Visual and Material Culture of Ancient Greece (MA) (2023 Entry)
Explore our Visual and Material Culture of Ancient Greece taught Master's degree.
Warwick's Classics and Ancient History Department have expertly designed this MA to focus on the history and material culture of Ancient Greece. With one module taught at the British School at Athens, you will go to Athens or Crete in the late spring/early summer.
Course overview
Our Visual and Material Culture of Ancient Greece MA course provides a thorough preparation in research techniques if you are considering further research in the fields of art, numismatics or epigraphy, or are working on an historical topic that involves the consideration of material evidence. It will also provide a detailed understanding of ancient visual and material culture to prepare you if you are aiming to enter a career in museums and curatorial work, or in education.
For the Visual and Material Culture of Ancient Greece course, one module is taught at the British School, Athens. It focuses on a different skill set for handling Ancient Greek material culture from year to year. Please note admission is subject to the discretion of the British Schools and cannot be guaranteed by Warwick.
Skills from this degree
The degree is designed to introduce you to major issues in the study of ancient material culture, and to key methodologies and approaches. It will help to develop your intellectual skills in the following areas:
- Ability to select and respond to particular methodological approaches when dealing with material culture
- Understanding of the ways in which material culture has been studied since antiquity
- Ability to present a structured chain of argument drawing together evidence into a cohesive whole
- Ability to select and apply appropriate problem-solving methodologies
- Ability to conduct independent research and analysis
It will also help to develop the following key transferable skills:
- Written and oral communication skills
- Organisational Skills
- Ability to evaluate intellectual progress
- IT skills – word processing
General entry requirements
Minimum requirements
Applicants will need to have achieved or be expecting to achieve a firm 2:i undergraduate degree in Classics/Ancient History/Archaeology or a relevant subject to be considered for entry.
English language requirements
You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:
- Band B
- IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
International qualifications
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.
For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.
Additional requirements
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Core modules
Approaching Ancient Visual and Material Culture
This is the core module for the taught MA in Ancient Visual and Material Culture. It is designed to introduce you to the major issues in the study of ancient visual and material culture, and to key methodologies and approaches. This module provides a broad grounding in the interpretation of the various different aspects of ancient material culture, which can then be pursued further in the individual option modules.
Dissertation
Module at British School, Athens
A language module, either
Master's Language Training
As part of the taught element of the MA you will study an ancient or modern language for one of your four modules. This can be used either to further your skills in ancient Greek or Latin, or to develop the knowledge of a modern language which will be necessary for further research.
or
Advanced Ancient Language (optional core)
Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Art of the Ancient World
- Ancient Numismatics
- Classical Epigraphy
Subject to demand, the options above usually run each year.
It is also possible to take an approved module from other Departments across the Faculty.
Teaching
There are 10, two-hour seminars held weekly or fortnightly in terms one and/or two and assessed by a 5,000 word essay on a topic of your choice, decided upon negotiation with a member of academic staff.
Seminars will comprise student-led presentations and discussion centred around pre-allocated reading and questions; others will take place in museums.
The BSA course is taught via site and museum visits and lectures, with students carrying out independent research in the BSA library.
Teaching methods used for language modules vary depending on the level, but run across all three terms.
Class sizes
The classes of the taught modules comprise 2-10 students and up to 15-20 for Language classes. This size allows teaching to be tailored according to the students’ interests.
Typical contact hours
For this course, the contact hours are six hours per week.
This includes face-to-face guidance to direct you to identify your research topic and do your research. Additional hours are provided during the time in Greece.
Assessment
Most modules (apart from language modules) are assessed by a 5,000-word essay on a topic of your choice, decided upon by negotiation with a member of academic staff. The dissertation will be a piece of work 15,000-20,000 words and built on the research carried out whilst on the programme.
Reading lists
Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web pageLink opens in a new window.
Your timetable
Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.
Your career
Typical career paths chosen by our graduates include jobs in museums and the heritage sector, education, publishing, the civil service and further research.
Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
- What can you do with a Classics and Ancient History degree?
- Careers in the Creative Industries
- Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
- Next steps after your MA…hear from alumni
- Networking for Classics students
Classics and Ancient History at Warwick
Take your fascination with the ancient world further.
Our Classics and Ancient History department is tailor-made for a community of curiosity. Work closely with award-winning academics while carving your own path through the varied disciplines we study - from literature and history, to philosophy and art.
Share your observations, opinions and developing interests. Develop critical and creative thinking that will prove valuable for your future – wherever in the world this might take you.
Find out more about us on our website.
Our Postgraduate courses
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.
Taught course fees Research course fees
Fee Status Guidance
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
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If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee status
Additional course costs
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
- Core text books
- Printer credits
- Dissertation binding
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships and financial support
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Living costs
Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.
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