Classics

Classics at Birkbeck immerses you in the cultures and languages of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. It is a discipline that brings you into direct contact with texts, objects, and ideas from civilisations whose influence on the modern world in law, politics, philosophy, science, and art has been profound and continuing. Engaging with those texts in their original languages, or in careful translation, and situating them in their historical and cultural contexts, is one of the most intellectually demanding and rewarding experiences a humanities education can offer.

At Birkbeck College you will study across three years on a full-time programme. Birkbeck's distinctive character as an institution committed to accessible higher education means the degree is designed for a wide range of students, including those coming to classical study for the first time. You will have the opportunity to study ancient Greek and Latin at whatever level you enter, and the degree offers a wide range of options across ancient history, literature, archaeology, and philosophy.

Greek tragedy and comedy, epic poetry, Roman oratory and history, Platonic philosophy, and the archaeology of ancient cities are all within reach. The depth of knowledge you develop, across language, literature, history, and material culture, gives you the ability to engage with the ancient world as a whole rather than through a single disciplinary aperture.

Classics graduates from Birkbeck enter careers that span the same broad range as from any leading institution. Law, the civil service, journalism, publishing, education, and museums and heritage organisations are all common directions. The analytical, linguistic, and argumentative skills the degree develops are valued across virtually every professional sector.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in classics, ancient history, philosophy, or archaeology, and Birkbeck's research environment provides strong preparation for this path. The degree's combination of rigour and accessibility makes it a genuine route into the discipline for students from a wide range of backgrounds.