Ancient History and English

Ancient history is the study of the civilisations of Greece and Rome and the peoples who interacted with them, from the emergence of Greek urban culture in the eighth century BCE through to the fall of the western Roman empire in the fifth century CE. It is a discipline built on the interpretation of written sources, inscriptions, coins, and archaeological evidence, and it asks fundamental questions about politics, society, religion, warfare, gender, and culture in the ancient world. The geographical scope of ancient history is vast, reaching from the Persian Gulf to the Rhine and from the Crimea to the Sahara.

English literature brings a very different but complementary set of skills, developing your ability to read texts with depth and precision, to engage with literary history from the medieval to the contemporary, and to construct analytical arguments with clarity and care.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year MA (Hons) programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at a partner institution and to engage with ancient history and English in a different academic context. St Andrews is one of the UK's oldest universities with strong traditions in both subjects, and the programme benefits from research-active faculty in ancient history who work on the full range of the classical world. You will study Greek and Roman history in depth, engage with primary texts in translation, and develop your literary and critical skills in English alongside your historical research capabilities.

You will develop skills in source criticism, historical argumentation, literary analysis, and sustained academic writing, building a versatile analytical toolkit that applies well beyond the specific content of the degree.

Graduates from ancient history and English programmes pursue careers in education, publishing, journalism, the civil service, law, cultural heritage, arts administration, and a range of other fields. Postgraduate study in ancient history, classical studies, English, or medieval studies is a natural continuation for those who want to pursue research or specialist professional roles.