The new MA in Classical Studies, launched in 2024, is a two-year qualification and consists of two 90-credit modules. This master degree provides you with the opportunity to discover what it means to do Classical Studies in the twenty-first century. You’ll investigate a range of ancient and contemporary ideas about the Greek and Roman worlds through encounters with literary texts, languages, classical mythology, historical sources and archaeological remains, and their ongoing significance for later periods, places, cultures and creative practices. By exploring the rich and dynamic scholarly perspectives and resources that are currently available, you’ll address diverse sets of questions about the ancient world. These will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to produce an independent, extended research project on a topic of your choice.

MA Classical Studies part 1 introduces you to Classical Studies at postgraduate level, helping you to acquire and develop the skills of independent research necessary to complete an extended project. Designed around four thematic blocks of study material, it invites you to explore Classical Studies as an interdisciplinary and changing field which involves discovering new materials and topics, encountering different perspectives, and developing original ways to study and interpret fragmentary ancient evidence.

MA Classical Studies part 2 takes you through the process of preparing for your MA dissertation, and then gives you the time and support to complete your own independent research and write up the dissertation.

Entry requirements:

Information about entry requirements can be found on the MA in Classical Studies page.

Funding:

Information about fees and funding for the MA in Classical Studies can be found on the Fees and Funding pages.

Taster materials:

Classical Studies in the 21^st Century

What does it mean to study Classical Studies in the 21^st Century? For a taste of the qualification, watch this video from Block 1 of A868, where people from a variety of backgrounds who use Classical Studies in different ways discuss the subject.

A transcript is available for this video.

MA student voices:

On our What Our Students Say page, you can read about the experiences of our students on all our qualifications, including the MA.

You can also find out more about what is going on in Classical Studies on our blog, where articles by MA graduates include John Teller’s reflections on his MA experience, Paul Found’s piece on how studying our MA helped him in his teaching career, and Flora Stagg’s comments on what it’s like to be an MA student in Classical Studies at the OU.