Faculty of Classics University of Oxford |
Frequently Asked QuestionsChoosing a Course | Your Application | Interview and Selection | Studying at Oxford Choosing a CourseYou can find detailed information on how to choose the best course for you on our courses page. 1. I am doing Latin to A2 and Greek to AS: could I apply for course IA, accepting that I might be disadvantaged by taking the Greek test as well as the Latin at admissions? Q1. I am doing Latin to A2 and Greek to AS: could I apply for course IA, accepting that I might be disadvantaged by taking the Greek test as well as the Latin at admissions? It would be best to apply for course IB and do only the Latin test at admissions; if you were accepted, your tutor could advise whether you should follow course IA. Q2. I've done only one language at school: what are my options? You can apply for the full range of classical courses (Literae Humanies, Classics and English, Classics and Modern Languages, Classics and Oriental Studies, Classical Archaeology and Ancient and Modern History). See the table of language requirements (Language requirements), which will show you which classical courses are most suitable for you. Q3. I haven't done any work in the original languages: what are my options? No problem at all. We recognise that not every school can offer classical language teaching and we are proud that our whole range of classical degrees at Oxford, both linguistic and non-linguistic, is available to the best applicants, regardless of whether or not they have had the opportunity to study Greek and Latin before university. We provide intensive tuition in Latin and/or Greek to suit all levels of prior experience. See the table of language requirements, which shows that you can apply for any of our classical degrees (Literae Humaniores II is a version of our main Classics degree, which has been specially designed for applicants in your position; on this course you may, but do not have to, learn both classical languages during your degree). Q4. I would like to apply for Classics course II, but I'm worried that I might be expected to have taken Latin or Greek at least to GCSE. There really is absolutely no need or expectation for you to have taken any Latin or Greek at all in order to apply for this course. The GCSE expectation is firmly a thing of the past! We do urge successful candidates to attend a summer school before starting their course, so as to make some progress in advance. From then on, we provide all the tuition you need. We are perfectly happy for you to apply without a single word of Latin or Greek, but if you want to see how well you get on with learning a classical language before you apply, why not attend a summer school in Latin or Greek first? See the JACT website for details of future courses. Q5. I would like to study Classics and English, but I haven't studied either Latin or Greek before. Is this a problem? No, for some time there has been available a version of the Classics and English degree specifically for people who are taking neither Latin or Greek to A2 (or equivalent). This version of the course lasts for four rather than three years, since it has a preparatory year of language learning built in, which caters for all levels of prior experience. See Q6. I would like to study Ancient and Modern History, but I am not taking Latin or Greek at school. Will I be at a disadvantage? No. The university does not require any knowledge of either classical language from Ancient and Modern Historians (although there are opportunities for those who have studied Latin or Greek to use it in their degree). However, it is worth checking with individual college tutors or the Schools Liaaison Officer if you are in any way worried about this aspect of your application. Q7. I would like to study Ancient and Modern History. I am taking Ancient History but not Modern History at A2 level. Am I still eligible to apply? There are no hard and fast rules about which subjects must have been taken, but it would be well worth consulting individual college tutors about this. Very many students apply for AMH without taking Ancient History at school (although quite a few are taking Classical Civilisation, or some other classical subject), but it would be highly unusual for an applicant to lack Modern History as a school subject. Q8. I would like to study Classics and Modern Languages, but I don't know whether to choose the 3+1-year or 4+1-year version of the course. What is the difference? In the 3+1-year version, you study both one ancient and one modern language throughout the three years in Oxford (1 year abroad). In the 4+1-year version, you spend the first five terms studying for Classics Mods, and only after that do you add in your Modern Language. While the 3+1 version focuses on literature and language on the Classics side, the 4+1 version necessarily also involves at least one option in philosophy (ancient or modern) and at least one in ancient history or archaeology or comparative philology. The modern language receives approximately the same amount of attention in each version, though the extra year in the 4+1 version enables more attention to be given to the ancient world in the round. Q9. I am very interested in Ancient Egypt. Are there opportunities to study this as part of the Classics/CAAH/AMH degree at Oxford? Yes, there is a paper called 'Egyptian Art and Architecture' in CAAH. If you have a strong interest in Egyptology, you might also look at the degree in Classics and Oriental Studies. See the course outline for Classics and Oriental Studies. Classics and Oriental Studies. © C@O 2012: Classics at Oxford, Faculty of Classics. Webmaster. Last updated:
September 11, 2012.
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