English Literature and Classical Literature & Civilisation BA (Hons)

University of Birmingham

This innovative undergraduate degree course is for those fascinated by ancient cultures, as well as the written and spoken word.

Study the full range of English Literature, alongside the society and literature of the classical world. Embrace the diversity of Greek and Roman culture, drawing together literature, drama, myth, religion, history, philosophy and art. By studying Classical Literature and Civilisation as a Joint Honours degree with English Literature, you will be given a strong foundation in all major periods and genres and will be able to specialise in areas ranging from medieval poetry to twenty-first century digital literary culture. You will also have the opportunity to take our specialist second-year undergraduate Shakespeare module and the possibility of participating in our residential trip in Stratford-upon-Avon.

In your Classical studies, explore the classical civilisations of Greece and Rome as well as the cultures of Ancient Egypt, Western Asia and the Byzantine Empire. Work with the plays, poems and speeches that have come down to us from antiquity, and study the monument, religion and mythology that make up classical civilisation.

Why study this course?

A city that values literature as much as you do – Did you know that inspiration for parts of The Lord of the Rings came from our very own campus (our clock tower Old Joe is thought to be the black tower of Isengard)! Explore Birmingham’s literary scene and get involved with the numerous on-campus writers groups, including our very own newspaper, radio and TV stations.

Delve into the various city-wide literature festivals and take advantage of our exceptional resources, including our special collections and archives in the Cadbury Research Library and the Library of Birmingham, Europe’s largest regional library. Do more than read books –Take advantage of the wide ranging expertise within our academic community and delve into the study of social media, marketing, textual production, video games, comics, film and TV, music and art. Personalised support – Benefit from smaller class sizes including one-to-one support on coursework and feedback whilst also becoming part of our ever-growing careers network of highly skilled graduates. The University of Birmingham is the 4th most targeted University by Graduate Employers (High Fliers Research 2022). Learn from the very best – You will study alongside some of the finest minds in the field. Times Higher Education ranked the Department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology in the Top 10 in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise (based on Grade Point Average). Unparalleled access to history - Explore our Cadbury Research Libraries collections consisting of over 200,000 rare books dating from 1471 and more than four million manuscript items.

Top 10 for Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology in the Guardian University Guide 2023

Top 15 for English in the Complete University Guide 2023