Classics MA

Our MA Classics is ideal for graduates with advanced knowledge of Greek and/or Latin who are keen to undertake in-depth study of Greek and/or Latin literature in its cultural context. You will explore literary texts and advanced language, as well as politics and culture, religion, sex and sexuality, the writing of history, and the reception of classical culture in the modern world.

Why choose this course?

* You will learn in a culture of active research, with teaching and supervision from academics working at the cutting edge in their fields. 

* It encourages you to interrogate the meanings that have been attached to the classical past and engage in high-level critical study of classical texts.

* Our strong links with the British Museum benefit the course in allowing us to focus on the representation of classical antiquity in London’s museums.

What will I learn?

This course offers you the chance to explore multiple aspects of ancient Greek and Roman literature, history and culture, from the archaic period through to late antiquity. It also combines a broad overview of different approaches to classical antiquity, with the opportunity for you to focus in depth on topics and authors of your choice.

The course will also involve in-depth study of Latin or Greek texts in the original language, for example by Ovid or Demosthenes.

How will I learn?

Available to study full- or part-time, this MA is taught through evening seminars, which usually include a presentation by the tutor as well as wide-ranging discussion of issues related to the set readings. Literature modules involve close critical reading of ancient texts, deepening your understanding of Latin and/or ancient Greek.

You will also have the opportunity to follow your interests and apply your research skills to completing a dissertation on a subject of your choice, with guidance from your academic supervisor.

Highlights

* Birkbeck was ranked in the top eight universities in the UK for its History research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

* Our research is unique in its range across geographical and chronological boundaries. We are the only university in London to include historians, classicists and archaeologists in the same team of academics who investigate every period from prehistory to the early twenty-first century. We see the study of the past as crucial for our understanding of present-day society, culture and politics.

* All Master’s students are eligible to apply for our prestigious Eric Hobsbawm Scholarships, subject to availability. One of the most influential historians of the twentieth century, Eric Hobsbawm taught at Birkbeck for over five decades and embodied what is central to our teaching and research: a continued commitment to critical enquiry and public engagement.

* We are at the heart of academic London with access to unparalleled research resources such as the Institute of Classical Studies, with its library, training facilities and seminars; the British Museum, with its extensive collection of classical antiquities; and the British Library, the largest national library in the world.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating with this MA Classics, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

* the ability to compose a well-reasoned and evidenced argument in writing

* advanced research skills

* close reading and textual analysis

* the ability to interrogate critically the claims made by others.

Studying this course will prepare you for roles in a range of fields and professions including:

* teaching classical subjects including languages in schools

* museum curator

* civil service fast streamer

* studying for a research degree.

Graduates from this course have gone on to be employed at various organisations and at secondary schools, the Society of Antiquaries and University College London.