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Ancient History

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 29/09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Durham City

Course summary

Course details
If you are fascinated by the history of the Greeks and Romans, this is the course for you. We will introduce you to the world of ancient Greece and Rome, and their interactions with each other and other Mediterranean societies.

Why Durham University?
Explore the artistic, historical, literary, linguistic, cultural, scientific, and philosophical aspects of the Greek and Roman world, studying in one of the largest and most vibrant departments in the UK at the heart of a World Heritage Site.

Our degrees offer both academic rigour and an outstanding student experience, taught by a team of academic staff who between them specialise in the languages, literature, history, and culture of the Greco-Roman world, as well as its impact on later centuries up to the present day.

The breadth of knowledge in the Department allows us to offer a wide range of study areas including ancient Greek and Latin languages from beginner to advanced level, literature in translation, history of various areas of the ancient Mediterranean, and many more aspects of classical culture, including philosophy, art and science.

Rankings
Top 10 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2025
3rd in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
4th in The Guardian University Guide 2025

Career Opportunities
Our students acquire many skills which are readily transferable to a whole range of professions.
Classics graduates have progressed to careers as diverse as computing, the Civil Service, gold dealing, teaching, journalism, law, accountancy, public relations and the theatre.

Modules

For current information please scroll to the bottom of the page for Provider Information and select Visit our Course Page under Course Contact Details.

Assessment method

We use various types of assessment, designed to test the different skills you have gained through your studies: essays, commentaries, translations, presentations, and projects.

In your final year, you will write a dissertation of up to 12,000 words on a subject of your choice, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills in independent learning and research and your ability to bring together areas of learning from across the entire course.

In addition to the help provided by your subject lecturers, you can also access extensive support for your assessments through ASC, the Academic Skills Centre. See below for details:
https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/centres/academic-skills-centre/

How to apply

This course has limited vacancies, and is no longer accepting applications from some students. See the list below for where you normally live, to check if you're eligible to apply.
  • EU has vacancies
  • does not have vacancies
  • does not have vacancies
  • International has vacancies
  • Scotland does not have vacancies
  • Northern Ireland does not have vacancies
  • Republic of Ireland does not have vacancies

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
V110
Institution code:
D86
Campus name:
Durham City
Campus Code:
O

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

Durham has a long and proud history of welcoming students from countries across the globe. https://www.dur.ac.uk/study/international/

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year. Four further details see: https://www.durhamisc.com/programmes/international-foundation-year

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - AAA

Specific subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDD

Access to HE Diploma - D: 30 credits M: 15 credits

We require 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham.

Scottish Higher - AAAAB

We will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. If an applicant has not been able to take 3 Advanced Highers, offers may be made with a combination of Advanced Highers and Highers, or on a number of Highers.

Scottish Advanced Higher - AAA

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 37 points

666 in higher level subjects

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024) - Not accepted

Extended Project - Not accepted

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H2, H2, H2, H2, H2

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - D3, D3, D3

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - DDD

T Level

At Durham we welcome applications from students of outstanding achievement and potential from all educational backgrounds. We will consider applicants studying T level qualifications for entry to many of our courses. Where a course requires subject specific knowledge and this is not covered within the T level being studied, you may need to supplement your T level studies with a suitable qualification to meet this requirement, for example at A level. Where this is needed this will be clearly stated in our entry requirements.

We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study. For more information or contact our Admissions Selectors.

Classical subjects are not essential for any of our courses.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5with no component under 6.0
TOEFL (iBT)92with no component under 23
Acceptable evidence and levels required can be viewed by following the link provided.

English language requirements https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/international/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Our contextual offer for this programme is A level BBB (or equivalent). To find out if you’re eligible, please visit: https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/how-to-apply/what-happens-to-your-application/contextual-offers/

Learn more on the Durham University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
Republic of Ireland£9535Year 1
EU£27500Year 1
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
Channel Islands£9535Year 1
International£27500Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees are subject to an annual inflationary increase. In deciding the annual level of increase the University will take into account inflationary pressures on the costs of delivery. Tuition fees will rise annually by up to the higher of 6% or the latest annual percentage increase in the Consumer Prices Index.

There may also be additional course costs for things like books (if you want to purchase them), field trips etc.

Sponsorship information

Durham University offers a range of scholarship opportunities to academically well-qualified and highly motivated students. For further details, including deadlines for application, please visit: https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/scholarships/

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