The following courses are not necessarily shown in the recommended order of study for an OU qualification. Follow this link for an overview of our courses and how you might combine them. To view taster materials, follow the link on the left.
Exploring the Classical World (A219)
A219 has been designed as a broad introduction to Classical Studies. This 60 point Level 2 course, as well as being of general interest, will act as a gateway to the other Classical Studies courses at Levels 2 and 3. It's not simply a survey course - rather than skim the whole field in a superficial way, it will investigate limited areas in some depth.
See A219's information website.
Reading classical Greek: language and literature (A275)
This 60 point course combines an introduction to classical Greek language with the study of classical Greek culture and literature in translation. It is intended for beginners in Greek and assumes no previous experience of language learning.
Watch a brief video introduction to this course.
Go to the Interactive Introduction to Ancient Greek page.
Reading Classical Latin (A297)
Like A275 Reading Classical Greek, this 30 point course is intended for absolute beginners and has been developed around an existing textbook, Reading Latin by P Jones and K Sidwell (C.U.P., 1986). This is supplied as part of the course material and takes the form of a Course Guide and audio cassettes. This course complements other Classical Studies courses, especially AA309.
Continuing Classical Latin (A397)
This 30 point intermediate Latin course will help you to build on and develop your knowledge of Latin grammar and vocabulary. In the first twenty weeks of the course you will work on grammar as well as reading texts from the Cambridge Latin Anthology including Catullus, Horace, Ovid, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger. You will spend the remaining twelve weeks studying the set text, Virgil’s Aeneid II, which recounts the fall of Troy. The course will develop the skills and knowledge you need for reading unadapted Latin texts on your own. The Preparatory Booklet will allow you to refresh your knowledge of the language, if necessary, and to decide whether the level of the course is right for you.
Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds (A330)
This 60 point Level 3 course is a broad interdisciplinary study of Greek and Roman myth in its social, historical, literary and visual context. It combines the detailed study of individual works of literature, art and architecture with an exploration of context, function and purpose. A particular aspect you will study is the reception of mythical ideas and images in later European culture. Interactive visual explorations of key ancient and modern sites, monuments and artefacts relevant to mythological themes are supplied on DVD-ROM – together with audio interviews with experts tracing the influence of myth on, for example, drama, science and medicine.
See the A330 webpage.
The arts past and present (AA100)
This 60 point course has a Classical Studies component including both Greek and Roman material, with units on Cleopatra, on Roman leisure and on Seamus Heaney's play The Burial at Thebes and its relationship to Sophocles' Antigone. Follow this link for answers to frequently asked questions and course tasters.
Voices and texts (A150)
This 20-week 30 point course focuses on language in a wide range of contexts and from the perspective of different academic subjects, including classical studies. Book 1 focuses in part on modern works that draw on Ancient Greek texts.
Making sense of things: an introduction to material culture (A151)
This 20-week 30 point course introduces you to the study of objects, or material culture, in both the past and present from a variety of different perspectives. These include heritage studies, art history, classical studies, history, philosophy and religious studies. Book 1 includes a case study on the House of Menander at Pompeii and a chapter on classification, which focuses on the study of ancient Athenian vases.
World Archaeology (A251)
This 30 point course introduces the archaeology of the world from the Ice Age to nearly the present day. It focuses on the origins of agriculture, the first cities, states and empires. Another topic is culture contact and movements of people around the world. The course includes study of the Greek and Roman worlds but also many other societies.
Diploma of Higher Education
in Humanities
(E64)
The new Diploma of Higher Education in Humanities replaces the Diploma in Classical Studies and offers you a broad introduction to the arts and humanities with the option to specialise in one or more subjects, including Classical Studies.
BA (Hons) Humanities with Classical Studies (B03)
360 CATS points, of which 300 should be from Arts courses and should include at least 120 points from the Classical Studies undergraduate courses, with at least 60 points at third level (which may not be obtained by credit transfer). For further details follow the link above and scroll down the page to read the section on Humanities with Classical Studies.
The MA in Classical Studies is part of the MA in Humanities and can be studied either as a specialist line or as part of a broadly-based MA programme. Please note that our current taught masters in Classical Studies is no longer available to new students, but our new MA in Classical Studies curriculum will be available to study from October 2014. The specialist line consists of a postgraduate foundation module, a subject module on the Greek Theatre and a dissertation module. The entry requirement is a BA Honours degree. Applicants without a formal Classics / Classical Studies qualification should consult the entry advice.
The Classical Studies Department and their highly valued and talented body of part-time associate lecturers (these are your lifelines, the tutors who will mark your assignments, run your tutorials and generally guide and motivate you in your study) will be delighted if you decide to take part in our degree programme. We welcome your feedback whether it is encouraging or critical. If you email us (Arts-Classics-Gen-Enquiries@open.ac.uk) or write to the Head of Classical Studies we’ll do our best to answer your questions and respond to your comments as promptly as possible.
