English and Classical Studies

About this programme

Our joint honours BA English and Classical Studies course explores and connects the present with the past. It combines investigation of the ancient Graeco-Roman world with the study of works from all periods of English literature, many of which reflect and reanimate ancient texts and topics.There are two halves to this course. Both give you the freedom to follow your own interests and particular enthusiasms through optional units, including Latin or Ancient Greek.You can also study ancient arts, such as epic or drama, alongside their more modern forms in literature written in English. In all cases (and drawing on the centrality of the classical tradition to Western culture) your study of the literature of antiquity will profoundly inform your reading of later works.In your third year, you'll complete a dissertation which may draw on your interests and expertise from both departments to address a comparative topic. Alternatively, it could focus on the material from either side of the course. You'll have the freedom to choose.