BA Ancient History

CLA1001: Greek History: Problems and Sources

This module introduces you to the history of the Greek world from the Archaic period to the rise of Rome. You will explore who the 'Greeks' were, and how their culture came to dominate the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, as well as exploring in depth the different forms of ancient evidence that help us to reconstruct their world. This module offers an introduction not only to the political and military history of the Greek world, from the Persian Wars to the campaigns of Alexander and the eventual conquest by Rome, but also to their economic, social, religious and intellectual life.

• To provide an introduction to Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic Greek history.
• To develop an understanding, through a close study of ancient evidence and modern scholarship, of the limitations of textual evidence, as well as the general themes and problems of the periods and regions covered.

View an example full module specification

CLA1002: Roman History: Problems and Sources

In this module you will explore Roman History from the mythologised story of the foundation of the city in 753 BCE to the end of the Roman Empire in the West over a thousand years later. In particular, you will focus on the late Republic and Principate, a time of rapid imperial expansion, violent internal conflicts and the emergence of a new political order dominated by autocratic emperors. Within a broadly chronological structure, you will explore a range of important topics and questions concerning the Roman world through critical engagement with a wide variety of ancient material and modern scholarly approaches.

This module is designed to:

• help you gain knowledge and understanding of the grand sweep of ancient Roman history from its earliest times until the end of antiquity
• provide information about important aspects of - and debates about - political, cultural, social and economic history
• enable you to develop sophisticated skills of critical analysis and historiographical methods through exposure to a variety of relevant ancient sources and modern scholarly approaches to the subject

View an example full module specification

CLA1507: Ancient World: Greek Philosophy

The module will make you acquainted with the beginnings of philosophy, from the Presocratics to Aristotle. You will read some of the masterpieces of Western thought and become familiar with a number of crucial notions - such as explanation, principle, nature, convention, wellbeing and happiness - that are still of considerable importance in contemporary philosophical debates and in ordinary life. The module is intended for beginners and presupposes no previous acquaintance with philosophy, nor any knowledge of Greek and Latin. It is particularly suitable for interdisciplinary pathways as you will be introduced to notions that cut across philosophy, history, and literary studies.

• To explore key issues of ancient Greek philosophy, including the nature and origins of philosophy and the fundamental values of a human life.
• To analyse, evaluate and use ancient Greek philosophical texts by the Presocratics, Plato, and Aristotle - as well as modern scholarly discussions - as sources for understanding Greek philosophy.

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CLA1508: Ancient World: Roman Philosophy

This module aims to offer a chance for students from various backgrounds to explore a period of philosophy that is less often studied than Greek philosophy but which is rich in its intellectual and cultural interest. It shows how Roman Philosophy emerged against the background of later Greek (Hellenistic) Philosophy and how Roman thinkers gave a distinctive character to philosophical thought. It also offers you the chance to explore fundamental philosophical questions about human values and happiness, ethics and nature, mind and body, death and the gods, as these are treated by important Roman thinkers such as Lucretius, Cicero, and Marcus Aurelius.

• To examine a range of central philosophical questions debated in Roman philosophy and to set these debates against the background of later Greek (Hellenistic) thought, which strongly influenced Roman thought.
• To explore contrasting approaches of two leading philosophical movements in this period - Epicureanism and Stoicism - whose ideas are still relevant and significant today.
• To cover a range of topics that includes ethics (virtues and values), mind-body relationships, the nature of death, and the nature of the gods, through a set of readings by major Roman authors, especially Cicero, Lucretius and Marcus Aurelius.
• To engage with the philosophical questions conveyed in these readings and to become thoughtful and critical readers of a range of stimulating texts in Roman culture.

View an example full module specification

CLA1025: Classical Language and Texts Greek I (A)

Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and around the ancient world, from the islands of the Aegean Sea to Greek colonies in the Western Mediterranean, Asia and Africa. More Greek texts survive than any one individual could read in a lifetime, making it one of the best documented languages of ancient societies and providing us with fundamental first-hand knowledge about the ancient world. Through the coinage of new words, ancient Greek continues to be a productive language nowadays. This module, designed for those with no previous experience of the language, introduces you to the fundamentals of ancient Greek morphology, syntax and vocabulary. It will particularly appeal to those who have encountered the classical world through texts in translation and wish to know more about the languages in which these works were composed. By the end of the module, you will be able to read, comprehend and translate simple sentences and short passages of ancient Greek.

This module aims to:

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CLA1026: Classical Language and Texts Greek I (B)

Building on a solid foundation of learning in Classical Language and Texts: Greek I (A), this post-beginner module introduces further Greek morphology, syntax and vocabulary with a view to equipping you with the skills to read longer and more complex texts. By the end of the module, you will be able to read, comprehend and translate GCSE-level sentences and passages, and will be well-prepared, should you wish, to proceed to Greek II.

This module aims to:

• Build upon your pre-existing knowledge of basic Greek morphology, syntax, and vocabulary
• Develop your language-learning skills
• Enhance your understanding of how knowledge of Greek can enrich our understanding of the culture of ancient Greece
• Deepen your appreciation of the relationship between Greek and other Indo-European languages, including English

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CLA1027: Classical Language and Texts Latin I (A)

There is arguably no better way to get beneath the skin of the cultures of the ancient world than through the ancient languages. Latin was originally the language of a small area of Italy called Latium, in which the city of Rome was located, but as Rome's power grew the reach of the language expanded right across the Roman empire. Even after the fall of the Roman empire, Latin remained alive, while also becoming the root language for many modern languages in turn (including English). This module, designed for those with no previous experience of the language, introduces you to the fundamentals of Latin morphology, syntax and vocabulary. It will particularly appeal to those who have encountered the classical world through texts in translation and wish to know more about the languages in which these works were composed. By the end of the module, you will be able to read, comprehend and translate simple sentences and short passages of Latin.

This module aims to:

• Introduce you to some basic Latin morphology, syntax, and vocabulary
• Equip you with the language-learning skills required to proceed further with your study of Latin
• Draw attention to the ways in which knowledge of Latin enhances our understanding of Roman culture
• Illustrate the relationship between Latin and other Indo-European languages, including English

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CLA1028: Classical Language and Texts Latin I (B)

Building on a solid foundation of learning in Classical Language and Texts: Latin I (A), this post-beginner module introduces further Latin morphology, syntax and vocabulary with a view to equipping you with the skills to read longer and more complex texts. By the end of the module, you will be able to read, comprehend and translate GCSE-level sentences and passages, and will be well-prepared, should you wish, to proceed to Latin II.

This module aims to:

• Build upon your pre-existing knowledge of basic Latin morphology, syntax, and vocabulary
• Develop your language-learning skills
• Enhance your understanding of how knowledge of Latin can enrich our understanding of Roman culture
• Deepen your appreciation of the relationship between Latin and other Indo-European languages, including English

View an example full module specification

CLA1202: Classical Language and Texts: Greek II

This module will build on your knowledge of Greek from Greek level I or equivalent. You will learn to read and understand unadapted passages from Greek texts, without assistance. You will also complete some English to Greek work. You will be taught to use grammatical aids which will enable you to follow linguistic structures to help you to solve problems of syntax and grammatical structure. You will have regular practice at translating text and will be assessed through the year. This module will prepare you for higher level Greek classes at stage 3.

The aims of the module are:

• To develop your linguistic confidence.
• To develop your ability to read extracts without adaptation from the most important and influential Greek authors.
• To encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content.

View an example full module specification

CLA1204: Classical Language and Texts: Greek III

This module will build on your existing knowledge of Greek. It will increase your fluency in reading whole Greek texts and strengthen your linguistic abilities. You will focus on studying a main set text and supplementary and supporting texts which will be complemented with classes dedicated to language and syntax work.

The module aims are:

• To study set texts, Greek language work and the practice of literary criticism together in a single integrated module.
• To prepare you for the study of Greek language and literature at a more advanced level.

View an example full module specification

CLA1252: Classical Language and Texts: Latin II

This module will build on your knowledge of Latin from Latin level I or equivalent (e.g. GCSE). You will learn independently to read and understand passages without adaption from Latin texts. You will be introduced to grammar and syntax not covered at previous levels of study. Texts will be chosen from various authors of prose and poetry to encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content. Building on developing your knowledge of Latin grammar and syntax, study of language and literature will progressively be introduced as your confidence increases.

The aims of the module are:

• To develop your linguistic confidence.
• To develop your ability to read extracts without adaptation from the most important and influential Latin authors.
• To encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content.

View an example full module specification

CLA1254: Classical Language and Texts: Latin III

This module will build on your existing knowledge of Latin. It will increase your fluency in reading whole Latin texts and strengthen your linguistic abilities. You will focus on studying a main set text in each term and supplementary and supporting texts which will be complemented with classes dedicated to language and syntax work.

This module aims:

• To study set texts, Latin language work and the practice of literary criticism together in a single integrated module.
• To prepare you for the study of Latin language and literature at a more advanced level.

View an example full module specification

CLA1030: Ancient World: Racecraft

How did 'race' come to be an important part of the contemporary world? Has race always been a criterion for categorising people and organising social difference, as it is now? Questions of this kind will be at the core of this module which will look at how social difference was organised in ancient worlds. If we take our jumping off point that Greeks and Romans did not have a concept of race that maps neatly onto our notions of race, how did they organise social difference? And - where did ideas about race come from if the Greeks and Romans thought so differently about it? To answer these questions, we will look at ancient and modern ideas together in order to appreciate that race is neither a fixed or nor timeless way of categorising and making hierarchies between people. Instead, race is 'crafted' (as argued by sociologists Karen and Barbara Fields). We will be thinking about race in the ancient world as crafted in particular ways to support modern ideas about whiteness, empire, and civilisation.

No prior skills, knowledge or experience are required to take this module, only willingness to examine its origins and effects with curiosity and a sensitivity to others' lived and ongoing experiences of racism. This module is suitable for non-specialist students, and is recommended for interdisciplinary pathways: joint honours students are warmly welcome.

View an example full module specification

CLA1031: Text and Context: Women in Homer

This module explores the roles of women in the Homeric epics, alongside an investigation of the latest scientific and archaeological discoveries unearthing the real experiences of women in the Late Bronze Age. We will ask questions like: why has the Iliad often been thought as 'all about men'? Why does the Odyssey start with a woman being told to shut up? Is there a way that we can read women back into Homer? How do we interpret powerful women from the Late Bronze Age like Puduhepa, Queen of the Hittites - and what might she have to do with Homeric epic? And how might discoveries in archaeology and science shed new light on the experiences of women in the ancient world - and make us read these texts in a different way?

The aims of the module are:

• To explore the many different roles played by women in the Homeric poems, and to unpack how setting these alongside the historical experiences of women in the Late Bronze Age can change and shape the way we think about Homer - as well as the importance of women, both narratively and historically.
• To analyse the Homeric epics within their ancient literary, historical and cultural context, and - at the same time - to critically examine how contemporary concerns and theoretical approaches can change the way we understand the past.

View an example full module specification

CLA1035: Roman Death and Commemoration

This module explores how people in the Roman world considered the fundamental and ever-present questions surrounding death and commemoration. By interpreting a wide range of sources including inscribed monuments, grave goods and literary texts, you will examine how Roman society treated and remembered its dead. You will focus not only on topics including burial and cremation practices, funerary portraiture, the composition and display of epitaphs, and regional patterns of commemoration, but also on how social inequalities affect the ways in which people are represented and under-represented in our source materials. You will also look at how aspects of Roman commemorative practices resonate in the modern day. All texts will be studied in translation and no prior knowledge is required.

View an example full module specification

CLA1301: Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Tyranny

The word 'tyranny' means something quite different today than it did in the ancient world, where it was the name given to the form of monarchy established in many Greek states in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. Tyranny was not a special form of constitution, or necessarily a reign of terror; the tyrant might either rule directly or retain existing political institutions but exercise a greater influence over their working, and his rule might be benevolent or malevolent. This module will explore the ways in which autocratic power was understood and discussed by different Greek authors and their successors, and the challenges involved in trying to reconstruct the historical reality and significance of tyranny.

The aims of the module are:

• To engage in in-depth thinking about the literary sources for archaic tyranny
• To illustrate the advantages and limitations of textual evidence for understanding the ancient world and the archaic period in particular

View an example full module specification

CLA1354: Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Brave New Rome of Augustus

The Augustan Age is seen as one of the turning points in the history of Rome, Italy and the Ancient Mediterranean, embodying tradition and innovation, continuity and novelty. Yet the great building programs that transformed Rome into an imperial capital, were not always celebrated, but criticised and feared for what they represented - tyranny. In this module you will consider how the visual and architectural language was developed as a tool of power. We will read the tremendous wealth of evidence against the grain - along with the silences - to uncover multiple histories of the age, whether in monuments, engravings, poetry, or political writings.

• You will consider: What models are drawn on to create the new capital city worthy of empire? How is the art and architecture used to rewrite history and bring in new ideals where gods mingle with mortals and myth becomes reality? Can we begin to understand the effect of the new structures on the Roman population? How did the building programme refocus the centres of activity and redirect the movement and gaze of the city? In what sense is the building programme innovative and to what extent is it simply mirroring trends of other great cities with similar types of rule? Is it a monument to immortality?
• This module also provides an introduction into how to use and analyse visual and material evidence as a historical source, drawing on key texts, including poetry and the Res Gestae.
• You will engage in in-depth thinking into the underlying aims of and influences on the building programme, the monuments and art of Augustan Rome.

View an example full module specification

CLA1405: Text and Context: Roman Laughter

What made the Romans laugh? What were the limits of Roman humour? What does this reveal about Roman culture and society? This module addresses some of the key issues of the politics and poetics of Roman humour. It is concerned with the way the Romans employed wit, satire and irony for comment, criticism and deconstruction, as well as a powerful weapon in their rhetorical battles. We will consider a range of materials, from the poems of Catullus, to the fables of Phaedrus, to non-elite art. Ultimately, we will address whether the humour that seems to turn everything on its head seeks to subvert or reinforce prevailing power structures.

You will learn how to analyse, evaluate and use texts from a range of genres and how to relate their style and content to the wider context of Roman literary culture and society. In considering what we can learn about the Romans from their use of humour, you will also be encouraged to think about uses of humour in the modern world and the socio-cultural insights that can be gleaned from thinking about what makes us laugh.

View an example full module specification

CLA2001: Greek History: Problems and Sources

This module introduces the history of the Greek world from the Archaic period to the rise of Rome. It explores who the 'Greeks' were, and how their culture came to dominate the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, as well as exploring in depth the different forms of ancient evidence that help us to reconstruct their world. This module offers an introduction not only to the political and military history of the Greek world, from the Persian Wars to the campaigns of Alexander and the eventual conquest by Rome, but also to their economic, social, religious and intellectual life.

• To provide an introduction to Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic Greek history.
• To develop an understanding, through a close study of ancient evidence and modern scholarship, of the limitations of textual evidence, as well as the general themes and problems of the periods and regions covered.

View an example full module specification

CLA2002: Roman History: Problems and Sources

In this module you will explore Roman History from the mythologised story of the foundation of the city in 753 BC to the end of the Roman Empire in the West over a thousand years later. In particular, you will focus on the late Republic and Principate, a time of rapid imperial expansion, violent internal conflicts and the emergence of a new political order dominated by autocratic emperors. Within a broadly chronological structure, you will explore a range of important topics and questions concerning the Roman world through critical engagement with a wide variety of ancient material and modern scholarly approaches.

This module is designed to:

• help you gain knowledge and understanding of the grand sweep of ancient Roman history from its earliest times until the end of antiquity
• provide information about important aspects of - and debates about - political, cultural, social and economic history
• enable you to develop sophisticated skills of critical analysis and historiographical methods through exposure to a variety of relevant ancient sources and modern scholarly approaches to the subject.

View an example full module specification

CLA2030: Ancient World: Racecraft

How did 'race' come to be an important part of the contemporary world? Has race always been a criterion for categorising people and organising social difference, as it is now? Questions of this kind will be at the core of this module which will look at how social difference was organised in ancient worlds. If we take our jumping off point that Greeks and Romans did not have a concept of race that maps neatly onto our notions of race, how did they organise social difference? And - where did ideas about race come from if the Greeks and Romans thought so differently about it? To answer these questions, youwill look at ancient and modern ideas together in order to appreciate that race is neither a fixed or nor timeless way of categorising and making hierarchies between people. Instead, race is 'crafted' (as argued by sociologists Karen and Barbara Fields). You will be thinking about race in the ancient world as crafted in particular ways to support modern ideas about whiteness, empire, and civilisation.

No prior skills, knowledge or experience are required to take this module, only willingness to examine its origins and effects with curiosity and a sensitivity to others' lived and ongoing experiences of racism. This module is suitable for non-specialist students, and is recommended for interdisciplinary pathways: joint honours students are warmly welcome.

View an example full module specification

CLA2031: Text and Context: Women in Homer

This module enables you to explore the roles of women in the Homeric epics, alongside investigation of the latest scientific and archaeological discoveries unearthing the real experiences of women in the Late Bronze Age, which might have informed the Homeric poems. We will ask questions like: why has the Iliad often been thought as 'all about men'? Why does the Odyssey start with a woman being told to shut up? Is there a way that we can read women back into Homer? And how might discoveries in archaeology and science shed new light on the experiences of women - and make us read these texts in a different way?

The aims of the module are:

• To enable you to explore the many different roles played by women in the Homeric poems, and to unpack how setting these alongside the historical experiences of women in the Late Bronze Age can change and shape the way we think about Homer - as well as the importance of women, both narratively and historically.
• To enable you to analyse the Homeric epics within their ancient literary, historical and cultural context, and - at the same time - to critically examine how contemporary concerns and theoretical approaches can change the way we understand the past.

View an example full module specification

CLA2035: Roman Death and Commemoration

This module explores how people in the Roman world considered the fundamental and ever-present questions surrounding death and commemoration. By interpreting a wide range of sources including inscribed monuments, grave goods and literary texts, you will examine how Roman society treated and remembered its dead. You will focus not only on topics including burial and cremation practices, funerary portraiture, the composition and display of epitaphs, and regional patterns of commemoration, but also on how social inequalities affected the ways in which people are represented and under-represented in our source materials. You will also look at how aspects of Roman commemorative practices resonate in the modern day. All texts will be studied in translation and no prior knowledge is required.

View an example full module specification

CLA2202: Classical Language and Texts: Greek II

This module will build on your knowledge of Greek from Greek level I or equivalent. You will learn to read and understand unadapted passages from Greek texts, without assistance. You will also complete some English to Greek work. You will be taught to use grammatical aids which will enable you to follow linguistic structures to help you to solve problems of syntax and grammatical structure. You will have regular practice at translating text and will be assessed through the year. This module will prepare you for higher level Greek classes at stage 3.

The aims of the module are:

• To develop your linguistic confidence.
• To develop your ability to read extracts without adaptation from the most important and influential Greek authors.

To encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content.

View an example full module specification

CLA2205: Classical Language and Texts: Greek IV

This module offers you the opportunity to really get to grips with Greek literature in the original language. By reading a themed selection of texts within their historical, intellectual and literary-cultural contexts, as well as engaging with modern interpretations of these works, you will broaden your knowledge of Greek literature, develop sophisticated skills of literary analysis and enhance your understanding of the Greek language. At the end of the year, you will have gained an appreciation for the subtleties of literary texts and will be able to regard yourself as 'reading', rather than 'translating' classical literature. The module will therefore be an excellent way to round off your study of Greek literature if you are finishing at this point, as well as providing vital preparation for those who will be going on to take Greek V.

View an example full module specification

CLA2252: Classical Language and Texts: Latin II

This module will build on your knowledge of Latin from Latin level I or equivalent (e.g. GCSE). You will learn independently to read and understand passages without adaption from Latin texts. You will be introduced to grammar and syntax not covered at previous levels of study. Texts will be chosen from various authors of prose and poetry to encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content. Building on developing your knowledge of Latin grammar and syntax, study of language and literature will progressively be introduced as your confidence increases.

The aims of the module are:

• To develop your linguistic confidence
• To develop your ability to read extracts without adaptation from the most important and influential Latin authors.
• To encourage you to appreciate the style of different authors and the relationship between language and literary content.

View an example full module specification

CLA2254: Classical Language and Texts: Latin IV

This module offers you the opportunity to really get to grips with Latin literature in the original language. By reading a themed selection of texts within their historical, intellectual and literary-cultural contexts, as well as engaging with modern interpretations of these works, you will broaden your knowledge of Latin literature, develop sophisticated skills of literary analysis and enhance your understanding of the Latin language. At the end of the year, you will have gained an appreciation for the subtleties of literary texts and will be able to regard yourself as 'reading', rather than 'translating' classical literature. The module will therefore be an excellent way to round off your study of Latin literature if you are finishing at this point, as well as providing vital preparation for those who will be going on to take Latin V.

View an example full module specification

CLA2301: Ancient Sources (Written Evidence): Tyranny

The word 'tyranny' means something quite different today than it did in the ancient world, where it was the name given to the form of monarchy established in many Greek states in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. Tyranny was not a special form of constitution, or necessarily a reign of terror; the tyrant might either rule directly or retain existing political institutions but exercise a greater influence over their working, and his rule might be benevolent or malevolent. This module will explore the ways in which autocratic power was understood and discussed by different Greek authors and their successors, and the challenges involved in trying to reconstruct the historical reality and significance of tyranny.

The aims of the module are:

• To engage in in-depth thinking about the literary sources for archaic tyranny
• To illustrate the advantages and limitations of textual evidence for understanding the ancient world and the archaic period in particular

View an example full module specification

CLA2354: Ancient Sources (Material Evidence): Brave New Rome of Augustus

The Augustan Age is seen as one of the turning points in the history of Rome, Italy and the Ancient Mediterranean, embodying tradition and innovation, continuity and novelty. Yet the great building programs that transformed Rome into an imperial capital, were not always celebrated but criticised and feared for what they represented - tyranny. In this module you will consider the visual and architectural language that was developed as a tool of power. We will read the tremendous wealth of evidence against the grain - along with the silences - to uncover multiple histories of the age, whether in monuments, engravings, poetry, or political writings.

• You will consider: What models are drawn on to create the new capital city worthy of empire? How is the art and architecture used to rewrite history and bring in new ideals where gods mingle with mortals and myth becomes reality? Can we begin to understand the effect of the new structures on the Roman population? How did the building programme refocus the centres of activity and redirect the movement and gaze of the city? In what sense is the building programme innovative and to what extent is it simply mirroring trends of other great cities with similar types of rule? Is it a monument to immortality?
• This module also provides an introduction into how to use and analyse visual and material evidence as a historical source, drawing on key texts, including poetry and the Res Gestae.
• You will engage in in-depth thinking into the underlying aims of and influences on the building programme, the monuments and art of Augustan Rome.

View an example full module specification

CLA2405: Text and Context: Roman Laughter

What made the Romans laugh? What were the limits of Roman humour? What does this reveal about Roman culture and society? This module addresses some of the key issues of the politics and poetics of Roman humour. It is concerned with the way the Romans employed wit, satire and irony for comment, criticism and deconstruction, as well as a powerful weapon in their rhetorical battles. We will consider a range of materials, from the poems of Catullus, to the fables of Phaedrus, to non-elite art. Ultimately, we will address whether the humour that seems to turn everything on its head seeks to subvert or reinforce prevailing power structures.

You will learn how to analyse and critically evaluate texts from a range of genres and how to relate their style and content to the wider context of Roman literary culture and society In considering what we can learn about the Romans from their use of humour, you will also be encouraged to think about uses of humour in the modern world and the socio-cultural insights that can be gleaned from thinking about what makes us laugh.

View an example full module specification

CLA2508: Ancient World: Roman Philosophy

This module aims to offer a chance for students from various backgrounds to explore a period of philosophy that is less often studied than Greek philosophy but which is rich in its intellectual and cultural interest. It shows how Roman Philosophy emerged against the background of later Greek (Hellenistic) Philosophy and how Roman thinkers gave a distinctive character to philosophical thought. It also offers you the chance to explore fundamental philosophical questions about human values and happiness, ethics and nature, mind and body, death and the gods, as these are treated by important Roman thinkers such as Lucretius, Cicero, and Marcus Aurelius.

The aim of this module is to:

• Examine a range of central philosophical questions debated in Roman philosophy and to set these debates against the background of later Greek (Hellenistic) thought, which strongly influenced Roman thought.
• Explore contrasting approaches of two leading philosophical movements in this period - Epicureanism and Stoicism - whose ideas are still relevant and significant today.
• Cover a range of topics that includes ethics (virtues and values), mind-body relationships, the nature of death, and the nature of the gods, through a set of readings by major Roman authors, especially Cicero, Lucretius and Marcus Aurelius.
• Engage with the philosophical questions conveyed in these readings and to become thoughtful and critical readers of a range of stimulating texts in Roman culture.

View an example full module specification

HAS3999: Study Abroad

The Study Abroad programme enables you to undertake a year-long study placement at a partner university outside of the UK, as part of your degree programme.

This module serves as the administrative mechanism for recording the Study Abroad assessment results of students within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS). Students participating in the Study Abroad programme and based in a HASS department (except for the Law School, the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, Modern Languages, and the School of Education) will be registered on this module during their Study Abroad placement year.

The Study Abroad programme widens the range of modules available to you during Stage 3 of your degree programme; enables you to broaden your academic horizons by studying in a different learning culture and (where relevant and appropriate) in languages other than English; and aims to promote resilience, independence, cultural awareness, and communication skills.

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HAS3998: Employment Experience

This module allows you to undertake and to learn from an extended work placement during the third year of a four year “with Employment Experience” programme. You will use one or more work placements to gain skills that equip you to work in the employment market and to improve your knowledge of the work environment. You are encouraged to think about the intercultural competence and the employability skills that you acquire during your year.

To progress to this module, you will have secured a suitable placement for a minimum of 26 weeks.

Having developed the skills necessary to find relevant roles and apply for roles in the graduate labour market, this is an invaluable opportunity to develop work-related skills and experience that will further enhance your success in the graduate labour market and support your future career choices.

During your placement year you will be supported by the Module Convenor and Placement Team.

The module assessment structure provides opportunity and support for you to evaluate your skills and achievements using personal development techniques.  You will also write an Employer Report to showpiece the culmination of your academic and business skills.

This module aims to:

View an example full module specification