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Classics
Copyright: Museum of Classical Archaeology, Cambridge.
Classics is the study of political, socio-economic and cultural life of the ancient Mediterranean, in particular of Greece and Italy. It is a broad and exciting subject in that it incorporates elements from several disciplines, including literature, history, archaeology, art history, philosophy and linguistics. Moreover, the course offers students the opportunity to explore not just the classical past of Greece and Rome, but also the pre-classical – including the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations of Bronze Age Greece and the Etruscan civilisation of Italy – and the post-classical – including the early Byzantine east and the 'decline and fall' of the western Roman empire.
The Faculty of Classics offers several different degree programs depending on the individual student's previous experience of the classical languages. Some students arrive with Greek and/or Latin A-Level, but this is by no means necessary. It is possible to take either from scratch, and there is a popular four-year course designed for students with no knowledge of the languages. To take a degree in Classics at Cambridge you do not need any previous exposure to the ancient world – you simply need to be passionate about studying it. You can find out more about the degree, including a breakdown of the course structure, from the Faculty of Classics website.
Whatever your previous experience of the languages, the aim of the course is to allow you to undertake independent reading of Latin and Greek texts by the end of the second year (or the third year on the four-year course). During that time, students read a wide range of authors from a wide range of periods, including both the familiar (for example, Homer and Virgil) and the not so familiar (for example, Lysias and Lucretius). Numerous genres will be tackled, from epic to historiography, love elegy to philosophy. At the same time, the reading of texts is complemented through studying the languages, histories and cultures of the ancient world, and as the course progresses you are able increasingly to specialise: to choose which Greek and Latin texts interest you most, and to choose ancient history over linguistics, or archaeology over philosophy. Final-year students can essentially design a course of study tailored to their particular interests, selecting from a range of classical papers and even, if they wish, borrowing relevant papers from other Faculties (for example, Tragedy from the English Faculty, or the History of Political Thought from History).
Classics at Churchill
Copyright: Museum of Classical Archaeology, Cambridge.
Churchill aims to admit two or three Classics students each year, and we currently have six undergraduates. This number provides an intimate and supportive atmosphere for students of the subject. Churchill is a very friendly college, with an extensive library of classical books. The College is situated near to the Faculty of Classics and the University Library. Churchill's particular strengths are in classical archaeology and ancient history, though students with interests in all areas of Classics are welcomed. We have particularly close links with our nearest neighbouring colleges, Fitzwilliam and Murray Edwards, and regularly arrange social events that bring all the students together.
Admissions
No specific A-level subjects (or specific subjects in other forms of secondary education) are required to read Classics, although a second language studied to a high level may prove useful, as too may Arts subjects in which essays are routinely written. Many of our applicants have studied Latin and/or Greek but this is not essential as these languages may be learnt from scratch on a specially designed four-year course. We are looking for candidates with an outstanding academic track record and a passionate interest in the ancient world. Details of typical offers are available from the Churchill Admissions webpage.
We ask applicants to submit two pieces of written work (usually essays of around 1500 – 2500 words) on a relevant subject as a part of their application. It is preferable but by no means essential that these focus on some aspect of the ancient world or its reception. Details of written work requirements are circulated after initial applications are received. Generally, we prefer marked essays that have been written as a part of the candidate's normal studies.
We interview the majority of applicants. Candidates invited for interview typically have one interview of around 30 minutes at Churchill, with a second interview arranged at another, randomly assigned college. The purpose of the second interview is to give each student another opportunity to impress. But it also allows us to generate as much information as possible on each applicant, so that good applicants do not slip through the net should their own first-choice college be over-subscribed. More information on this system can be found on the Classics website.
No special preparation is required for the interviews, although candidates with the relevant qualifications might be asked to translate a short passage of Latin or Greek. In the interview, candidates are likely to be asked some questions about their schoolwork, their personal statement and their academic background and interests. More specific questions will also be asked about the candidate's interest in, and motivations for studying the ancient world.
Further details on the admissions process are available from the Churchill College admissions site and the University's undergraduate Admissions Office.
Fellows in Classics
Copyright: Museum of Classical Archaeology, Cambridge.