History and Classics

History and Classics is a combination that allows you to engage with the human past at its fullest span, from the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome through to the modern world, using the complementary methods of historical scholarship and classical studies. Classics encompasses the languages, literatures, history, philosophy, and material culture of antiquity, giving you direct access to the foundational texts and artefacts of Western intellectual tradition. History broadens the frame to encompass later periods, different methodological approaches, and a wider range of societies and geographies, developing your skills as a researcher and interpreter of the past across multiple contexts.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at an international partner institution and to experience different academic traditions and cultural environments. Edinburgh is an outstanding environment for both History and Classics, with strong research profiles in both departments and access to excellent library and archival resources. You will study ancient history, language, and culture alongside the methods of modern historical scholarship, developing skills in source criticism, evidence-based argument, and historiographical awareness across both ancient and more recent periods.

Latin and sometimes ancient Greek provide access to primary texts in the original, while the history component trains you to work with archival, digital, and comparative sources across a wider chronological range.

Graduates of History and Classics pursue careers in education, museums and heritage, publishing, journalism, the civil service, law, and many other fields where analytical rigour and strong written communication are valued. The breadth of the combined degree is an asset, and Edinburgh's reputation and international year provide additional advantages. Further study options include postgraduate degrees in classical studies, ancient history, history, archaeology, and related humanities disciplines.