“I chose Ancient History as St Andrews offers a broad range of classes taught around the research interests of the lecturers, so going into the class you know that it is a topic being actively researched and contributed to by the people teaching you.”
- Texas, USA
Entry requirements
The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.
For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.
-
- Standard entry grades:
- AAAB
- Minimum entry grades:
- AABB
- Gateway entry grades:
- Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.
-
- Standard entry grades:
- AAA
- Minimum entry grades:
- ABB
-
- Standard entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,6,5)
- Minimum entry grades:
- 36 (HL 6,5,5)
General entry requirements
All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
-
SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing science
- Geography
- Applications of Mathematics
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
-
GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
Other qualifications
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.
More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.
Do I need to have studied this subject before?
No prior knowledge of ancient history is required.
Alternative study options
Students interested in this course may also be interested in the following:
Gateway programmes
Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades but meet the University's contextual criteria may be interested in the Gateway to Arts programme.
Study abroad
Ancient history students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.
International applicants
If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.
Course details
The MA (Hons) in Ancient History is a four-year course run by the School of Classics. In the first year, no previous experience of ancient history or classical languages is required; any student is eligible to take ancient history.
During your first two years of study, you will explore the history of the ancient Mediterranean and surrounding lands from a number of different perspectives: ancient empires - Persian, Hellenistic and Roman; cities from the Bronze Age to the end of the Roman empire; social history through case studies drawn from the Greek and Roman world; and the histories that the Greeks and Romans constructed for themselves and that have been constructed around them in the modern world.
Alongside ancient history, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.
At Honours-level (third and fourth year), you will be able to branch out and study a wide range of topics in ancient history that cover key aspects of the social, economic, political and cultural history of the Greek and Roman world, from archaic Greece to the end of the Roman empire. You will also have access to modules in the Classical Studies programme. All of the School’s Honours modules are inspired by the research expertise of the members of staff who teach them, and expose you to the latest debates and developments in the discipline. They cover a wide range of genres and themes, such as slavery, religion, gender, warfare and imperialism.
The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.
Modules
In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in ancient history alongside modules in at least one other subject.
Typically, you will take one ancient history module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).
Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:
- Ancient Empires: explores how imperial states built and maintained their power; the experiences of other populations and cultures that were conquered or incorporated into ancient empires; and the contested legacies of imperial states, both in antiquity and today.
- Cities and communities in the ancient Mediterranean: explores urbanisation by examining changing physical as well as social relations between people, as well as between people and their environments. We will study the rise and fall of the ancient city, including its ecology and domestic politics, and modern debates over ancient urbanism.
Students on this degree typically take the following Ancient History modules in their second year, but may choose to take second-year Classical Studies modules instead:
- Ancient Societies: Gender, ethnicity, and inequality in the ancient world: surveys the fundamental divisions that gave shape to ancient social life, examining issues like gender, inequality, and ethnic identity through a broad range of sources and methodologies.
- Narratives of antiquity: examines influential narratives from the ancient world and their reinterpretations in later periods, from the nineteenth century to the present day, and how they continue to shape the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves for better or for worse.
Students can replace one or both of these modules with second-year Classical Studies modules in order to adapt the programme to suit their interests. Second-year modules in Classical Studies are:
- Culture and Thought in the Late Roman Republic: studies the art and literature of Rome in the Late Republic (first century BCE). Key literary texts, such as the passionate poetry of Catullus and the stylish rhetoric of Cicero, are set against the broader backdrop of Roman political, cultural and social life in this turbulent period of civil war and dictatorship.
- Early Greek Poetry and Philosophy: studies the earliest phases of the Greek literary and philosophical tradition in the archaic and early classical Greek world. It explores the diversity of early Greek thought through the poetry and philosophy of the period, and explores themes of conflict, justice, love and the relationship between mortals and gods.
Ancient history students must take the core module Approaches to Ancient History in their third year. In addition, you will choose from a variety of advanced options, including modules from a wide range of periods that showcase different historical approaches. You will also have access to modules from the Ancient History and Archaeology MA and Classical Studies MA programmes, which will give you an even wider choice of social, cultural and historical topics to explore.
Here is a sample of Honours modules that have been offered in previous years:
- Egypt at the Crossroads: Multiculturalism in Late Antiquity
- Floods, Famines, Plagues and Volcanoes: Roman Adaptation to the Environment
- Magic in the Greco-Roman World
- Poverty and social life in Late Antiquity
- Religious Communities in the Late Antique World
- Roman Slavery
- The Culture of Roman Imperialism
- The Environmental History of the Ancient Mediterranean World
- The Rise of Rome. Early Italy from Prehistory to the First Punic War
- The Supremacy of Greece: Athens, Sparta and Thebes 479 to 366 BCE
In fourth year, students also undertake an 8,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.
The modules above are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course. Please see the module catalogue for more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment.
Teaching
Teaching at sub-honours level is delivered primarily through lectures (70 to 140 students) and small group tutorials (8 to 12 students). Tutorials are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop their thinking in a small and friendly atmosphere, guided by an expert tutor.
At Honours level, all teaching is delivered through seminars (10 to 20 students), with a strong emphasis on students’ own contributions in informal class discussion and in group or individual presentations.
In addition to lectures and tutorials, students are expected to undertake substantial independent, but guided, work outside of the classroom. Typically, this will involve:
- reading ancient source material in translation
- reading journal articles and books
- working on individual projects
- undertaking research in the library
- preparing coursework assignments and
- presentations
- preparing for examinations
Sub-honours modules in ancient history are typically assessed by 100% coursework. In Honours modules you will encounter a wider range of assessment formats, which can include:
- research essays
- source analysis
- analysis of material and artistic evidence
- learning diaries
- oral presentations
- written examinations
Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.
The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within two weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of ancient history. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars and workshops under the supervision of the module coordinator.
You can find contact information for all staff on the School of Classics website.
The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.
Fees
Scotland
£1,820
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man
Following the decision of the UK Government to raise undergraduate tuition fees and maintenance loans in line with inflation from April 2025, we are reviewing the consequences of that decision for fees payable by students from the rest of the UK who have chosen to study in Scotland. We will update the information on this page as soon as possible.
EU and overseas
£31,670
More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Accommodation fees
Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.
Joint Honours degrees
You can also take Ancient History as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.
| Course name | UCAS code |
|---|---|
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History & Archaeology and Social Anthropology | VVL6 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Art History | VVD3 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Biblical Studies | VV16 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Comparative Literature | VQ12 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Economics | LVD1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and English | LVD2 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Film Studies | VP13 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and French | RVD1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and French (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RV1D |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and German | RVG1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and German (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVF1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Greek | QV71 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and International Relations | VL21 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Italian | RV31 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Italian (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVHD |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Latin | QV61 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Mathematics | GVC1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Medieval History | V1V1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Persian | RQ16 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Philosophy | VV15 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Social Anthropology | V1L6 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Spanish | VR14 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Ancient History and Spanish (With Integrated Year Abroad) | RVL1 |
| Master of Arts (Honours) Arabic and Ancient History (With Integrated Year Abroad) | TV84 |
Joint degrees taken with Arabic, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish are also available With Integrated Year Abroad.
Careers
Ancient history students at St Andrews have traditionally progressed into a very wide range of careers on graduating. Some continue their academic careers via a postgraduate training degree to doctoral study either in St Andrews or at another university. Other students have progressed to postgraduate qualifications in teaching, museum studies or archaeology.
Recent ancient history graduates have moved into careers including:
- NHS
- civil service
- financial industry
- human resources
- conference management
- heritage management
- video game design
A degree in ancient history will provide you with transferable skills that will equip you for a future career in many sectors. These skills include:
- understanding a range of viewpoints and critical approaches
- flexible thinking
- exercising reflection and critical judgment
- gathering, memorising, organising and deploying information
- time management
- project planning
- independent work
- group work
- oral and written expression
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
What to do next
Online information events
Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.
Undergraduate visiting days
We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.
Contact us
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 2600
- classics@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Address
- School of Classics
Swallowgate
St Andrews
KY16 9AL
Discover Uni
Discover Uni provides official statistics about higher education courses taken from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges about all their students. You can use this data to compare information for different degree programmes to help you make a decision about what and where to study.