Ancient History and English BA

Course overview

Ancient History offers you the chance to study the civilisations of ancient Greece, Rome, Persia and beyond, analysing their political, cultural and social histories, and how they’ve been received and interpreted by other cultures. You’ll combine core and optional modules to gain an understanding of life in these unique societies as they evolved, developing your own interests through investigating the ‘Athenian empire’, Sparta and the Peloponnesian League, and Rome from Republic to Empire.

You’ll explore the full range of poetry, prose and drama in English, from Old English and medieval literature to contemporary writing from around the world. Core modules will give you a thorough grounding in the history and development of English literature, while optional modules enable you to develop specialist knowledge of topics that interest you. From Arthurian legends or Shakespeare to postcolonial fiction, there’s plenty to choose from.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAB including A in English (English Language, English Literature or English Language and Literature)

Other course specific tests:

International Baccalaureate

Career opportunities

A degree in Ancient History and English crosses disciplines and gives you a wide range of knowledge and skills.

You’ll be capable of researching complex topics independently and thinking critically about information from different sources. You’ll be analytical and have highly developed communication skills. You’ll also have organisational and time-management skills. In addition, studying for a joint honours degree allows you to become intellectually versatile as you switch between different disciplines.

Graduates from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures go on to a wide range of careers, including publishing, the armed forces, journalism, law, curatorship, the civil service, advertising and marketing, education, business and finance, and the charity sector. Some of our graduates choose to progress onto postgraduate study.

We do everything we can to help prepare you for your career. Student-run career groups allow you to get together with other students who share your career ambitions. At the same time, you could also become a peer mentor under our scheme or apply for one of the internships the School offers every year.

You can read more about the range of careers our Ancient History and English graduates progress into, as well as the support we offer you throughout your degree.

The School of Languages, Cultures and Societies careers and employability support includes promoting internships, providing opportunities to work for the School and employer-led workshops and events.