“I enjoyed how broad the degree structure was in the first two years. I was able to enhance my knowledge of the ancient world with modules in Ancient History, Biblical Studies and Hebrew. The St Andrews experience is truly unique and I cannot imagine anywhere else that balances such a strong community with top-tier academics so well.”
- Herefordshire, England
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, including A in a foreign language.
- Minimum entry grades:
- AABB, including B in a foreign language.
- 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, including A in a foreign language.
- Minimum entry grades:
- ABB, including B in a foreign language.
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- Standard entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in a foreign language.
- Minimum entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL5 in a foreign language.
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 classics, Latin or Greek is necessary, but you must have studied a modern or ancient foreign language at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level or equivalent.
Alternative study options
Students interested in this course may also be interested in the following:
Study abroad
Classics 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 Classics is a four-year course run by the School of Classics. You can take this degree whether or not you have studied Latin or Greek before. There are beginners’ courses in both Greek and Latin for those who have not studied the languages before or who have only studied them a little. These courses quickly build a solid foundation in each language so that you will rapidly become confident in analysing literature.
If you are starting one or both languages at beginners’ level, you will spend your first year intensively studying the language to build your confidence and ability to read original texts. If you have already studied one or both languages at a higher level, you will undertake more advanced study in your first year in both language and literature, in modules that integrate analysis of literary texts with linguistic and translation exercises which will consolidate your existing language skills.
In the second year, all students are brought together to take modules that extend and refine their knowledge of Latin and Greek literature and its background, covering both prose and poetry from the archaic period right through to late antiquity, while continuing to incorporate progressive work on Greek and Latin language skills in preparation for Honours-level study.
If you have not studied either language before and will be starting both languages as a beginner, you may choose to defer the start of your studies in one of the languages to your second year. Students who take this option go on to take specially adapted modules in their third year. These allow them to complete their linguistic training while studying literature at Honours level.
In addition to studying Greek and Latin, you have the opportunity in your first two years to take another subject each semester. Find out more about more about how academic years are organised.
The skills you gain in analysing original Greek and Latin texts in your first two years will prepare you for exploring an even wider range of texts at a more advanced level in your third and fourth years. You will also be encouraged to delve deeper into a specialist topic of your choice in writing a dissertation during your fourth year.
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. Examples of recent topics include:
- Africa in Latin Literature
- Greek poetry, including epic and tragedy
- Greek historiography, including authors like Herodotus and Thucydides
- Greek rhetoric
- Greek philosophy
- Greek literature in the Roman Empire
- Latin prose writing, including philosophical writing, oratory, letter writing, historiography and biography
- Latin poetry, including didactic poetry, lyric, satire and epic
- Late antique Latin literature
- Renaissance reception of Latin literature
- The history of the Greek language.
There is a wide choice of other modules available to complement classics and suit your interests. Popular choices include classical studies, ancient history, English literature, modern languages, medieval and modern history, philosophy and divinity.
Graduates in Classics from St Andrews can expect to have developed a wide knowledge of Greek and Latin literature and culture and a high level of competence in Greek and Latin language.
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 three modules per semester: Greek, Latin and one other subject. Over the two Honours years, you will take at least three modules in each language.
Students will take two Greek modules and two Latin modules. The modules you take are dependent on your knowledge of Latin and Greek prior to the course.
Greek
Beginners in Greek will take the following two compulsory modules:
- Greek Language for Beginners: provides a thorough grounding in the Greek language for beginners or near beginners.
- Greek Literature for Beginners: prepares students for the challenge of reading and interpreting Greek literature.
Students who have studied Greek to SQA Higher level, A-level, or equivalent will take the following two compulsory modules:
- Greek Language and Literature 1: involves detailed study of a range of set texts as well as linguistic and translation exercises designed to enhance students' knowledge of Greek and confidence in reading Greek literature in its historical and cultural context.
- Greek Pastoral and Passion: introduces students to the thematic connections between bucolic or pastoral poetry and the Greek novel and involves detailed study of set texts and linguistic and translation exercises.
Latin
Beginners in Latin will take the following two modules:
- Elementary Latin 1: provides an introduction to the Latin language for beginners, concentrating on morphology, vocabulary, and basic syntax.
- Elementary Latin 2: builds on work from 'Elementary Latin 1' and develops knowledge of Latin language and enables the reading of Latin texts for beginners.
Students who have studied Latin to SQA Higher, GCE A-level or equivalent will take the following two modules:
- World of Latin 1: enhances understanding of Latin language and literature through study of verse and prose set texts, including non-canonical and popular texts, and regular language classes.
- World of Latin 2: builds on work from 'World of Latin 1' and introduces students to a wider range of Latin literature.
Students will take two Greek modules and two Latin modules. The modules you take are dependent on your knowledge of Latin and Greek prior to the course.
Greek
Ex-beginners in Greek will take the following two compulsory modules:
- The Landscape of Greek Prose (B): designed for students to follow on from 'Greek Literature for Beginners', this module examines a wide range of Greek prose texts and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
- The Landscape of Greek Poetry (B): following on from 'The Landscape of Greek Prose (B)', this module covers a diverse range of ancient poetry in the original Greek, starting with Homer’s Iliad, and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
Students who have studied Greek to SQA Higher, GCE A-level or equivalent will take the following two compulsory modules:
- The Landscape of Greek Prose (A): designed for students to follow on from 'Greek Pastoral and Passion', this module examines a wide range of Greek prose texts and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
- The Landscape of Greek Poetry (A): following on from 'The Landscape of Greek Prose (A)', this module covers a diverse range of ancient poetry in the original Greek, starting with Homer’s Iliad, and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
Latin
Ex-beginners in Latin will take the following two compulsory modules:
- Latin in Progress 1: building on work covered in 'Elementary Latin 1 and 2', this module examines a wide range of texts in both prose and verse from the Republican period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes.
- Latin in Progress 2: building on work from 'Latin in Progress 1', this module examines a wide range of texts in both prose and verse from the imperial period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes.
Students who have studied Latin to SQA Higher, GCE A-level or equivalent will take the following two compulsory modules:
- Latin Language and Literature 1: building on 'World of Latin 1 and 2', this module examines a wide range of texts in both prose and verse taken mostly from the Republican period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes.
- Latin Language and Literature 2: building on 'Latin Language and Literature 1', this module examines a wide range of texts in both prose and verse from the Roman Imperial period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes.
If you decide to take Classics in your third and fourth years, you will do a minimum of three modules in Greek and three in Latin, and then you can focus the rest of your Honours modules on one classical language or the other, or balance your programme with a mixture of both.
Here is a sample of Honours modules which have been offered in previous years:
- Africa in Latin Literature
- Greeks and Barbarians
- Greeks on Education
- Greek Tragedy
- Latin Letters
- Lies, History and Ideology
- Roman Biography
- Roman Comedy
- Roman Epic
- Roman Satire
- ‘Satire’, sex and society: Greek ‘Old Comedy’
- Senecan Tragedy
- The Gods of Greek Literature
- The History of Ancient Greek from Homer to the New Testament
- Violence in Early Greek Poetry.
In fourth year, students may undertake an 8,000-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 through a mixture of lectures, seminars, language classes and set-text reading classes (10 to 40 students).
At Honours level, 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 classes, students are expected to undertake substantial independent, but guided, work outside of the classroom. Typically, this will involve:
- reading Greek and Latin texts
- practising language and translation skills
- reading journal articles and books
- undertaking research in the library
- working on individual projects
- preparing coursework assignments and presentations
- preparing for examinations.
Almost all of the modules in classics are assessed by a combination of coursework and examination. Coursework includes:
- research essays
- literary criticism and commentary exercises
- class tests, including unseen translation and grammar exercises.
In addition, most modules include a written examination held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.
The School aims to provide feedback on every assessment 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 classics. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of classes and seminars under the supervision of the module coordinator.
You can find contact information for all classics staff 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
£30,160
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 Classics 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) Arabic and Classical Studies (With Integrated Year Abroad) | TV86 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Arabic and Classics | Q815 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Arabic and Classics (With Integrated Year Abroad) | Q816 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Art History and Classical Studies | QV83 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Biblical Studies and Classical Studies | VQ68 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Comparative Literature | Q890 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and English | QQ38 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Film Studies | QP83 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and French | RQ18 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and French (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RQC8 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Greek | QQ87 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and International Relations | LQ28 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Italian | RQ38 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Italian (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RQJ8 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Latin | QQ86 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Mathematics | QG81 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Medieval History | QV81 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Middle East Studies | QT86 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Modern History | QVV1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Persian | QT87 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Philosophy | QV85 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Scottish History | QVV2 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Social Anthropology | LQ68 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classical Studies and Theological Studies | QV86 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Comparative Literature | Q990 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and English | QP6T |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and French | QR81 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and French (With Integrated Year Abroad) | QR8C |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Italian | QR83 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Italian (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RQH8 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Management | NQ28 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Modern History | Q8V1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Persian | QR88 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Philosophy | Q8V5 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Social Anthropology | Q8L6 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Spanish | QR84 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Classics and Spanish (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RQ48 |
Joint degrees taken with Arabic, French, Italian, Spanish are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'.
Careers
Classics students at St Andrews have traditionally moved into a very wide range of careers upon graduating. Some continue their academic careers via a postgraduate training degree or doctoral study either in St Andrews or at another university. Other students have often progressed to postgraduate qualifications in teaching, law or finance.
Recent classics graduates have moved into careers in:
- law
- marketing
- museums and heritage
- journalism
- the theatre
- civil service
- teaching
- finance
- applied computing.
A degree in classics will provide you with transferable skills that will equip you for a future career in many sectors. These skills include:
- flexible thinking
- understanding a range of viewpoints and critical approaches
- exercising reflection and critical judgment
- gathering, memorising, organising and deploying information
- better understanding of modern languages
- 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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