Course summary

Take a journey through the ancient world on this Classical Civilisation degree. You may have come to love ancient Greece and Rome through myths and legends, books, films or museums. Now discover more by examining their political and social structures, art and visual culture, thought, religion and social life. You’ll learn about the cultural interactions of the period by looking in depth at the magnificent visual and material remains. You will gain a wide range of transferable skills including critical analysis, argumentation, communication, problem solving and research, which lead to many career opportunities. Spanning 2,000 years – and covering regions from Britain to North Africa and Central Asia – this course explores the cultural interactions of the ancient Mediterranean and their lasting influence across time. Discover how these ancient worlds shaped today’s societies by looking at literature, history, material culture and modern reception. You’ll also critically evaluate the evidence that supports modern views of the classical world. You will read texts in translation but you can also learn Greek or Latin (no experience needed!) and gain greater insights into the language and nuances of texts you’re reading. It also provides linguistic analysis skills that are highly valued by employers. Why choose this course? 1. Top ten for Classics and Ancient History in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025) 2. 100% of students from the Department of Classics and Archaeology said the teaching staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024) 3. Beginners welcome! You do not need any prior experience of classical civilisation – our year one modules are designed to give you a university-level foundation 4. Option to study Ancient Greek or Latin; start from beginners’ level or continue from A-level 5. Gain practical and professional experience in our on-campus Museum of Archaeology and volunteer with local schools through our Nottingham Classics Out-and-about (NoCOut) outreach programme 6. Develop your creative and communication skills through modules including ‘Communicating the Past’ 7. Collaborate with international students in our tri-campus ‘Silk Road’ module 8. Explore real-world challenges across interdisciplinary themes with our ‘Engaged Arts’ optional modules 9. Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities You can also access this course through a Foundation Year. This may be suitable if you have faced educational barriers and do not expect to meet the entry requirements for direct entry to a degree course. Please see the UCAS page for the relevant Foundation Year course for further information. Learning Latin and Greek: Chloë’s experience “I see learning ancient languages like a puzzle, and I think that helps with problem solving. I have better initiative now, because I know how something fits in Latin and Greek and that can transfer to the everyday.” – Chloë Choong, Classics BA