“I chose Ancient History as St Andrews offers a broad range of classes taught around the research interests of the lecturers, so going into the class you know that it is a topic being actively researched and contributed to by the people teaching you.”
- Texas, USA
Entry requirements
The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.
For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.
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- Standard entry grades:
- AAAB
- Minimum entry grades:
- AABB
- Gateway entry grades:
- Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.
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- Standard entry grades:
- AAA
- Minimum entry grades:
- ABB
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- Standard entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,6,5)
- Minimum entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,5,5)
General entry requirements
All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
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SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing science
- Geography
- Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
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GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
Other qualifications
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.
More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.
Do I need to have studied this subject before?
No prior knowledge of ancient history is required.
Alternative study options
Students interested in this course may also be interested in the following:
Gateway programmes
Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades but meet the University's contextual criteria may be interested in the Gateway to Arts programme.
Study abroad
Ancient history students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.
International applicants
If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.
Course details
The MA (Hons) in Ancient History is a four-year course run by the School of Classics. In the first year, no previous experience of ancient history or classical languages is required; any student is eligible to take ancient history. The history of the ancient Greek world is traced from the eighth century BCE to the time of Alexander the Great, and the history of Rome is studied from its beginnings to the reign of the Emperor Augustus. Modules introduce political, social and archaeological aspects of civilisations that contributed much to later European culture.
Alongside ancient history, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.
In your second year, you will undertake advanced study of the social, economic, administrative and religious history of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Constantine. You will also study the history of human settlement in the Mediterranean throughout classical antiquity. The rise and fall of classical civilisation are examined, with particular emphasis on archaeological evidence and the theories and interpretative models that modern historians have brought to bear on antiquity. These modules bridge the gap to Honours through focused assessment methods, including deeper analysis and practical tutorials using the University’s archaeological collections.
At Honours-level (third and fourth year), you will be able to branch out and study a wide range of topics in ancient history that cover key aspects of the social, economic, political and cultural history of the Greek and Roman world, from archaic Greece to the end of the Roman empire. All of the School’s Honours modules are inspired by the research expertise of the members of staff who teach them, and expose you to the latest debates and developments in the discipline. They cover a wide range of genres and themes, such as slavery, religion, gender, warfare and imperialism.
The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.
Modules
In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in ancient history alongside modules in at least one other subject.
Typically, you will take one ancient history module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).
Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:
- The Greeks in a Wider World: surveys Greek history from the origins of the Greek city-states in the Archaic period (ca. 800 BCE), through the heyday of Athens’ empire and democracy in the fifth century and the struggle for supremacy among the Greek cities in the fourth, to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire. Alongside political and military history, the module tackles topics such as religious belief, slavery, and Greek interactions with other peoples of the ancient Mediterranean world.
- Rome and the Mediterranean: traces Rome’s trajectory from a small settlement in central Italy to the centre of a Mediterranean empire. The module examines a wide range of topics, including politics, the family, religion, slavery, poverty and the economy. It exposes the links between the growth of Rome’s power abroad and the transformation and eventual collapse of its Republican government at home and the rise of the first emperor, Augustus.
Second-year compulsory modules in ancient history are:
- The Roman Empire: explores the complex history of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Late Antiquity, an empire which, for the first and last time, united the whole Mediterranean and its diverse hinterlands. The history and archaeology of the empire are studied through the themes such as power, society, cultures, the army and the frontiers, cities, economies, and religions. How did an ever-changing imperial monarchy oversee a relatively stable, slave-owning domain? What powers of coercion and persuasion did Rome exert? How was Rome and its empire culturally transformed over the centuries?
- Mediterranean Communities: examines the history and archaeology of human settlement in the Mediterranean world throughout the whole of classical antiquity. In the course of the first millennium BCE and the first half of the first millennium CE (ca. 1000 BCE to 500 CE), the Mediterranean was transformed from a world of tiny peasant and tribal communities to a world of complexly connected cities, states and empires. This module brings together themes of ecology, economy, urbanism, networks and the state to ask big questions about how and why classical civilisation emerged when and where it did.
Students can replace one or both of these modules with second-year Classical Studies modules in order to adapt the programme to suit their interests. Second-year modules in Classical Studies are:
- Culture and Thought in the Late Roman Republic: studies the art and literature of Rome in the Late Republic (first century BCE). Key literary texts, such as the passionate poetry of Catullus and the stylish rhetoric of Cicero, are set against the broader backdrop of Roman political, cultural and social life in this turbulent period of civil war and dictatorship.
- Early Greek Poetry and Philosophy: studies the earliest phases of the Greek literary and philosophical tradition in the archaic and early classical Greek world. It explores the diversity of early Greek thought through the poetry and philosophy of the period, and explores themes of conflict, justice, love and the relationship between mortals and gods.
Ancient history students must take the core module Approaches to Ancient History in their third year. In addition, you will choose from a variety of advanced options, including modules from a wide range of periods that showcase different historical approaches. You will also have access to modules from the Ancient History & Archaeology MA and Classical Studies MA programmes, which will give you an even wider choice of social, cultural and historical topics to explore.
Here is a sample of Honours modules that have been offered in previous years:
- Belief and Unbelief in Classical Greek Religion
- Floods, Famines, Plagues and Volcanoes: Roman Adaptation to the Environment
- Persia and the Greeks
- Poverty and social life in Late Antiquity
- Religious Communities in the Late Antique World
- Roman Slavery
- The Rise of Rome. Early Italy from Prehistory to the First Punic War
- The Supremacy of Greece: Athens, Sparta and Thebes 479-366 BCE.
In fourth year, students also undertake a 10,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.
The compulsory modules listed here must be taken in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules appropriate to the programme for the current academic year can be found in the programme requirements.
Teaching
Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (70 to 120 students) and small group tutorials (8 to 12 students). Tutorials are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop their thinking in a small and friendly atmosphere, guided by an expert tutor.
At Honours level, all teaching is delivered through seminars (10 to 20 students), with a strong emphasis on students’ own contributions in informal class discussion and in group or individual presentations.
In addition to lectures and tutorials, students are expected to undertake substantial independent, but guided, work outside of the classroom. Typically, this will involve:
- reading ancient source material in translation
- reading journal articles and books
- working on individual projects
- undertaking research in the library
- preparing coursework assignments and
- presentations
- preparing for examinations.
Most modules in ancient history are assessed by 50% coursework and 50% examination. However, some modules are assessed solely or mainly on coursework, and others include practical assessment. Coursework can include:
- research essays
- source analysis
- analysis of material and artistic evidence
- learning diaries
- oral presentations.
Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.
The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of ancient history. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars and workshops under the supervision of the module coordinator.
You can find contact information for all staff in the School of Classics on the School of Classics website.
The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.
Fees
Scotland
£1,820
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
£9,250
Channel Islands, Isle of Man
£9,250
EU and overseas
£28,190
More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Accommodation fees
Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.
Joint Honours degrees
You can also take Ancient History as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.
| Course name | UCAS code |
|---|---|
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History & Archaeology and Social Anthropology | VVL6 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Art History | VVD3 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Biblical Studies | VV16 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Comparative Literature | VQ12 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Economics | LVD1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and English | LVD2 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Film Studies | VP13 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and French | RVD1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and French (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RV1D |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and German | RVG1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and German (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVF1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Greek | QV71 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and International Relations | VL21 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Italian | RV31 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Italian (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVHD |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Latin | QV61 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Mathematics | GVC1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Medieval History | V1V1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Persian | RQ16 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Philosophy | VV15 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Social Anthropology | V1L6 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Spanish | VR14 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Spanish (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVL1 |
Joint degrees taken with Arabic, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish are also available With Integrated Year Abroad.
Careers
Ancient history students at St Andrews have traditionally progressed into a very wide range of careers on graduating. Some continue their academic careers via a postgraduate training degree to doctoral study either in St Andrews or at another university. Other students have progressed to postgraduate qualifications in teaching, museum studies or archaeology.
Recent ancient history graduates have moved into careers including:
- NHS
- civil service
- financial industry
- human resources
- conference management
- heritage management.
A degree in ancient history will provide you with transferable skills that will equip you for a future career in many sectors. These skills include:
- understanding a range of viewpoints and critical approaches
- flexible thinking
- exercising reflection and critical judgment
- gathering, memorising, organising and deploying information
- time management
- project planning
- independent work
- group work
- oral and written expression.
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
What to do next
Online information events
Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.
Undergraduate visiting days
We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.
Contact us
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 2600
- classics@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Address
- School of Classics
Swallowgate
St Andrews
KY16 9AL
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