Ancient History and Classical Culture MA

The MA in Ancient History and Classical Culture is a rigorous course that concentrates on the history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome, drawing on the expertise of internationally recognised scholars.

This fascinating course in Ancient History and Classical Culture allows you to to observe how every aspect of the modern world has its roots in the civilisations of the Classical world. 

You can study from the Mycenaean world to the later Roman Empire, specialising in history or literature, or a combination of the two. Ancient Greek and Latin can also be studied. 

You are encouraged to build a methodological awareness as you are introduced to key concepts and interpretative techniques which have shaped the study of ancient civilisations in the modern world.

Throughout the Ancient History and Classical Culture course you will hone the specialist research skills needed for high-level work in any field of Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

Why Ancient History and Classical Culture at Swansea?

The College of Arts and Humanities is based on our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.

Ancient History and Classical Culture is ranked:

               • UK Top 15 for Graduate Employment (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018).

Within the College of Arts and Humanities is the Graduate Centre, designed to promote individual and collaborative research activity of international standard, and provide a supportive environment for those pursuing postgraduate research and taught master's study. 

It also offers postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development, and facilitates seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.

Your Ancient History and Classical Culture experience

The full-time Ancient History and Classical Culture course structure is split across the year with three modules offered in each academic semester (six modules in part one) and a dissertation over the summer (part two). 

You will study three compulsory modules and three optional modules. A broad selection of modules include greek and Latin texts, romance refracted and novels renewed, saints and sinners in Christian late antiquity and magic in the ancient world.

If you study the Ancient History and Classical Culture course part time, one compulsory and two optional modules are usually taken in the first and second years, with a dissertation forming third year.

Your study resources will include a main library that is particularly well stocked with original literary and documentary texts, with basic works of reference and secondary material. It subscribes to a wide range of general and specialist periodicals.

You may also benefit from the thriving Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology postgraduate seminar, which meets weekly.

Ancient History and Classical Culture employment opportunities

You will develop excellent oral and writing skills, and learn to present your ideas in a range of formats. Strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills will all boost your employment prospects.

Ancient History and Classical Culture graduates enter a range of sectors including education, marketing, government, research and events management.

Ancient History and Classical Culture modules

You study a set number of compulsory and optional 20-credit modules before undertaking a 60-credit dissertation. A wide variety of modules include greek and latin texts, romance refracted and novels renewed, saints and sinners in Christian late antiquity and magic in the ancient world.

Modules on the Ancient History and Classical Culture course may include:

• Research Methodologies in Ancient History
• Postgraduate Beginning Greek I and II
• Postgraduate Beginning Latin I and II
• Greek Texts 1 and 2
• Latin Texts 1 and 2
• Postgraduate Intermediate Greek 1 and 2
• Postgraduate Further Greek 1 and 2
• Postgraduate Intermediate Latin 1 and 2
• Postgraduate Further Latin 1 and 2
• Word, Metaphor, Allegory: Effective Models of Reality
• Roman houses and households
• Royal Space: The King and His Palace in the Ancient World
• Romance Refracted and novels renewed
• Explorers, Travel and Geography in the Ancient World
• Reaching the Public: Museums and Object Handling
• Saints and Sinners in Christian Late Antiquity
• Magic in the Ancient World: Exploring the Sources
• Ancient epistolography: Greek and Latin letters
• Reading Academic German

How you're taught on the Ancient History and Classical Culture course

The full-time Ancient History and Classical Culture course structure is split across the year with three modules offered in each academic semester (a total of six modules in part one) and then a dissertation over the summer (part two). Students study one compulsory module, plus two modules of a language and three optional modules. The dissertation component is written on a specialist research topic of your choosing.

Part-time Ancient History and Classical Culture students take one compulsory module, a language and an optional module in the first and second years and write their dissertation in the third year.

You may also be interested in:

• Ancient Egyptian Culture, MA
• Ancient Narrative Literature, MA
• Classics, MA
• Egyptology, MA by Research
• History, MA by Research
• Public History and Heritage, MA
• Public History and Heritage, MA (Extended)

Visit the Ancient History and Classical Culture MA page on the Swansea University website for more details!