we prepare students for the workplace. Also, our undergraduate courses are designed to ease the transition into postgraduate study, if desired.

The University of Manchester is the second most targeted university in the UK for top graduate employers (High Fliers Research, 2024).

Our graduates have gone on to work in many industries. They have had positions with BBC, Google, the UK government, museums, and law firms.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.