Classics
Course overview
UCAS code: Q800
Entrance requirements: AAA (with As in Latin and Greek if taken)
Course duration: 4 years (BA)
Subject requirements
Required subjects: Not applicable
Recommended subjects: Not applicable
Helpful subjects: Latin, Ancient Greek, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History or a modern language
Other course requirements
Admissions tests: CAT
Written Work: Two pieces
Admissions statistics*
Interviewed: 95%
Successful: 37%
Intake: 103
*3-year average 2021-23
Contact
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 288391
Email: [email protected]
Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
About the course
Classics (Literae Humaniores) is a wide-ranging degree devoted to the study of the civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome and their reception into modern times. It is one of the most varied and interdisciplinary of all subjects. Classics students at Oxford have the opportunity to study the languages, literature, history, and archaeology of the Greek and Roman Mediterranean, as well as philosophy (both ancient and modern) and linguistics.
Oxford has the largest Classics Faculty in the world, with over sixty full-time academic staff-members. It has outstanding teaching, library and museum resources. Resources include the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library and Bodleian Libraries, the Ashmolean Museum and a designated Classics Centre.
The breadth of expertise in the Faculty allows us to offer an extremely wide range of courses from Homeric archaeology to Byzantine literature. The length of the course allows students to explore the various disciplines within this vast subject and to engage with their particular interests within the classical world in real depth.
The course involves extensive study of at least one ancient language, but candidates do not need to have any prior knowledge of either Greek or Latin.
In previous years Oxford offered two separate Classics degree programmes: Classics Course I (Q800) - for those who had studied Latin and/or Greek to A-level or equivalent, and Classics Course II (Q810) – for those who had not studied Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent. Following a redesign of the degree structure, there is now just one degree programme (Classics – Q800) which is for all candidates, whether or not they have any prior experience of Latin or Greek. Those with an A-level or equivalent in at least one classical language will follow a dual-language stream (Latin and Greek); those without can choose to follow either a Latin or Greek stream.
Fieldwork/international opportunities
Fieldwork is not a requirement in any part of the course, but some undergraduates may participate in archaeological excavations.
Astrophoria Foundation Year
If you’re interested in studying Classics but your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades typically required for Oxford courses, then choosing to apply for Classics with a Foundation Year might be right for you.
Visit our Foundation Year course pages for more details.
 |  |  |
'Classics is a fabulous course in part because there is something for everyone. When it comes to Greats [final exams] ... I think there are about 80 options, of which we can only choose eight. This means that, although when I arrived here I thought I'd be a literature buff, I actually have become a "philosopher" of sorts. I have been able to take five philosophy options ranging from Plato and Aristotle to Theory of politics and Philosophy of language, and I've loved it!' Heather | 'I was attracted to the Classics course at Oxford because of its diversity and commitment to learning Latin and Ancient Greek. During the first two years, as well as intensive language classes designed to advance your ability quickly to read texts in the original language, I had the opportunity to choose from options covering topics from philosophy to ancient art. I have particularly enjoyed being on the Undergraduate Joint Consultative Committee, in which faculty members consult undergraduates for their input on the workings of and changes to be made within the department.' Laura | 'Studying Classics prepared me for managing an enormous and varied workload. Picking apart essays with my tutors prepared me for editing other people's writing. It also gave me a good foundation of knowledge for publishing translations.' Emma |
Unistats information
Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.
Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for Classics.
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.
Classics
A typical week
Your time is divided between lectures, tutorials and private study. The working week is typically structured around two tutorials in different subjects.
Most of your independent work will be in preparation of essays for your tutorials, although systematic language-learning and reading of texts will also require considerable time and effort.
Much of the teaching will take place in your college, but lectures are given in the Classics Faculty and the Examination Schools, and for particular subjects you may also work with tutors from other colleges.
Visit the Classics website for more information.
Tutorials in colleges usually involve up to three students and a tutor. Class sizes will vary depending on the options you choose, and there are usually 5-10 students in a class. Some classes are jointly taught by two tutors at the same time. For centrally organised language classes in Classics, there are usually 8-10 students in a group.
Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by senior staff who are active researchers in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may be delivered by postgraduate students at doctorate level.
To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.
Course structure
Language stream | Terms 1-5 | Terms 1-5 |
|---|---|---|
Dual Language Stream |
| First University examinations: |
| Latin stream (Latin only, for those who have not studied Greek or Latin to A-level or equivalent) |
| First University examinations: six papers, including two language papers. One of the papers is examined by a portfolio of three pre-submitted essays |
| Greek Stream (Greek only, for those who have not studied Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent) |
| First University examinations: six papers, including two language papers. One of the papers is examined by a portfolio of three pre-submitted essays. |
Language stream | Terms 6-12 | Terms 6-12 |
|---|---|---|
Dual-language stream | Choose eight options from more than 80 in the following subjects (it is usually possible to offer an undergraduate thesis in place of one paper):
| Eight exam subjects taken, with the possibility of offering one paper as a thesis. For some literature options: instead of a three-hour paper, assessment involves the composition of one long essay over a three-week period The options listed here are illustrative and may change. A full list of current options is available on the Classics website. |
Latin Stream | Final University examinations: as dual-language stream, but Latin only, unless you take optional second classical language | |
| Greek stream (Greek only, for those who have not studied Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent) | Final University examinations: as dual-language stream, but Greek only, unless you take optional second classical language |
For further details of the course structure and the options available, please visit the Classics website.
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
Academic requirements
Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
A-levels: | AAA (with As in Latin and Greek, if taken) |
Advanced Highers: | AA/AAB (with A in Latin, if taken) |
International Baccalaureate (IB): | 39 (including core points) with 666 at HL, including 6s at HL in Latin and Greek if taken |
Any other equivalent qualification: | View information on other UK qualifications, and international qualifications |
Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.
Read further information on how we use contextual data.
Subject requirements
Helpful: | Either or both classical languages (Latin and Ancient Greek), Classical Civilisation, Ancient History or a modern language can be helpful to students in completing this course, although they are not required for admission. |
|---|
If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.
If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.
If your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades listed above for undergraduate study, but you still have a strong interest in the subject, then applying for Classics with a Foundation Year might be right for you.
Visit the Foundation Year course pages for more details of academic requirements and eligibility.
Applying
All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.
The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.
Admissions tests
Test: | CAT |
|---|---|
Test date: | 22 October 2024 |
Registration window: | 15 August to 4 October 2024 |
All candidates must take the relevant section(s) of the Classics Admissions Test (CAT) as part of their application.
All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on your test page.
Written work
Description: | Two pieces (either essays or commentaries). Normally these will be in areas relevant to Classics. They should preferably not be short, timed essays or exercises answering questions on a short passage of text. |
|---|---|
Submission deadline: | 10 November 2024 |
Read further guidance on the submission of written work.
What are tutors looking for?
Successful candidates will be expected to display general language aptitude, including competence in Latin or Greek if they are studying the classical language(s) to A-level or equivalent.
Tutors are also looking for potential and an enquiring mind, and a real commitment to this wide-ranging subject.
Visit the Classics website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.
Careers
The breadth of subjects studied and variety of skills learned to a high level leave Classics graduates in high demand among employers.
Careers for recent Classics graduates include teaching, the Civil Service, the media, film production, the law, publishing, and further classical study.
James works for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He says: ‘Following four years of excellent teaching in an astoundingly varied field, the intellectual rigour developed at Oxford has taken me from negotiating for the UK at the United Nations to learning Mandarin and representing the UK in China. Classics provided me with the perfect platform, and more importantly gave me four wonderful years steeped in the fascinating classical world.’
Menai is a project manager for Kent County Council. She says: ‘I joined Kingfisher Retail and subsequently WHSmith. I then worked for a charity and finally moved to local government. The training in logical thinking and a questioning approach I developed while studying for my degree have been invaluable.’
We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.
Fees
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £9,535 |
| Overseas | £41,130 |
Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.
For more information please refer to our course fees page. Fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.
Living costs
Living costs at Oxford might be less than you’d expect, as our world-class resources and college provision can help keep costs down.
Living costs for the academic year starting in 2025 are estimated to be between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our living costs webpage.
Financial support
Home | A tuition fee loan is available from the UK government to cover course fees in full for Home (UK, Irish nationals and other eligible students with UK citizens' rights - see below*) students undertaking their first undergraduate degree**, so you don’t need to pay your course fees up front. In 2025 Oxford is offering one of the most generous bursary packages of any UK university to Home students with a family income of around £50,000 or less, with additional opportunities available to UK students from households with incomes of £32,500 or less. The UK government also provides living costs support to Home students from the UK and those with settled status who meet the residence requirements. *For courses starting on or after 1 August 2021, the UK government has confirmed that EU, other EEA, and Swiss Nationals will be eligible for student finance from the UK government if they have UK citizens’ rights (i.e. if they have pre-settled or settled status, or if they are an Irish citizen covered by the Common Travel Area arrangement). The support you can access from the government will depend on your residency status. |
Islands | Islands students are entitled to different support to that of students from the rest of the UK. Please refer the links below for information on the support to you available from your funding agency: |
Overseas | Please refer to the "Other Scholarships" section of our Oxford Bursaries and Scholarships page. |
**If you have studied at undergraduate level before and completed your course, you will be classed as an Equivalent or Lower Qualification student (ELQ) and won’t be eligible to receive government or Oxford funding
Additional Fees and Charges Information for Classics
There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.
Contextual information
Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.
The Oxford tutorial
College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.
During tutorials (normally lasting an hour), college subject tutors will give you and one or two tutorial partners feedback on prepared work and cover a topic in depth. The other student(s) in your tutorials will be doing the same course as you. Such regular and rigorous academic discussion develops and facilitates learning in a way that isn’t possible through lectures alone. Tutorials also allow for close progress monitoring so tutors can quickly provide additional support if necessary.
Read more about tutorials and an Oxford education
College life
Our colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world.
- At Oxford, everyone is a member of a college as well as their subject department(s) and the University. Students therefore have both the benefits of belonging to a large, renowned institution and to a small and friendly academic community. Each college or hall is made up of academic and support staff, and students. Colleges provide a safe, supportive environment leaving you free to focus on your studies, enjoy time with friends and make the most of the huge variety of opportunities.
- Each college has a unique character, but generally their facilities are similar. Each one, large or small, will have the following essential facilities:
- Porters’ lodge (a staffed entrance and reception)
- Dining hall
- Lending library (often open 24/7 in term time)
- Student accommodation
- Tutors’ teaching rooms
- Chapel and/or music rooms
- Laundry
- Green spaces
- Common room (known as the JCR).
- All first-year students are offered college accommodation either on the main site of their college or in a nearby college annexe. This means that your neighbours will also be ‘freshers’ and new to life at Oxford. This accommodation is guaranteed, so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to live after accepting a place here, all of this is organised for you before you arrive.
- All colleges offer at least one further year of accommodation and some offer it for the entire duration of your degree. You may choose to take up the option to live in your college for the whole of your time at Oxford, or you might decide to arrange your own accommodation after your first year – perhaps because you want to live with friends from other colleges.
- While college academic tutors primarily support your academic development, you can also ask their advice on other things. Lots of other college staff including welfare officers help students settle in and are available to offer guidance on practical or health matters. Current students also actively support students in earlier years, sometimes as part of a college ‘family’ or as peer supporters trained by the University’s Counselling Service.
Find out more
Our 2025 undergraduate Open Days will be held on 2 and 3 July and 19 September.
Register to find out more about our upcoming Open Days.
Classics Open Day - 18 March 2024 (in Cambridge)
Related pages
Related courses
FEEL INSPIRED?
Want to find out more about the ancient world? Why not explore some websites which have excellent links to historical and archaeological materials, such as the British Museum or Oxford’s own Ashmolean Museum' collection highlights.
You could also have a look at BBC Radio 4's archives, for example for the programme In Our Time which covers material from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
There are also many social media sites which you can have a look at such as Classics Confidential and Classics Outreach.
