Ancient Visual and Material Culture MA

Explore our Ancient Visual and Material Culture Master's degree at Warwick

P-V301

MA

1 year full-time;
2 years part-time

29 September 2025

Classics and Ancient History

University of Warwick

The Ancient Visual and Material Culture MA will train you for further research in the fields of art, numismatics or epigraphy. Acquire necessary research techniques and skills at Warwick's Classics and Ancient History department.

The taught MA courses provide an overview of the scope of the visual and material culture of the ancient world, the ways in which it might be studied, and the questions that can be asked of it.

The core module gives you an awareness of historiography and methodological issues affecting the study of the material culture of the ancient world as well as inviting you to consider the ways in which its study can contribute to our picture of antiquity.

Optional modules allow you to develop your interests in particular aspects of the subject (art, epigraphy, numismatics, or an approved external option) in more depth, while a core language component provides the linguistic skills necessary to conduct further research.

This MA 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.

This MA also provides a solid basis for independent research, and often leads students to engage in MPhil/PhD studies in Ancient Visual and Material Culture.

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

Taught modules are taught through 10 two-hour seminars held weekly or fortnightly in terms one and/or two. Seminars will comprise student-led presentations and discussion centred around pre-allocated reading and questions; others will take place in museums. Teaching methods used for language modules vary depending on the level, but run across all three terms.

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.

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.

Most modules (apart from language modules) will be 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 

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platformLink opens in a new window. 

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogueLink opens in a new window.  

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department. 

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.

Applicants will need to have achieved or be expecting to achieve a good 2:1 undergraduate degree in Classics/Ancient History/Archaeology or a relevant subject to be considered for entry.

• 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.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

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.

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