BA Ancient History and History

Compulsory modules

Greek History: War, Society and Change in the Archaic Age

Track the upheavals, innovations, and conflicts across ancient Greece and beyond. Using evidence, you’ll reconstruct the events and practices that are subject to ongoing debate.  

Perspectives in History

Gain a geographically and chronologically broad study of history, discovering the potential pathways available to you throughout your degree. You’ll not only examine specific historical contexts, but also the historiographies, methodologies and theories that have shaped historians’ perspectives. 

Roman History: The Rise and Fall of the Republic

Investigate a period marked by profound socio-political changes in Rome and discover the evidence for ancient history and modern methodological approaches, considering the relevance of Roman antiquity to issues in the modern world.    

Making History and You: Practices and Possibilities

Embark on your own research project to refine the transferable skills required for studying, and producing, history at university level. You’ll be guided through the process of effective reading, understanding historiographical debate, and how to write in a concise and convincing manner. 

Optional modules

Rape in the United States: From Colonisation to Civil Rights

Become familiarised with the changing social and legal understandings of rape in the US. Apply your skills to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas surrounding sexual violence, gender and race.

Warfare in Early Modern Europe, c.1500-1715

Consider the relationship between warfare, and its ‘badges, battles and buttons’, with the wider social, economic and political contexts. You’ll be introduced to war and warfare in early modern Europe and study the consequences of war and the historical basis of our contemporary ideas on war. 

Doomsday Dystopias: Nuclear Disaster in the Cold War Imagination

Examine four real Cold War nuclear episodes and the impacts these events had on fictional imagination of disaster: the 1945 Hiroshima/Nagasaki A-bombings which ushered in civil defence in 1950s America; 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis; 1983’s ‘Able Archer’ NATO exercise that almost triggered war, and 1986’s Chernobyl disaster in the USSR. 

Merlin the Magician

Explore the rise and transformations of the figure of Merlin and its influence upon ideas of magic, prophecy, natural philosophy and power. Examine a period stretching from the twelfth to the twentieth century to develop an understanding of long-term patterns of historical change.

Ancient Song

Discover a range of lyric poetry from ancient Greece and Rome and consider a range of thematic approaches to reading the surviving texts. 

Latin 1-3

You’ll be taught elements of the Latin language, literature, and culture to enable you to read the language at an elementary level. 

Ancient Greek 1-3

Learn elements of the Ancient Greek language, literature, and culture, enabling you to read the language at an elementary level.   

US Environmental Diplomacy from Nixon to Obama

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy on environmental issues from the Nixon administration to the Obama administration. You’ll be introduced to key ideas and debates on the role of the environment in US foreign policy and learn to reflect critically upon the historical basis of contemporary ideas about global environmental change.

After Malthus: Sex, Society, Sustainability and the Politics of Population in the Long Nineteenth Century

Discover the legacy of Thomas Malthus’ ‘population principle’ in shaping a series of debates across the long nineteenth century and its influence upon ideas of birth control, natural selection, ‘Social Darwinism’, and environmental sustainability. 

Presenting the Past: An Introduction to Museum Studies

Examine how contemporary museum practice contributes to social challenges. Visits to museums, case studies and theory will help you to consider the origins of museums along with how information is collected and presented to different audiences. 

Optional Language or University Wide Modules 

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you. 

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Optional modules

Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander

Discover the Greek classical age (479-323 BC), how to interact with sources, and principles and methods central to the study of ancient history. 

Ancient Epic

Discuss interpretations of Greek and Latin epic hexameter poetry such as the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid.  

Greek Sculpture and Architecture 

Gain knowledge of sculpture and architecture in the Greek world, from its beginnings to the end of the Hellenistic period and consider how, why, where and when these media developed. 

My Mother's Sin and Other Stories

Discover Greek poetry and fiction from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. You’ll consider historical, sociocultural, and wider literary developments of the period and how they illustrate attitudes to the ancient past.  

Latin 1-4

Further your knowledge of the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of Latin to increase your confidence when reading authors in the original Latin. 

Ancient Greek 1-4

Develop your skills to become competent reading ancient Greek authors and further your knowledge of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of the language. 

Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians with Placement

Complete a work or academic placement in summer to enhance your employability. You’ll relate your experience of exploring career paths to selected careers in the ancient world. 

Careers for Classicists and Ancient Historians 

Set yourself targets in order to make impactful job applications following your graduation, relating your experience of exploring career paths to selected careers in the ancient world. 

Roman History: From Republic to Empire

Gain knowledge of the historical, political, social, and economic developments of the imperial era of Rome, using various sources to investigate the impact of the Roman world on the present day.  

Ancient Drama

Develop your skills to become competent reading ancient Greek authors and further your knowledge of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of the language.  

Going Public: Presenting the Past, Planning the Future 

Explore public interpretations of the past and how history has been presented in the world outside of academia. You’ll work collaboratively with external partners on a group project which will challenge you to deal with ‘difficult’ history and conflicting narratives as you engage with wider audiences.  

People, Power and Revolution: Political Culture in Seventeenth-Century England 

Explore the turbulence of the political landscape in the seventeenth century as you study events such as Charles I’s execution and Oliver Cromwell’s rise to power. You’ll consider the extent ordinary people knew of, or were involved in, politics, what events led to revolution, and how politics compared from the beginning to the end of the century.

'The Brightest Jewel in the British Crown’: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947 

Discover the role of South Asia in international politics and globalisation, exploring key themes in the making of modern South Asia during the period of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent and its impact on the wider imperial world.  

Europe in the Twentieth Century 

Explore the geopolitical dynamics of modern European history from the formation of the German nation state in 1971 to the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. You'll consider why twentieth-century Europe was so violent, how warfare has evolved, and how Europe’s role has changed in a contemporary sense.   

Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’ 

Examine the key events, individuals and themes that shaped the Middle East in the 20th century, with a particular focus on Egypt. You’ll explore the origins and impact of Arab nationalism, outline the key Arab-Israeli wars and their consequences, and critically appraise the presidencies of Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak.  

Hollywood Histories: Film and the Past 

Tackle film aesthetics and off-camera censorship and reception as you study historical films evoking a different past from the present in which they were made. Ranging from silence to epic, to television to slow-burn docudramas, you’ll question how films reflect or shape popular notions of the past.   

American Century: United States History since 1898

Investigate the impact that US foreign policy has had on the development of the modern American state and society since the Spanish-American war of 1898.  

Preparing for your Dissertation

Prepare for your dissertation under the supervision of a member of the History Department. As well as key elements in research design, you’ll begin to think about how you select and engage with primary source material. 

Encountering the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 

Become introduced to the Atlantic World, discovering the impactful connections made between the 14th and 18th century and their turbulent influence on culture, economies and political structures. Explore how these connections have left an important and, at times, unsettling legacy in the modern world.  

Women and Medieval History 

Explore the role of women throughout the centuries with a particular focus on Western Europe. Learn how social status, cultural revolution, and other social and economic dynamics impacted how these women engaged with, and contributed to, the world around them.  

The Colonial Experience: Africa Since 1879

Survey the history of British – and also German, Belgian, and French – colonialism with an outlook into its legacy in Africa, South of the Sahara, 1879. Reflect on how the colonial experience relates to gender, age, social status and initiative.  

Black Britain: Race and Migration in Post-war United Kingdom 

Explore race in post-war Britain and how immigration has rendered contemporary Britain into a truly multi-cultural society. You'll study the influx of immigration from the 40s, 50s and 60s and the restrictive immigration acts that followed, and analyse the experience of migrants and the political responses of both the white population and black power and civil rights groups.

Curatorship and Collections Management

Explore the methods used by professionals to store, catalogue and research objects, and to communicate their meanings to the public. You’ll receive an induction to these methods and undertake assignments based on objects in the University’s collections.   

Medieval Medicine 

Study classical medical theories through to the plague in the fourteenth century. You'll explore religious concepts, the early Middle Ages, transmission of medical knowledge and medical schools, hospitals and charity, diagnosis and prognosis, women’s health and more. 

Museum Learning and Engagement

Critically examine the learning role of museums in society and discover resource design, evaluation, and visitor research. Talks from museum-based professionals and museum visits will allow you to contextualise and apply your learning. 

The Crusades, 1095-1291 

Survey the golden age of crusading, considering the historical context and how historians understand crusading. You’ll develop a sophisticated understanding of the reasons for the crusades and appreciation of the historiography of crusading. 

Medieval Europe: Power, Religion and Death

Learn how archaeological evidence, approaches and interpretation contribute to our understanding of Europe in the Middles Ages. You’ll apply your knowledge on a field trip to Winchester, one of the richest medieval urban landscapes in southern England. 

From Revolution to Reconstruction: A Social History of the Nineteenth-Century USA 

Evaluate the continuities and changes in peoples lives in the United States during the nineteenth century. You’ll consider differing interpretations of history offered by primary and secondary sources.

Optional Language or University Wide Modules 

Study a module from outside your Department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of 10 languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you. 

Society, Thought and Art in Modern Europe 

Gain a systematic historical, multi-disciplinary, cross-national, and comparative understanding of main ideas, institutions, and images of modernity. You’ll explore the contributions of European nations to the re-evaluation of tradition and innovation, the diffusion of modernity beyond the Western world to Asia and Africa, and its transformation and revitalisation by non-European influences. 

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Optional modules

Dissertation in Classics

Investigate a topic within classics to form the basis of an extended piece of original research or an original artistic production. To prepare for the dissertation you’ll participate in workshops and submit an assessed proposal. 

Independent Project in Classics

Conduct research, explication and documentation of a topic presented in a format different from the traditional dissertation. You’ll prepare for the project by participating in workshops and submitting an assessed proposal. 

Dissertation in History

Develop powers of synthesis and analysis and refine your knowledge on your chosen dissertation topic. You'll develop vital research skills as you explore specialised literature and primary sources and articulate a well-versed argument. 

Latin 1-6

Practice unseen translation to improve your language skills and achieve greater fluency in Latin with increased knowledge of the language’s grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. 

Ancient Greek 1-6

Increase your fluency in Ancient Greek by practicing unseen translation and developing advanced knowledge of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. 

Greek and Roman Painting

Investigate and critique Greek and Roman painting by exploring the styles and techniques used to decorate architecture and free-standing objects in the ancient world. 

‘Race’ and Ethnicity in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds 

Challenging the notion that ‘race’ and racism are modern concepts, you’ll explore racial and ethnic otherness in Greek and Latin texts along with how classical texts continue to shape our thinking on these issues. 

From Classroom to Courtroom: Mastering the Art of Persuasion in the Ancient World

Consider the relationship between theory of rhetoric and the practice of oratory in antiquity by examining the construction of ancient speeches and the skills required for composing and delivering them.  

Medieval Magic and the Origins of the Witch-Craze 

Absorb the history of magic as you gain an understanding of medieval practices and theories of magic. You’ll consider the wider social contexts within which they were developed to gain a deeper understanding on why they were welcomed or repressed.  

Battleaxes and Benchwarmers': Early Female MPs 1919-1931 

Assess the aftermath of suffrage and reassess the importance of the 1918 Representation of the People Act on British democracy. You'll examine the impact of the acts in relation to women, and the emergence of female MPs throughout the transformative social, political and economic context of the 1920s.  

History Education

Gain and reflect on practical work experience as you develop your interest in a career in education. You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills and share your knowledge in schools as you’re introduced to lesson-observation skills, secondary-level teaching strategies, and pedagogy characteristics of initial Teacher Education.   

Axis at War: Life and Death in Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, 1936-45 

Explore Italian and German society during a war which sparked civil war in Italy and sent millions to their deaths in the Holocaust. You'll examine diaries, letters, secret police reports and Allied Intelligent assessments to gain a view of life under fascism and the differing experiences of the Second World War.  

From Darwin to Death Camps? Evolution and Eugenics in European Society, 1859-1945 

Examine the reception of Darwin’s ideas and their influence in shaping social theories. You’ll focus on the shifting perceptions of a desirable social and biological order found in attempts by science, medicine and the State to influence heredity and evolution, regulate sexuality and reproduction, and eradicate disease and defect.   

The American Civil War 

Reflect on the historical impact on the American Civil War and how it shaped understandings of what it means to be American, particularly in relation to face. You’ll examine issues of contingency and consider how historians have understood the causes and consequences of the conflict. 

Utopia: The Quest for a Perfect World

Discover the utopian tradition to explore modern and historical attempts to create the perfect world. You’ll explore attempts to put utopia into practice, for example within Yugoslavia, Cuba and Scandinavia. 

Poor Law to Hostile Environment: Repatriation, Deportation and Exclusion from Britain 1800-2016 

Considering the concepts of ‘foreignness’, ‘home’ and attitudes towards migration, you’ll examine language and policies of repatriation and expulsion aimed at migrant and minority groups in Britain, from the early nineteenth to the twenty-first century.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Empire, Slavery, and Society, 1550-1750 

Examine ‘piracy’ in terms of its popular connotations, legal definition, and social dimensions. You’ll explore its development and consequences for early modern empires in the Caribbean and reflect on how attitudes towards piracy developed.

The United States and the Cold War

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy during the Cold War, the impact of the conflict on US domestic politics, and the influence of the Cold War on US society and culture. You’ll gain detailed knowledge, critically appraise primary sources and historical interpretations, and organise material and articulate arguments effectively in writing.

Optional Language or University Wide Modules 

Study a module from outside your Department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of 10 languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you. 

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.