BA (Hons) Ancient and Medieval History

To understand fully the modern world - its culture, language, political systems and people – you need to take a long perspective. Studying undergraduate Ancient and Medieval History goes back to the roots of modern civilisation in Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages.

Our degree course has a distinctive emphasis on using literature, history and archaeology in the study of the ancient and medieval world, and we offer a range of expertise, with a particular focus on European and Near Eastern societies from around 3000BCE to 1500CE. One aspect of study is social history: how people in the past lived, worked, traded and enjoyed their leisure. Studying such a diverse range of societies and cultures enables you to analyse and reflect on the complex relationship between the Ancient and Medieval worlds.

The first year of your degree course represents a foundation year in which we instil core skills and knowledge for historical enquiry. In the second year, the emphasis on small group teaching and independent learning increases and you develop as a historian of the ancient and medieval worlds. In the final year you study medieval and ancient modules, along with a Dissertation, using primary sources to answer a historical question which you have developed since your second year.