BA Philosophy and Classical Studies

Examine some of our most fundamental ideas about truth, reality, right and wrong and explore the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome. Experience these cultures first-hand through our unique collection of antiquities with our BA Philosophy and Classical Studies.
Philosophy and Classical Studies at the University of Reading will equip you with the ability to think logically, to evaluate arguments critically, and to challenge your own ideas and those of other people.
In Philosophy, you will learn about the central philosophical principles, concepts, problems, texts and figures, from leading experts whose research strengths lie especially in moral philosophy and the philosophy of the mind and language. 
Small class sizes in both our Philosophy and Classics departments ensure that students receive dedicated individual attention and, in 2018, we achieved an 87% satisfaction score for the teaching on our courses in the National Student Survey.
In Classical Studies, you will learn about the literature, history and culture of ancient civilisations. Through the study of translated texts you can discover how the ancient world has influenced modern literature and culture. You will explore themes of poetry, tragedy and love in classical literature, art, and performance. You can also enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through Latin and Greek language modules or gain an understanding of the period through different media, for example through drama and films from Ben-Hur to Gladiator.
The Department of Classics is ranked sixth in the UK for research overall, third in the UK for research output (Times Higher Education Institutions ranked by subject, 2014, based on its analysis of REF 2014 - Classics), and 100% of our research impact has been recognised as world leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework, 2014 - Classics). Modules such as Ancient Philosophy will give you a chance to combine what you have learned in Philosophy and in Classical Studies, as you learn about the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle.