BA (Hons) Ancient History Bachelor's degree at the University of Exeter
BA (Hons) Ancient History at University of Exeter. Ancient History at Exeter is built around getting close to the source material, inscriptions, material culture and literary texts from the Greek and Roman worlds, rather than simply reading about historians' conclusions.
About this course
Explore what Exeter graduates do | Career Zone | University of Exeter Section links Career Planning Reflect on yourself Explore your options Exploring Postgraduate Study Employment Sectors Explore what Exeter graduates do Anthropology Arab and Islamic Studies Archaeology Art History and Visual Culture Biosciences Class From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Ancient History is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Exeter, based in Streatham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Classics graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (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 95% (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 18 modules
- Greek History: Problems and SourcesCompulsory30 credits
- Roman History: Problems and SourcesCompulsory30 credits
- Ancient World: Greek PhilosophyCompulsory15 credits
- Ancient World: Roman PhilosophyCompulsory15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts Greek I (A)Compulsory15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts Greek I (B)Compulsory15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts Latin I (A)Compulsory15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts Latin I (B)Compulsory15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Greek IICompulsory30 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Greek IIICompulsory30 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Latin IICompulsory30 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Latin IIICompulsory30 credits
- Ancient World: RacecraftOptional15 credits
- Text and Context: Women in HomerOptional15 credits
- Roman Death and CommemorationOptional15 credits
- Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): TyrannyOptional15 credits
- Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Brave New Rome of AugustusOptional15 credits
- Text and Context: Roman LaughterOptional15 credits
Year 2 24 modules
- Study AbroadCompulsory120 credits
- Employment ExperienceCompulsory120 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Greek IVOptional30 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Latin IVOptional30 credits
- The Age of CiceroOptional30 credits
- DissertationOptional30 credits
- Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman WorldsOptional30 credits
- Virgil's Georgic EnvironmentOptional15 credits
- Domination and Resistance in Roman BritainOptional30 credits
- The World of Late AntiquityOptional30 credits
- Receptions of the Classical BodyOptional30 credits
- Critical Classics and the Contemporary WorldOptional15 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Greek VOptional30 credits
- Classical Language and Texts: Latin VOptional30 credits
- Imagining the World: Geographic Thought and Representation in AntiquityOptional15 credits
- Change and Resilience Through History: Polybius and the Rise of RomeOptional15 credits
- Time and Relative Dimensions in Space: Historical Analysis and Visualisation with GISOptional15 credits
- Life in the Roman EmpireOptional15 credits
- Aristophanes and Athenian Old ComedyOptional15 credits
- Being and Not-Being in Greek Philosophy: from Parmenides to AristotleOptional15 credits
- Dialogues with the Past: Creative Interpretative ProjectOptional15 credits
- Women Writing ClassicsOptional15 credits
- Lost Works and FragmentsOptional15 credits
- Roman Political ThoughtOptional15 credits
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 three-year, full-time degree is structured to build your capabilities cumulatively. You'll start with core theory that sets out the main frameworks historians use to interpret the ancient world, before moving into research & methods, the practical skills of working with fragmentary, translated or contested evidence. As you progress, applied practice lets you put those methods to work on real historical problems, while specialist options allow you to focus on the periods, regions or themes that interest you most, such as particular aspects of Greek or Roman society, politics, or culture. In your final year, an independent project gives you the chance to pursue a question of your own choosing in depth, supported by a supervisor, and professional skills modules are woven through the course to help you communicate your findings clearly and work with evidence in ways that carry over into employment.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who's curious about how we actually know anything about the distant past, someone happy to sit with an incomplete inscription or a biased ancient author and work out what can honestly be concluded from it. If you enjoy piecing together arguments from patchy evidence, questioning translations, and thinking about how power, religion, war or daily life worked in societies very different from our own, you'll feel at home here. It also suits students who want more than passive learning: much of the degree asks you to form and defend your own interpretations, so a willingness to write, discuss and revise your thinking in seminars matters as much as background knowledge. Most students who join have taken A-levels or equivalent, typically with a UCAS tariff around 144–159 points, though these figures describe recent entrants rather than a fixed requirement, what counts more is genuine interest in the ancient world and a readiness to read widely and independently.
Careers & job market
Nationally, History graduates have a strong record of moving into work or further study: 85% are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 90% of students continue past their first year of a History degree. Of those in work, 55% are in roles or further study classed as highly skilled, reflecting the analytical and research skills the subject develops. National Graduate Outcomes/LEO data for History graduates show earnings in the region of £23,500–£31,000 at 15 months after graduating, £20,400–£28,800 after three years, and £25,500–£36,000 after five years, figures that describe the national graduate population rather than any guaranteed outcome for individuals. Exeter's Career Zone resources, which track what graduates across subjects including Ancient History, Archaeology and related fields go on to do, are available to help you think concretely about your own next steps while you study.
University & format
The University of Exeter is a public, Russell Group university founded in 1955, and awarded Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. This BA (Hons) Ancient History degree is delivered full-time over three years at the Streatham Campus, taught in English. As a recognised UK degree-awarding body, Exeter's qualifications carry national recognition.
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 | 95% |
| a Baccalaureate | 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. 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Exeter →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 | £24,000 | £18,500 – £25,500 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £26,500 | £21,000 – £33,500 | 105 |
| 5 years after | £34,500 | £28,500 – £45,500 | 120 |
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.
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
- Natural and social science professionalsSOC 2020 211 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £44,243
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
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: 45; 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
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. 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 9.4 out of 10: NSS 88.1% · in work or study 95% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Exeter
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 Streatham Campus
1,452 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 University of Exeter from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Exeter; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 University of Exeter’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 University of Exeter and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Exeter
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BA (Hons) Ancient History
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.