Ancient History BA
3-4 years
Start date:
Course information
Typical offer ABB
UCAS code V112
International fee £21,400
Institute code L34
Taught by Archaeology and Ancient History
97% of students in work or further study six months after graduating (The Uni Guide)
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).
Top 20 in the UK for Classics and Ancient History (The Guardian 2025
Course description
Course description
The BA in Ancient History offers you the chance to engage with the history of the classical world. From the Greek city-states to the Roman Empire, from kingdoms in the Near East to networks in North Africa, you will have the chance to explore a fascinating and crucial chapter of our human past.
You will learn about the societies and cultures of antiquity, and investigate the way these changed over time. You will be introduced to key historical frameworks and discover a wide range of sources that bring you face-to-face with the ancient world, from literary texts to ancient artefacts. A range of option modules, combined with detailed research projects and a dissertation in your final year, will allow you to gain subject knowledge and follow your own interests. You will have the opportunity to gain experience with local heritage organisations and schools through Year 3 module placements and our accredited internship programme.
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 listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in 2025
Tuition fees for 2025/26 are yet to be confirmed. As an indication of what you might pay, the fees for students who started in 2024/25 were:
- £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: £5,350, 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
All our degrees provide transferable skills in communication, presentation, critical analysis and teamwork. This will be critical for your future career, whether it is in historical studies or in one of the wide range of professions that attract our graduates. It doesn't matter if you have little or no previous experience of ancient history; we have designed our courses for maximum flexibility. This allows you to choose how you want to specialise or diversify as your knowledge and understanding develop.
Our dedicated work experience and outreach staff will organise placements for you in schools, heritage organisations, museums, archives, and on external projects – complementing the volunteering provision within the University.
You will undertake a placement/project in a school or heritage setting where you will work with your teacher/heritage mentor to gain a range of experience and to design and deliver a lesson plan or outreach activity. These modules provide an excellent foundation for a PGCE or a career in heritage management
You will undertake a placement/project in a school or heritage setting where you will work with your teacher/heritage mentor to gain a range of experience and to design and deliver a lesson plan or outreach activity. These modules provide an excellent foundation for a PGCE or a career in heritage management.
We also offer Archaeology and Classics in the Community internships.
Interns support the introduction of archaeology and classics in local state schools, providing a wide range of enrichment opportunities based on our research. A programme of school and campus-based activities, training and mentoring delivered in partnership with the University's School of Education, develops skills which are essential for careers in teaching, heritage and museums.
Graduate destinations
Graduates from our Archaeology and Ancient History degrees have gone on to work for a wide range of employers including:
- Bahrain National Museum
- Royal Collection Trust
- Council for British Archaeology
- Teaching
- Civil Service
- University Of Leicester Archaeological Services
Careers and Employability Service
Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.
Related courses
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:
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 13: Climate action
Course structure
Year 1
Year 1
You will be introduced to Greek and Roman history, as well as key types of source material available for studying the classical world including literature and art, inscriptions, coins and material culture. You will also learn about the broader contexts of Greco-Roman antiquity, exploring the diverse societies of the ancient world beyond the Mediterranean from Iron Age Europe to pharaonic Egypt, and from ancient Mesopotamia to the Berbers.
Modules
- Approaching Ancient Evidence (Greek)
- Introduction to Greek History
- An Introduction to World Archaeology BC
- The Ancient World Beyond the Mediterranean
- Approaching Ancient Evidence (Roman)
- Introduction to Roman History
- An Introduction to World Archaeology AD
- Introduction to Classical Culture
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
Year 2
To develop your skills further, you will undertake an in-depth source project and learn about a wide range of approaches and methods for studying the past. You will be able to choose from a range of option modules covering Greek, Roman and Near Eastern antiquity. You may also take an option module in Latin to improve both your language skills and your knowledge of Latin literature.
Core modules
Option modules
Choose three option modules from:
- Classical and Hellenistic Greek States
- The Age of Augustus
- The Late Antique World
- Religion in the Roman World
- Heritage Skills
Plus three option modules from:
- The Ancient Near East
- Greek History in 40 Lives
- Classical and Post-classical Latin
- Archaeology of the Roman Empire
- The Medieval Mediterranean World
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
You will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice, within the field of Ancient History. The rest of the modules are up to you. This gives you the opportunity to tailor the degree to the areas and periods that most interest you.
Core module
- Dissertation (Ancient History) (double module)
Option modules
Choose two option modules from:
- Great Greek Monuments
- My Empire Reborn: Justinian and his Age
- Oracles. Dreams and Omens: Divination in the Greek World
- Archaeology and Ancient History in Education
- Conflict, Heritage and Archaeology
Plus three option modules from:
- Sparta and the Greek World
- Babylonian Sources
- Early Christian Europe
- Lived Experience in Imperial Rome
- Classical Worlds: Translation and Reception
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?
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 a reading list for Archaeology and Ancient History degrees
Teaching and learning
Teaching
In this exciting programme, you will learn through a mix of lectures, seminars, and personalised tutorials in a supportive campus environment. Lectures are used to provide historical narrative and to raise key questions and areas of debate. Seminars are where you share your opinions about those debates and put forward your interpretation of history. With an emphasis on small group teaching, the staff and students in the School get to know each other well providing excellent support for your academic studies. In addition, you will be given a personal tutor who can provide one-to-one advice and assistance on academic and personal issues.
In your third year you will have the opportunity to write a dissertation focusing on an area of ancient history that particularly fascinates you. The dissertation is the culmination of your academic studies: it fosters independence of thought, project-planning and organisation skills, and allows you to develop and demonstrate all the skills and knowledge you have acquired throughout your studies. With one-to-one supervision that will guide you through the various stages of formulating, researching and writing this piece of work, it also allows you to develop your own particular research interests and to enhance your academic expertise.
Assessment
Our assessment strategy allows you to develop a range of academic and professional skills throughout your degree. You will be assessed through essays, source analyses, group projects, presentations, and a range of other creative and authentic, real-world forms of assessment. You can even undertake a work placement in a primary or secondary school or in a heritage setting, or spend a year abroad.
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, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.
Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. However, we have a range of clubs and volunteering opportunities which mean you can spend all the time you want involved in the subjects you love! You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.
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 staff profiles.
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | Attendance | UCAS Code | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Ancient History | Qualification BA | Duration 3 years | Attendance Full-time | UCAS Code V112 | Availability How to apply |
Data about this course
Having that connection with the physical remains of the past really captures the imagination.