MA Classical Archaeology and Ancient History

UCAS code: VV14

Duration: 4 years

Delivery: Full-time

School: History, Classics and Archaeology

College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Study abroad

Introducing MA Classical Archaeology and Ancient History

The study of classical civilisations' history and material culture is at the core of this programme.

You will develop a range of disciplinary skills used by historians, archaeologists and art historians.

The programme requires the careful interpretation of scant but complex written and material evidence to understand ancient civilisations and their continued importance in the modern era.

Civilisations you will study

You will study the Greek and Roman civilisations from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity and Byzantium.

You will also have the opportunity to study other ancient peoples and civilisations such as:

the Etruscans
the Persians
the Carthaginians

You will gain an understanding of Graeco-Roman society within its geographical context.

You will analyse and evaluate a range of:

texts
works of art
artefacts
archaeological sites
other material evidence

Practical skills and excavation

The programme will challenge you to confront the sometimes rather divergent pictures of the classical world given by the textual and material evidence. This will offer you an intellectually demanding and intrinsically interesting experience.

You will also have opportunities to gain practical skills in excavation. There may be some funding available for these.

What you will study

Year 1

In Year 1, you will:

complete four survey courses on the history and culture of the Greek and Roman worlds, from archaic Greece to the later Roman empire
choose two courses from a wide range of options, usually from outside classics

In the summer, you will normally participate in a fieldwork project or a series of museum visits over a period of two weeks.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will complete:

two ancient history courses
two courses on Greek and Roman art and archaeology
a further two courses from a wide range of options

Year 3

In Year 3, you will select:

two or three ancient history honours courses
two or three courses in classical art/archaeology
one course from any area of classics

Year 4

A third of your final-year’s study will consist of a dissertation on a topic of your choice in classics.

You will also select:

two ancient history honours courses
two classical art/archaeology honours courses

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2024/25)

Where you will study

Our facilities

The School of History, Classics and Archaeology is located in the heart of the city, in the University's Central Area. Here you will have access to:

a range of study spaces
our Student Research Room
research collections
an undergraduate common room

You will also have access to the University's libraries and computing facilities, located in George Square.

You will be taught in a range of lecture theatres and seminar rooms in the School and across the University's Central Area.

Take a virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of the School of History, Classics and Archaeology

External resources

As well as using our own resources and those of the University Library, you can apply for access to the outstanding collections of the:

National Library of Scotland
National Museum of Scotland

Study abroad

You will have opportunities to study abroad in Year 3.

You may choose to go on trips to ancient sites abroad and to join fieldwork projects overseas. Academic staff recently ran excavations in Italy, Turkey and Iran.

Exchange programmes

You can also apply for one of the School’s many international exchanges. These cover many parts of the world, including:

Europe
Asia
North America
South America
Australia
New Zealand

These are unique opportunities to immerse yourself in different university systems and cultures.

What are my options for going abroad?

Learning and assessment

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of methods, including:

lectures
seminars
small group tutorials

Some classes take you out of the classroom and into the local museums and libraries.

Teaching is often closely inspired by the cutting-edge research of our academic staff, especially at honours level.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed by exams and coursework, and sometimes by practical exercises.

Career opportunities

You will acquire practical, intellectual and theoretical skills that are highly valued by employers.

You will also gain rigorous mental training in a range of disciplines, enabling you to demonstrate intellectual flexibility and the ability to adapt to new situations and to learn new skills.

Where our graduates work

Classics graduates have gone on to pursue a range of career paths, including:

journalism
museums
teaching
academia
accountancy
finance
IT
publishing
the armed forces
the legal profession
the civil service

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

SQA Highers: AABB by end of S5 or AAAB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. (Revised 31/10/24 to lower entry requirements from “AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6”.)
A Levels: AAB. (Revised 31/10/24 to lower entry requirements from “A*AA”.)
IB: 36 points with 665 at HL. (Revised 31/10/24 to lower entry requirements from “39 points with 666 at HL”.)

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
A Levels: ABB.
IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

SQA: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: English at C.
A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: English at 5.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

SQA National 5 at C
GCSE at C or 4
Level 2 Certificate at C
IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 5 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 62 with at least 54 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)