BA Classical Studies

About the Course

If you are interested in the cultures, literatures and languages of the ancient world, then this is the programme for you. A degree in Classical Studies at Trinity Saint David gives you the opportunity to study a wide range of modules from mythology to religion and all genres of ancient literature, such as epic, tragedy, comedy and satire. Modules exploring the influence of the ancient world on modern popular culture, such as film and literature, are also available. Study of ancient language is an option but not a compulsory element of this degree scheme. We welcome students both with and without prior knowledge of the ancient world on this degree.

In the first year, modules can be taken on a wide range of periods and themes; in the second and third years, the School offers specialised modules on all aspects of Greco-Roman literature and culture so that you can gain in-depth knowledge in areas of particular interest to you. Options are also available to study selected modules in the wider Faculty of Humanities, for example in Theology, Chinese History, English and Philosophy. The culmination of the degree is the dissertation, where you are free to pursue a topic of your choice in line with our range of research and publication specialisms.

The School is proud of the wide range of assessment methods used on the course, such as essays, presentations, wikis, web pages and examinations, so that the assessment reflects the student’s performance as a whole. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in the wider research community and are always welcome to attend our weekly research seminar series, which feature speakers from around the world.

Incorporated into our Classical Studies degree are opportunities for field trips to the Mediterranean, as well as opportunities for study abroad with our partners at Bologna (Italy), Tarragona (Spain) and Hobart and William Smith (USA). However, whether with us here on the Lampeter campus or exploring study abroad, you will always be part of the vibrant Classics family. There is a strong sense of community amongst our students and staff, and the ratio of staff to students is such that students have ready and easy access to all their lecturers. The small classes are always friendly and never intimidating, allowing staff to get to know you on a first name basis.

The ratio of staff to students also means that we can offer excellent student support. All students in the School have a personal tutor, and the School’s dedicated Welfare Officer and First Year Tutor are always on hand should extra support be required.

We also support very active student-led Classics and Ancient Civilisations societies, which have organised movie nights and theatre trips and put on plays themselves. Check out their facebook pages for more information.


Award
BA (Single Honours)

UCAS Code
Q810

Course Length
3 years full-time; part-time study available

Entry Requirements

Whilst our general offer ranges from 240-260 UCAS points, usually over 3 A levels, each individual case is taken on merit. Of greater importance are your personal statements, references and your potential. You may be invited to interview to help us better assess this.

Career Opportunities

• Media and publishing
• Business and commerce
• Further study
• Library and information services
• Teaching

Employment details

There is no one path for our Classical Studies graduates. The traditional routes of teaching, publishing, media and research – governmental, academic and media – are still pursued by our graduating cohort. However, the programme of embedded employability offered by the School of Classics at Trinity Saint David in addition to the broad range of teaching, combining literary, mythological, and historical analysis, ensures that our Classical Studies graduates have the skills set and confidence to explore a wide variety of career paths.

Indeed, our graduating students have explored options from archiving to sign language experts, from public relations to advertising, with a good selection of entrepreneurial spirits applying what they have learnt to the creation of their own companies. Taking all that they have gained from studying Classical Studies with us and combining it with a dedicated Careers Service, Classical Studies graduates from Trinity Saint David are equipped to follow their passions wherever they may lead.

Department

School of Classics

Campus

Lampeter Campus

Typical modules

• Athens vs. Rome: Life and Culture in Classical Antiquity
• From Gods to CGI: an Introduction to Classical Mythology and its Receptions
• The Muses’ Playground: Epic in Antiquity
• Dreaming the Past: Classical Receptions in Modern Culture
• Staging Antiquity: Drama in the Ancient World
• Augustan Lovers

Key Features

• Explore all aspects of ancient literatures and cultures
• Specialise in mythology and/or literature
• Begin or continue the study of Latin or ancient Greek
• Expert tuition in a friendly and supportive environment

Programme Specification

Programme Specification BA Classical Studies

Further Information

Joint Routes Available

BA Classical Studies and Ancient History - QV W1

The BA Joint Honours Ancient History and Classical Studies is the best degree scheme for the student that wants to take a holistic approach to the ancient world, concentrating equally on the political and military history and on the cultures and literatures of the ancient world.

BA Classical Studies and Archaeology - QV84

The BA Classical Studies and Archaeology gives you the opportunity to combine the viewpoints of two different disciplines in intense study of the ancient world with particular attention to the material culture and its representation in literature and art.

BA Classical Studies and Greek - QQ87

The BA Classical Studies and Greek is ideal for students that want to study in depth the culture and literature of the ancient world with a particular interest in the Greeks. The combination of studying ancient texts in translation while becoming proficient in ancient Greek will put you in position for in-depth and detailed study of the great works of Greek literature in the original.

BA Classical Studies and Latin - QQ68

The BA Classical Studies and Latin is best for the student that wants to delve into the literatures and cultures of the ancient world with a particular interest in the Roman world. Learning Latin will give you the opportunity to study the great works of Latin literature first-hand.

BA Classical Studies and English - QQ38

The BA Classical Studies and English combines study into the great works of English literature and of the ancient world, both Greek and Latin. If you are interested in the literatures of the ancient world as well as how they were received by and how they influenced medieval and modern English texts, then this is the right degree for you.

BA Classical Studies and Medieval Studies - VQ18

The BA Classical Studies and Medieval Studies is a degree that gives students the opportunity to study the literatures and cultures of both the ancient world and the medieval one. If you want to delve into the continuities and differences from antiquity into the medieval period, then this is the right degree for you.

BA Classical Studies and Philosophy - VQ58

BA Classical Studies and Philosophy offers a comparative perspective as you study aspects of the cultures and philosophies of both the ancient world and of the modern world.

BA Classical Studies and Theology - QV86

The BA Classical Studies and Theology gives you the opportunity to study the pagan cultures of antiquity, the advent of Christianity and its evolution through antiquity, the Middle Ages and the modern period.


Assessment methods

A degree in Classical Studies involves a wide range of assessment methods. In addition to traditional gobbet work, essays and exams, you will be assessed through bibliographic exercises, presentations – oral and powerpoint based, at both individual and group level – creation of abstracts, reflective reports, in-house conference papers, creation of project plans and, of course, the dissertation. This breadth of assessment type creates variety in the student experience, allowing you to explore the subject in different ways, and also embeds within the Classical Studies programme the specific employability skills desired, indeed required, by employers today.

Learning and Teaching methods

Providing our students with a range of learning opportunities and excellent teaching is the primary aim of the School of Classics. We employ innovative methods and approaches that enhance our students’ learning throughout their studies.

All our degrees are modular. Full-time students are required to take 120 credits at each level of study. A full-time student will normally take 6 modules a year, each worth 20 credits – 3 per semester. Part-time students are required to take between 40 and 60 credits a year.

All our undergraduate modules are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops. Lectures offer students the opportunity to be introduced to specific aspects of a module. Seminars are opportunities for group-discussion and debate. Workshops allow students to explore aspects of a module in an autonomous fashion, often in a practical manner, under the lecturer’s supervision. On average undergraduate students spend about 12 hours per week in class and about 30 hours per week in class and assignment preparation.

Our students enjoy the use of an excellent suite of subject-specific resources, both electronic and hard-copy at the Learning Resources Centre. All our modules are taught with the support of innovative e-learning techniques via our Virtual Learning Environment. The School of Classics makes great use of its VLE: we podcast and/or vidcast every lecture, post all powerpoints and handouts and utilise the space for links, discussions and group work. Our VLE is a live forum through which students and staff can interact, through which students are able better to revise and explore difficult topics and through which students are better able to access the electronic resources available in the virtual world.

All our modules are taught by specialists and active researchers. The influence of our research on our teaching offers our students the opportunity to learn from the best in the subject and follow the latest scholarly trends and discoveries, whilst our independent study modules allow you to explore your passion in its entirety. There are also opportunities for study abroad.

Studying Classical Studies with us here at Trinity Saint David means research-led teaching and research-active learning in an environment that allows for both full use of the virtual world and the personal approach of expert tuition.