Classics

Classics (Literae Humaniores) is a wide-ranging degree devoted to the study of the civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome and their reception into modern times. It is one of the most varied and interdisciplinary of all subjects. Classics students at Oxford have the opportunity to study the languages, literature, history, and archaeology of the Greek and Roman Mediterranean, as well as philosophy (both ancient and modern) and linguistics.

Oxford has the largest Classics Faculty in the world, with over sixty full-time academic staff-members. It has outstanding teaching, library and museum resources. Resources include the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library and Bodleian Libraries, the Ashmolean Museum and a designated Classics Centre.

A typical week

Your time is divided between lectures, tutorials and private study. The working week is typically structured around two tutorials in different subjects.

Most of your independent work will be in preparation of essays for your tutorials, although systematic language-learning and reading of texts will also require considerable time and effort.

Much of the teaching will take place in your college, but lectures are given in the Classics Faculty and the Examination Schools, and for particular subjects you may also work with tutors from other colleges.

Visit the Classics website for more information.

Tutorials in colleges usually involve up to three students and a tutor. Class sizes will vary depending on the options you choose, and there are usually 5-10 students in a class. Some classes are jointly taught by two tutors at the same time. For centrally organised language classes in Classics, there are usually 8-10 students in a group.

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by senior staff who are active researchers in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may be delivered by postgraduate students at doctorate level.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Language stream

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Terms 1-5
Courses

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Terms 1-5
Assessments

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Dual Language Stream
(Latin and Greek, for those who have studied Latin and/or Greek to A-level or equivalent)

• Greek Literature selection
• Latin Literature selection
• A special subject in Philosophy (ancient or modern)
• A classical special subject: historical, archaeological or philological
• Greek and Latin language work at the appropriate level

First University examinations:
nine papers, including four language papers. One of the papers is examined by a portfolio of three pre-submitted essays.

(Latin only, for those who have not studied Greek or Latin to A-level or equivalent)

• Greek literature selection (in translation)
• Latin literature selection
• A special subject in Philosophy (ancient or modern)
• A classical special subject: historical, archaeological or philological
• Latin language work

six papers, including two language papers. One of the papers is examined by a portfolio of three pre-submitted essays Greek Stream
(Greek only, for those who have not studied Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent)

• Greek literature selection
• Latin literature selection (in translation)
• A special subject in Philosophy (ancient or modern)
• A classical special subject: historical, archaeological or philological
• Greek language work

six papers, including two language papers. One of the papers is examined by a portfolio of three pre-submitted essays.

The breadth of subjects studied and variety of skills learned to a high level leave Classics graduates in high demand among employers. Careers for recent Classics graduates include teaching, the Civil Service, the media, film production, the law, publishing, and further classical study. James works for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He says: ‘Following four years of excellent teaching in an astoundingly varied field, the intellectual rigour developed at Oxford has taken me from negotiating for the UK at the United Nations to learning Mandarin and representing the UK in China. Classics provided me with the perfect platform, and more importantly gave me four wonderful years steeped in the fascinating classical world.’ Menai is a project manager for Kent County Council. She says: ‘I joined Kingfisher Retail and subsequently WHSmith. I then worked for a charity and finally moved to local government. The training in logical thinking and a questioning approach I developed while studying for my degree have been invaluable.’