Classical Studies MA (Honours) 2026 entry

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in classical studies alongside modules in at least one other subject.

The Classical Studies programme is very flexible and can incorporate modules in ancient history, Latin and Greek alongside or even in place of specialist classical studies modules (though there are some minimum requirements), so that you can pursue your interests in the Greeks and Romans wherever they lead. 

Course information may change. Module information and course content, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at the University of St Andrews. We display the most up-to-date information possible, but this could be from a previous academic year. For the latest module information, see the module catalogue.

• First year

  In the first year, most students take: 

  • Myth and Community in Ancient Greek Literature and Culture: explores some of the most dynamic literary and artistic achievements of archaic and classical Greek culture, from Homeric epic to Athenian tragedy, comedy and philosophy.
  • Images of Augustan Rome: studies the works of art and literature that were produced during the lifetime of the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, and that react in different ways to the new regime that he established. 
  • Ancient Empires: explores how imperial states built and maintained their power; the experiences of other populations and cultures that were conquered or incorporated into ancient empires; and the contested legacies of imperial states, both in antiquity and today.
  • Greek Pastoral and Passion: introduces students to the thematic connections between bucolic or pastoral poetry and the Greek novel and involves detailed study of set texts and linguistic and translation exercises.
  • Greek Language and Literature 1: involves detailed study of a range of set texts as well as linguistic and translation exercises designed to enhance students' knowledge of Greek and confidence in reading Greek literature in its historical and cultural context.
  • Greek Literature for Beginners: prepares students for the challenge of reading and interpreting Greek literature.
  • Greek Language for Beginners: provides a thorough grounding in the Greek language for beginners or near beginners.
  • World of Latin 2: builds on work from 'World of Latin 1' and introduces students to a wider range of Latin literature.
  • Cities and Communities in the Ancient Mediterranean: explores urbanisation by examining changing physical as well as social relations between people, as well as between people and their environments. We will study the rise and fall of the ancient city, including its ecology and domestic politics, and modern debates over ancient urbanism.
  • World of Latin 1: enhances understanding of Latin language and literature through the study of a range of verse or prose set texts in the original language and regular language classes. The authors chosen may vary from year to year.
  • Elementary Latin 2: builds on work from 'Elementary Latin 1' and develops knowledge of Latin language and enables the reading of Latin texts for beginners.
  • Elementary Latin 1: provides an introduction to the Latin language for beginners, concentrating on morphology, vocabulary, and basic syntax.

   You can also choose from first-year modules in ancient history, Greek and Latin. 

• Second year

  In the second year, most students take: 

  • Culture and Thought in the Late Roman Republic: studies the art and literature of Rome in the Late Republic (first century BCE). Key literary texts, such as the passionate poetry of Catullus and the stylish rhetoric of Cicero, are set against the broader backdrop of Roman political, cultural and social life in this turbulent period of civil war and dictatorship.
  • Latin Language and Literature 1: building on 'World of Latin 1 and 2', this module examines a wide range of verse texts taken mostly from the Republican period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes. The authors chosen may vary from year to year.
  • Ancient Societies: Gender, Ethnicity, and Inequality in the Ancient World: surveys the fundamental divisions that gave shape to ancient social life, examining issues like gender, inequality, and ethnic identity through a broad range of sources and methodologies.
  • The Landscape of Greek Prose (A): designed for students to follow on from 'Greek Pastoral and Passion', this module examines a wide range of Greek prose texts and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
  • The Landscape of Greek Poetry (A): following on from 'The Landscape of Greek Prose (A)', this module covers a diverse range of ancient poetry in the original Greek, starting with Homer’s Iliad, and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
  • The Landscape of Greek Prose (B): designed for students to follow on from 'Greek Literature for Beginners', this module examines a wide range of Greek prose texts and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
  • The Landscape of Greek Poetry (B): following on from 'The Landscape of Greek Prose (B)', this module covers a diverse range of ancient poetry in the original Greek, starting with Homer’s Iliad, and enhances Greek language skills through regular language classes.
  • Latin in Progress 2: building on work from 'Latin in Progress 1', this module examines a wide range of texts in both prose and verse from the imperial period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes.
  • Narratives of Antiquity: examines influential narratives from the ancient world and their reinterpretations in later periods, from the nineteenth century to the present day, and how they continue to shape the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves for better or for worse.
  • Latin in Progress 1: building on work covered in 'Elementary Latin 1 and 2', this module introduces students to verse texts from the Republican period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes. The authors chosen may vary from year to year.
  • Latin Language and Literature 2:  building on 'Latin Language and Literature 1', this module examines a wide range of prose texts from the Roman Imperial period, and enhances Latin language skills through regular language classes. The authors chosen may vary from year to year.
  • Early Greek Poetry and Philosophy: studies the earliest phases of the Greek literary and philosophical tradition in the archaic and early classical Greek world. It explores the diversity of early Greek thought through the poetry and philosophy of the period, and explores themes of conflict, justice, love and the relationship between mortals and gods.

   You can also choose from modules in ancient history, Greek and Latin. 

• Honours

  If you decide to take Classical Studies in your third and fourth years, you will take a compulsory third-year module, Classical Studies: Interpretations and Receptions, and then choose further modules that allow you to follow your own interests.
  Here is a sample of Honours modules which have been offered in previous years: 

  • A People's History of Scottish Classics
  • After Virgil: The Aeneid and its Reception  
  • Animals in Greco-Roman Antiquity 
  • Classics and the Left
  • Classics for the Modern World: Interventions and Applications 
  • Fame, Tradition and Narrative: Homer's Iliad
  • Gender and Sexuality in Greek Literature 
  • Greek Painted Pottery 
  • Justice, politics and the good life: Plato's Republic and its critics in the ancient world
  • Modern Classics: Classics in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries 
  • Pleasure, Goodness and Happiness: Hellenistic Ethics 
  • Roman Literature and Queer Theory
  • Roman Praise 
  • Travels and Marvels in the Graeco-Roman World 
  • Women in Ancient Societies. 

  You will also have access to Honours modules from the Ancient History and Ancient History and Archaeology programmes. 

  In fourth year, students also have the opportunity to undertake an 8,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.