Classics and Philosophy (BA)

Applicants come from a diverse range of backgrounds and we accept a broad range of qualifications. Examples of other qualifications we recognise include QAA-approved Access to HE courses, in which we expect students to receive a minimum Pass grade, and the Greek Apolyterion, for which our standard offer is 18/20.

Students from overseas should visit the International| pages for further information on the entry requirements from their country and English language requirements.  Royal Holloway International offers an International Foundation Programme and English language pre-sessional courses, allowing students the opportunity to develop their study skills and English language before starting their undergraduate degree.

We make decisions based on achieved or predicted grades, personal statements and references. More information on how your application will be assessed, and tips for your personal statement can be found on our Applying| pages.

Most applicants will also be invited for interview on a UCAS day before an offer is made. UCAS days offer you the opportunity to visit the College and the Department, to sit in on a first year lecture and to attend a presentation by the Admissions Tutor, as well as a friendly and informal individual interview with a member of academic staff. Some applicants will receive offers without interview, particularly those with high achieved/predicted grades and those who live a long way from Egham, including overseas applicants. Those with offers are still welcome to attend a UCAS day if they can, but rather than being interviewed, they can participate in a group question-and-answer session with academic staff and students

• The course offers a flexible structure and wide range of options.
• You will acquire skills of translation not only from Latin and Greek into English but also from English into Latin and Greek.
• You will have the opportunity to access key philosophical ideas and debates that will enhance all your studies.
• You will become part of a friendly and supportive Department with a tradition of good pastoral care.

Each year you will take two course units in each subject.

For the Classics element you will spend time studying Latin and Greek and reading texts in the original. Your other course units will be chosen from those available to Classical Studies students: topics include ancient philosophy, ancient history and classical archaeology as well as Latin and Greek literature in translation.

For Philosophy you will take introductory courses in the first year and then choose from a wide range of course units in years two and three. These cover ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato as well as specialist fields such as the philosophy of art and radical political theory.

Throughout the course, you will:

• learn skills in Greek and Latin sufficient to understand and analyse large sections of a range of ancient authors in the original language
• acquire interpretative and analytical skills in dealing with a variety of primary and secondary literary, philosophical, archaeological and documentary source material
• develop your understanding of key philosophical texts.

All undergraduate degree courses at Royal Holloway are based on the course unit system.  This system provides an effective and flexible approach to study, while ensuring that our degrees have a coherent and developmental structure. In the case of combined degree courses, this approach also makes it possible to change the balance of your subjects during your time at Royal Holloway.

See the Department’s website| for further information.

The course has a modular structure, whereby students take 12 course units at the rate of 4 units per year. The second year project unit and the third year dissertation are compulsory but all other the end of each year. Your final year dissertation will also count towards your degree award.

You will be taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and individual tutorials, depending on the subjects studied. Outside classes, you will undertake group projects and wide-ranging but guided independent study, including completing language exercises and reading prescribed and open material. Private study and preparation are essential parts of every course, and you will have access to many online resources and the University’s comprehensive e-learning facility, Moodle. When you start with us, you are assigned a Personal Tutor to support you academically and personally.

Most modules contain an element of assessed coursework, such as an essay, presentation and/or assessed seminar participation marks, which contributes to the final examination mark awarded. The results of the first year exams qualify you to progress to the second year but do not contribute to your final degree award. The second and final year results do contribute to the final degree result, with the final year work counting double that of the second year. In addition, you will take a study skills course during your first year, designed to equip you with and enhance the writing skills you will need to be successful in your degree. This course does not count towards your final degree award but you are required to pass it to progress to your second year.

Choosing a Classical subject at Royal Holloway will equip you with a broad range of skills, such as the ability to analyse and summarise content, critically evaluate resources and construct coherent arguments in the written and spoken word. Studying an intellectually demanding discipline will demonstrate to employers that you enjoy being challenged and are able to understand complex issues. You will also develop the transferable skills valued by employers:  communication and presentation skills, teamwork, time management and critical thinking. From 2013 (subject to validation) we will be adding a new ‘skills’ module as part of the degree programme, as well as a competitive new work placement scheme – the only such scheme in a UK Classics department.

Our recent graduates have very successfully entered a wide range of careers including law, government, publishing, finance, teaching, marketing and the media. Many have also progressed to postgraduate study in a variety of fields. To find out more about what our students are doing now, please visit the department’s website|.