BA Classical Civilisation

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme in 2023/24 or before. For students entering the programme from September 2024 or after, you can find the details of your programme:

BA Classical Civilisation(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)

Classics is defined as the study of the Greek and Roman world. The broad chronological limits of that study are the period between the earliest surviving Greek literature (approximately the 8th century BC) and the fall of the western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, but it also covers the reception of ancient culture in a variety of media, including art, literature and film, going right up to the present day.

Likewise the subject has broad geographical limits: it covers the entire area eventually occupied by the Roman empire, from Britain in the north-west to Mesopotamia in the south-east, from the country of the Rhine and Danube in central Europe to the whole northern edge of Africa. Within those limits anything within the culture is a legitimate topic of study: its literature and languages, its art and philosophy, its history and society: these may be studied through textual or material remains as appropriate.

This includes some of the foundational texts and ideas, and some of the most inspiring artistic works of European culture, whether the epic poetry of Homer and Virgil, the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, the stories of Greek mythology, or key historical events such as the Persian Wars and the creation of the Roman Empire.

Classical Civilisation is the degree that offers the broadest approach to this general area of study, and students have freedom within the programme to choose their own paths so as to specialise in literary, historical and social or philosophical aspects of the subject, or to opt for interdisciplinary combinations. Texts are studied in translation, although there are opportunities to take up the study of Greek and Latin, and we certainly encourage students to do so.

The programme includes general overviews of Greek and Roman history and culture, and a particular focus on Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid, as the key texts for understanding the classical world. But a wide variety of other options are on offer, and students are given the opportunity to select among them.

Leeds has leading researchers in many of the central fields of classical study who teach in their own areas of specialism; it also has first-rate library and IT facilities, of which students are encouraged to make the fullest use.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
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Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS1300	The Greek World: an Introduction	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS1400	The Roman World: An Introduction	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS1615	Greek Poets	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS1625	Roman Poets	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional Modules

The remaining 40 credits may be taken either as Discovery credits, or as choices from the optional modules listed below, or as a combination of both.

The remaining 40 credits may be taken either as Discovery credits, or as choices from the optional modules listed below, or as a combination of both.

Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS1100	Ancient Lives	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS1650	Introduction to Classical Archaeology	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS1030	Advanced Ancient Greek	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS1200	Intermediate Ancient Greek	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS1810	Beginners Ancient Greek (Level 1)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS1045	Advanced Latin	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS1250	Intermediate Latin	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS1910	Beginners Latin	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 40 credits of discovery modules.

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2800	Evidence and Enquiry in Classics	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study at least 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2400	Invisible Greeks and Romans	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS2600	Virgil's Aeneid	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2700	Homer's Iliad	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2900	Ancient Empires: Power and Control	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 60 credits from the following optional modules. Not all modules in this list will run every year.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2120	Traversing Time: The Voyage of Argo	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS2125	Writing Love in the Ancient World	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2220	Classical Receptions in the Brotherton Archives and Special Collections	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2450	Screening Antiquity	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2595	Heroines: Representations of Mythological Women from Antiquity to the Present	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2750	Happiness and the Good Life in the Greek and Roman Worlds	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2760	Thinkers and Storytellers: Myth and Reason in the Ancient World	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2790	Greek Tragedy	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2924	Ancient Comedy	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2925	The Ancient Novel	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL2045	From Inferno to the world. Reading Dante’s Divine Comedy in a global context	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules. Not all modules in this list will run every year.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2255	The Worlds of Alexander the Great	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS2352	The World of Herodotus	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2390	The Rise of Rome: Myth and History	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS2420	Augustus and his Legacy	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2650	The Image of Sparta	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS2680	Greek Art and Society	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS2740	Greek Religion	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2890	The City in the Roman World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS2926	A Water History of the Ancient World	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS2927	Time, Space and Place in the Greek and Roman Worlds	20	Not running in 202526

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2200	Intermediate Ancient Greek (Level 2)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2810	Beginners Ancient Greek (Level 2)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS2260	Intermediate Latin (Level 2)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS2910	Beginners Latin (Level 2)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 40 credits of discovery modules.

Candidates may take no more than a total of 60 discovery credits offered by other programmes of study over Levels 2 and 3.

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

All students are required to study the following compulsory module: 

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS3200	Major Research Project	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits, and may study up to 60 credits, from the following optional modules. Not all modules in this list will run every year.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS3001	Ancient Comedy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS3002	The Ancient Novel	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS3003	Thinkers and Storytellers: Myth and Reason in the Ancient World	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3005	Happiness and the Good Life in the Greek and Roman Worlds	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3007	Writing Love in the Ancient World	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3120	Traversing Time: The Voyage of Argo	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS3220	Classical Receptions in the Brotherton Archives and Special Collections	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS3450	Screening Antiquity	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS3595	Heroines: Representations of Mythological Women from Antiquity to the Present	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS3790	Greek Tragedy	20	Not running in 202526
MODL3045	From Inferno to the world. Reading Dante’s Divine Comedy in a global context	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules. Not all modules in this list will run every year.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS3004	A Water History of the Ancient World	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3006	Time, Space and Place in the Greek and Roman Worlds	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3150	The Worlds of Alexander the Great: From Pella to Punjab	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3352	The World of Herodotus	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3390	The Rise of Rome: Myth and History	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS3420	Augustus and his Legacy	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS3650	The Image of Sparta	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CLAS3680	Greek Art and Society	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CLAS3740	Greek Religion	20	Not running in 202526
CLAS3890	The City in the Roman World	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS3230	Intermediate Ancient Greek (Level 3)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS3815	Beginners Ancient Greek (Level 3)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS3835	Advanced Ancient Greek	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CLAS3260	Intermediate Latin (Level 3)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS3915	Beginners Latin (Level 3)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CLAS3935	Advanced Latin	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

All students may take up to 40 credits of discovery modules in a third subject or pursue additional modules in Classics.  Finalists may only take Level 1 modules that are listed as Discovery Skills modules (skd) and only to the value of 20 credits. Students may take no more than a total of 60 discovery credits offered by other programmes of study over Levels 2 and 3.

Candidates may study up to 40 credits of discovery modules.

Candidates may take no more than a total of 60 discovery credits offered by other programmes of study over Levels 2 and 3.

Last updated: 28/04/2025 08:55:31

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