Classics - MA

This course gives you the opportunity to study the classical world in a world-leading Classics department, with a focus on Greek and Latin language and literature.

It is an Intercollegiate programme enabling you to take a wide range of options taught at King's, UCL and Royal Holloway, with close links to the Institute of Classical Studies.

Leads to further research or careers in education, journalism, finance, politics and cultural sectors.

Key benefits

• One of the world's largest and most distinguished Departments of Classics.
• Unrivalled location for the study of the ancient world thanks to London's unique range of specialist libraries, museums and galleries.
• Extraordinarily wide choice of modules, drawing on the resources of the whole of the University of London.
• King's graduates enjoy one of the best employment rates and starting salaries in the UK. Ranked 6th in the UK for graduate employment (Times and Sunday Times Good Universities Guide 2016)

Description

The MA programme in Classics is organised on an intercollegiate basis, so that we can combine the expertise of staff in all three of the participating colleges - King's, UCL and Royal Holloway. The course centres on the University's Institute of Classical Studies, which not only contains a world-class research library, but also hosts the richest programme of seminars, conferences, and occasional lectures for this subject area in the UK. 

To further add to the breadth of our course, you can also take appropriate modules from other MA courses at King's. You will study modules through texts in the original languages as well as through translated texts. Besides purely literary and linguistic topics, you can also take modules in Ancient History, Classical Archaeology & Art and Late Antique & Byzantine Studies, including Latin and Ancient Greek at both a beginner’s and intermediate level.

If you intend to pursue further research in Classics, you are likely to find particular value in the unique opportunities to acquire technical skills in the handling of documentary evidence, provided by modules in Greek Papyrology, Greek & Roman Epigraphy, and Greek & Latin Palaeography.

Libraries

As well as the extensive library resources at King's, you will have access to the world-leading Classics library at the Institute of Classical Studies, as well as other University of London libraries.

Research seminars

In the Department of Classics we run a research seminar series (which MA students are encouraged to attend), where you will learn about the current research of our academic staff and PhD students. Further the Department regularly hosts major research conferences with guest speakers from around the world. There are also University of London research seminars organized through the Institute of Classical Studies, for example in Literature, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, where you will be able to listen to and meet leading scholars from around the world. There is also the Late Antique & Byzantine Studies seminar, which is organized by the Centre for Hellenic Studies.

Personal tutor

You will be assigned a personal tutor in the Department of Classics, who will advise you and help you decide which modules to take, and can answer any questions or concerns you may have whilst at King's.

Dissertation supervision

During your first term at King's you will need to decide on your MA dissertation subject, if you have not done so before you arrive. The dissertation can be related to work you are doing for a taught module, or it can be in a completely different area. On the basis of your chosen subject area you will be assigned a supervisor within the Department of Classics who will discuss the topic with you, and oversee your work on it.

Greek Play

Every year (since 1953), students in the Department of Classics have produced and performed a Greek play - the only production in the UK to be performed annually in the original Greek. Read more about the Greek Play (and its history) at King's: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/classics/about/greek/index.aspx

Course purpose

This programme offers advanced study of the classical world, with special reference to Greek and Latin language and literature; it is intended either as a further year's study after a first degree or as training in the technical disciplines needed to undertake doctoral research in the field of Classics.

Course format and assessment

Teaching

If you are a full-time student we will typically provide you with six to eight hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 35 hours of independent study.

If you are a part-time student we will typically provide you with two to six hours of teaching each week through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 17.5 hours of independent study.

For your dissertation, we will provide five hours of supervision, and we will expect you to undertake around 575 hours of independent study.

Assessment

We typically assess our modules through a combination of coursework and examinations, and the amount of coursework we expect you to produce will be greater for modules which are worth more credits. For your dissertation module you will write a 12,000-word essay.

Career prospects

Many of our graduates use the skills and knowledge they develop with us to pursue further research in our Department, whilst others go on to excel in careers in teaching, journalism, cultural management or the financial sector.

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Visit the Classics - MA page on the King’s College London website for more details!