top of an ancient wall

Ancient History and History BA

3-4 years

What ideas have transcended the ages? How has Antiquity impacted the world today? By studying a range of historical periods, in this degree you will look at the ways in which the modern and ancient worlds are inextricably linked.

Ancient History and History BA, 3-4 years

What ideas have transcended the ages? How has Antiquity impacted the world today? By studying a range of historical periods, in this degree you will look at the ways in which the modern and ancient worlds are inextricably linked.

Start date:

2025

Course information

Typical offer ABB

UK fee £9,250

UCAS code V110

International fee £21,400

Institute code L34

Taught by Archaeology and Ancient History

The Uni Guide logo

97% of students in work or further study six months after graduating (The Uni Guide)

National Student Survey logo

Ranked 2nd in subjects aligned to Ancient History for ‘overall positivity’ in the NSS 2024 (according to Times Higher Education NSS 2023 methodology applied to the NSS 2024 data).

The Guardian

Top 20 in the UK for Classics and Ancient History (The Guardian 2025

Course description

Course description

Our Ancient History and History BA allows you to combine the study of the classical world with medieval and modern history. This course will provide you with an understanding of societies and cultures from a rich variety of historical periods. It will give you the opportunity to engage with themes that transcend all ages, such as identity, democracy and empire, and recognise aspects of the human experience that are constant as well as those that have changed with time.

You will discover the societies and cultures of the past, travelling as far back as early Greece and imperial Rome and moving through history to the present day. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in many periods of ancient and modern history through a wide range of option modules, enabling you to analyse a diversity of source types and to tackle themes that re-occur and change throughout history.

You will also have scope to gain experience with local heritage organisations and schools through Year 3 module placements and our accredited internship programme.

The School of Archaeology and Ancient History hosts a world-class, international team of scholars engaged in cutting-edge research and teaching in our twin disciplines of Ancient History and Archaeology. We have a long history of making high-impact, world-leading discoveries, of which you could be a part. Our staff work all over the world on research projects – in Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Central Europe, Egypt, North Africa, Sudan, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, South East Asia, China, Australia, the USA, the Caribbean and elsewhere – and we cover all periods, from the earliest humans to the recent past.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • A/AS-levels: ABB. Two AS-levels can be considered in place of one A-level. General Studies or Critical Thinking accepted. 
  • EPQ with A-levels: BBB + EPQ at grade B.
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass Diploma with 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Distinction. 
  • International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 30 points.
  • BTEC Nationals: Pass Diploma with DDM.
  • T Levels: Merit. All T Levels considered.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

Second Year Entry may be possible with suitable qualifications.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

Selection Process

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.

Applicants are not normally interviewed. If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the department.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability.

If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in 2025

  • £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
  • Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,385 for that year

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

International Students

Starting in 2025

  • £21,400 per year
  • Year Abroad: £5350, which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

We offer several practical or placement modules so that you can gain hands-on experience in your chosen career path. For instance, our 'History in the Classroom' module includes practical teaching experience by incorporating a placement in a local school and our 'Heritage Field Project' will give you hands on experience working in the heritage industry, offering you invaluable experience for the future.

We routinely develop paid internship opportunities for our students to gain additional, relevant work experience during their degrees. Roles such as research assistance, conference organiser, and editorial assistant have been offered in recent years.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from our History degrees have gone on to work for a wide range of employers including:

  • Department of Education
  • Troubadour Publishing
  • British Standards Institution
  • Nissan

Alex transferred to the University of Leicester in his second year, impressed by the range of academic modules available which meant he could study the area that he was interested in.

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Related courses

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Course structure

Year 1

Year 1

In your first year you will split your studies equally between the disciplines of Ancient History and History: in Ancient History you will take core modules in which you will gain key insights into the span and names of ancient Greek and Roman history, and will critically explore the types of textual guides to these cultures. In History, the core modules will cover medieval to early modern history and approaches, while options take you through 18th to 20th century British and world history.

Core modules

Option modules

Choose one option module from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2 (Ancient History dissertation)

Year 2 (Ancient History dissertation)

In your second year you will continue to balance your BA studies equally between the two disciplines. You will have more opportunity to shape the course of your degree this year as you will be able to choose option modules from a rich array of topics in Ancient History and History that interest you the most. In addition you will take a core module focusing on the critical assessment of sources and methods in Ancient History.

If you aim to write your third year dissertation on an area of History rather than Ancient History then you must take the option module ‘The Historian’s Craft’.

Core module

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Then choose four option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2 (History dissertation)

Year 2 (History dissertation)

In your second year you will continue to balance your BA studies equally between the two disciplines. You will have more opportunity to shape the course of your degree this year as you will be able to choose option modules from a rich array of topics in Ancient History and History that interest you the most. In addition you will take a core module focusing on the critical assessment of sources and methods in Ancient History.

If you aim to write your third year dissertation on an area of History rather than Ancient History then you must take the option module ‘The Historian’s Craft’.

Core module

Option modules

Choose two option modules from:

Then choose three option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year Abroad (optional)

Year Abroad (optional)

We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.

Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.

For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website.

Please note

  • A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
  • You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England.
  • Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
  • Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester scheme.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Final Year

Final Year

Option modules

Choose one module from:

Then choose two modules from:

Finally choose one module from:

You will also complete either a Dissertation (Ancient History) or a Dissertation (History)

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester?

Ancient History at Leicester

Hear from one of our students, Jo, about her experience studying Ancient History

Job prospects are excellent: 98% of our Ancient History students are employed (or studying for a Masters degree) six months after graduating. (DLHE)

The broad range of interests among our many staff means you won't be limited geographically or temporally, with specialists ranging from the ancient Mediterranean and beyond, to 18th century slavery studies and modern US politics.

Our academic staff have written or edited dozens of books and publish regularly in major national and international journals. Where other people only get to read what our experts think, you will be working directly with them, learning from them in lectures and questioning them in seminars.

Through the University's ‘Languages at Leicester’ programme you can study ancient languages like Latin or Greek or learn or enhance your modern language skills, from French to Spanish to Russian. Courses run from beginner to advanced level and can really add to your CV.

Reading list

See the types of texts you might read, over the summer, to get a feel for the course and arrive prepared and ready to go.

View reading lists for:

Teaching and learning

You will be taught by a variety of methods, ranging from large lecture sessions to small-group seminars to individual tutorials. Lectures are used to provide historical narrative and to raise key historical questions and areas of debate. Seminars are where you share your opinion about those debates and put forward your interpretation of history, and where you tackle sources critically.

Assessment is through exams and essays, source analyses, group projects and presentations.

In addition, you will have regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your personal tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether they be academic, financial, housing, career, or social issues; they will also be key in you formulating professional-looking CVs for your next steps after the degree.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library (in person or via online resources), preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our many social study spaces in halls of residence.

We have a range of clubs and volunteering opportunities which mean you can spend extra time in and around the subjects you love.

Academic support

Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:

  • study and exam skills
  • academic writing
  • presentations
  • dissertations
  • numerical data skills
  • referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our Ancient History staff profiles and History staff profiles.

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration UCAS Code Availability
Course Ancient History and History Qualification BA Duration 3 years full-time UCAS Code V110 Availability How to apply
Course Ancient History and History with Year Abroad Qualification BA Duration 4 years full-time UCAS Code V110 Availability How to apply

Data about this course

students outside at a dig site

Having that connection with the physical remains of the past really captures the imagination.

Hannah

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