BA (Hons) Classical Civilisation Bachelor's degree at Durham University
BA (Hons) Classical Civilisation at Durham University. Studying Classical Civilisation at Durham means stepping directly into the culture, literature and society of ancient Greece and Rome, rather than approaching antiquity from a single disciplinary angle.
About this course
Classical Civilisation Q820 - Durham University Skip to main content BA (Hons) Classical Civilisation Explore the world of classical civilisation as you immerse yourself in the culture and society of ancient Greece and Rome. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Classical Civilisation is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Durham University, based in Durham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Classics graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 50% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for History, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Introduction to the Greek WorldCompulsory
Module details
examines ancient Greek history, society and thought. It will introduce you to the central themes, topics and terminology in the study of Archaic and Classical Greece, and equip you to use the basic intellectual resources available to assist that study.
- Monuments and Memory in the Age of AugustusCompulsory
Module details
provides you with an introduction to Roman history and culture and Latin literature, which will also serve as a basis for your further study in these areas. You will investigate a central, transitional epoch in the history of ancient Rome, from an interdisciplinary perspective.
- Language, Translation and InterpretationCompulsory
Module details
helps you engage with Greek and Latin texts, and introduces you to the cultural, anthropological and literary implications of translation. You will learn to assess the role of translations in the study of the classical past by looking at detailed comparisons between different translations of classical texts.
- Beginners Latin or GreekOptional
- Lives of ObjectsOptional
- Empire and Religion in the Age of ConstantineOptional
Year 2 18 modules
- Traditions of EpicCompulsory
Module details
enables you to study representative examples of Greek and Roman epic, including its role as a device for recording and remembering lives and events, and you will explore the ways in which the genre developed, in ancient Greece and Rome and beyond.
- Ancient Political Thought and ActionOptional
- Beauty and GoodnessOptional
- Classical Receptions and Contemporary CulturesOptional
- City of AthensOptional
- Comedy and Tragedy, Laughter and SorrowOptional
- Dialogues with AntiquityOptional
- Digital Humanities & the Ancient WorldOptional
- Emperors and DynastiesOptional
- Greek Art and ArchitectureOptional
- Living in the Classical WorldOptional
- Myths of Transformation in Ovid's MetamorphosesOptional
- Palace to PolisOptional
- Roman Buildings and their DecorationOptional
- Theatre and Spectacle in Ancient RomeOptional
- Beginners Greek and/or Latin languageOptional
- Intermediate Greek and/or Latin languageOptional
- Advanced Greek and/or Latin languageOptional
Year 3 12 modules
- DissertationCompulsory
Module details
The dissertation is a significant piece of work in which you research and analyse a topic in depth and write your findings and conclusions.
- Greeks and Persians (c. 560-336 BC)Optional
- The Later Roman EmpireOptional
- The Origins of CivilisationOptional
- Sing Me, O MuseOptional
- Writing AlexanderOptional
- Pompeii and Herculaneum: Rediscovery and ReconstructionOptional
- Roman Law and Latin LiteratureOptional
- The World of CatullusOptional
- Happiness in Ancient PhilosophyOptional
- Literary Culture from Nero to TrajanOptional
- The Hellenistic WorldOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The degree is structured to take you from foundational knowledge through to independent, self-directed research. Early on you'll cover core theory, gaining a grounding in the languages (in translation), literature, history and thought of the ancient Mediterranean world, alongside research & methods training that introduces you to how classicists actually work with ancient sources, whether textual, archaeological or visual. As you progress, applied practice modules give you the chance to test out these methods on real material, while specialist options let you follow your own interests, such as ancient philosophy, myth and religion, Greek or Roman history, or classical reception in later periods. The degree culminates in an independent project, where you design and carry out a substantial piece of research on a topic of your choosing, supported by staff with relevant expertise. Throughout, professional skills modules help you develop the kind of communication, analysis and argument-building abilities that are transferable well beyond the study of antiquity itself.
Who it's for
This course suits people who are genuinely curious about how ancient societies worked, not just their myths and monuments, but their politics, social structures and everyday assumptions, and who enjoy the process of working out an argument from fragmentary or contested evidence. You don't need prior Latin or Greek to apply, since texts are studied in translation, but you should be comfortable with sustained reading and enjoy close analysis of language, imagery and ideas. If you like following a question wherever it leads, cross-referencing a play against an inscription or a philosophical text against a piece of pottery, you'll find plenty of scope for that here. Seminar discussion, essay writing and independent research all feature heavily, so it suits students who are happy to voice and defend an interpretation, and who are motivated enough to keep pushing a research project forward on their own steam. Most students accepted onto Durham courses have typically achieved UCAS tariffs in the 176–191 range, though this reflects the profile of recent entrants rather than a fixed requirement.
Careers & job market
Studying the ancient world develops skills in critical reading, argument, and handling ambiguous or incomplete evidence, abilities that translate into a wide range of graduate careers, from heritage and education to law, media, policy and business. Nationally, across History-field courses, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after finishing, and 55% of those working are in roles classed as highly skilled or in further study. These are national Graduate Outcomes figures rather than statistics specific to this course or university, but they give a sense of the broader landscape graduates in this field enter. National earnings data (LEO) for the field shows starting salaries around 15 months after graduation typically ranging from £23,500 to £31,000, settling to roughly £20,400–£28,800 after three years, and rising to approximately £25,500–£36,000 after five years, again, national figures reflecting a range of outcomes rather than a guaranteed income for any individual graduate. Around 90% of students nationally continue past their first year, suggesting that most who start this kind of degree find it sustains their interest through to completion.
University & format
This is a full-time, three-year BA (Hons) programme (UCAS code Q820) delivered in English at Durham University's Durham Campus. Durham is a Russell Group institution with around 19,520 students in total, and was. Degrees are nationally recognised UK qualifications.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 90% |
| an Access course | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code Q820). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Durham University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What History graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,000 | £22,500 – £35,000 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £29,000 | £23,500 – £39,500 | 70 |
| 5 years after | £40,500 | £28,500 – £55,000 | 85 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in history · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs History nationally
National figures for History graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with History courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,423 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 95; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How History graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where History graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Museums & archives
- Heritage bodies
- Schools
- Civil service & media
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit History graduates.
History & Humanities Lead, Flexible, Impactful TeachingChartereastdulwichHistory & Humanities Lead, Flexible, Impactful TeachingThe Charter Schools Educational TrustHistory Teachers in Kirklees and HalifaxCV-LibraryHistory TeachersSABIS NETWORK SCHOOLSIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.9 out of 10: NSS 87.7% · in work or study 80% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Durham
Historical, philosophical and religious studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Durham Campus
698 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is History right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Durham University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £33,183 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Durham University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Durham University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Durham University
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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