Explore the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome through the study of their languages, Greek and Latin. Read ancient texts in the original and learn how languages – ancient and modern – develop and function.
Whether you have any experience of studying ancient languages or not you can develop an advanced knowledge of Latin and Greek, learning to read the words written by ancient authors. We offer core modules in both languages at all levels, from absolute beginner through to advanced, in all three years of the degree. Each week you will receive an impressive three to four hours of language teaching in small class groups, working on grammar, vocabulary and translation.
In addition to your core language learning, this course allows you to study the ancient world from a range of perspectives, including political, social and cultural. The wide range of expertise within the Department of Classics also gives you the option of studying other cultures such as ancient Egypt; we can even teach you hieroglyphics.
As with all our degrees, we offer you the flexibility to choose modules from other departments such as Archaeology, English Literature, and Philosophy. You can also choose to take a modern foreign language – Classics students often find this complements their study of Latin and Greek.
We encourage all our students to gain direct experience of ancient sites through independent travel, for which scholarships are available. You can also apply to study at the British School at Athens and the British School at Rome, which both offer summer school opportunities to University of Reading students.