ip target image
You are currently browsing our site with content tailored to students in your country

Ancient History and History BA (Hons)

UK

What will I learn?

Why study this course

In Ancient History, you will discover the Near East, Persia and the Byzantine Empire, as well as the Greek and Roman worlds, by exploring a wide range of literary, visual, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. Prior study of ancient history isnt essential our programme will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of ancient societies, as well as the skills and knowledge that you need to succeed at university level and beyond.

For us, social and cultural topics are just as important as political history. You will encounter fascinating themes with contemporary relevance, such as warfare, gender and sexuality, religion, medicine, art and literature, and you will discover how antiquity continues to inspire the modern world.

The History element of this degree lets you shape your passion for history according to your interests, using the latest approaches to study the past with a critical eye and make connections to debates in the public sphere.

Our expertise reaches an extraordinary breadth of societies, periods and places, spanning the British Isles, Europe (east and west), Africa, Asia and the Americas. You will analyse topics from across the globe, allowing you to put into practice your skills as a historian. Moreover, prestigious collections in the Universitys Special Collections and Archives give you access to a wide range of original texts and sources, including some of the worlds oldest printed books.

Combining Ancient History and History is a great way to gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge, while exploring the entire range of the human past. The time spent on each subject is equally shared, allowing you to fully absorb ancient, medieval and modern history through material, written and visual evidence.

This programme is also available with a year of study abroad, extending your degree to a four-year programme, with your third year spent at a partner institution outside the UK.

Learning and assessment

You will learn through a wide range of teaching methods, from interactive lectures, lively discussion-based seminars and workshops to group work and tutorials. These on-campus activities will be blended with a range of online environments that will enhance your learning experience and enable you to extend your studies beyond the classroom. Seminars and workshops offer a rewarding experience to engage critically with key ideas and reading on a topic. They provide a valuable opportunity to explore ideas and work closely with your lecturers and to learn from other students. In your second and third years, you will undertake independent projects with the support of an expert in the field and one-to-one tuition.

Our teaching methods foster intellectual skills, such as critical thinking, close analysis, evaluating evidence, constructing arguments, using theory and the effective deployment of language in writing and in debate. We also help you gain experience in team working, independent research and time management.

We pride ourselves on nurturing a friendly, personalised and supportive environment, placing a strong emphasis on individual one-to-one meetings at key points throughout the degree. Bringing a wealth of expertise across theme, period and geography, your lecturers will share the latest thinking in the classroom, including their own cutting-edge research.

Which department am I in?

School of History, Archaeology and Religion

Study options

Full Time (3 Years)

Tuition fees
£22,700.00 (US$ 29,315) per year
£22700 Per year

This is a fixed fee

*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution

Start date

September 2025

Venue

Main Site - Cardiff

30-36 Newport Road,

Cardiff,

CF24 0DE, WALES, Wales

Full Time (3 Years)

Tuition fees
£23,700.00 (US$ 30,607) per year
This is a fixed fee

*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution

Start date

September 2025

Venue

Cathays Park Campus

Park Place,

Cardiff,

CF10 3AT, Wales, United Kingdom

Entry requirements

For students from United States

All offers will exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking

For international students

A level - ABB-BBC. International Baccalaureate - 32-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects. You must have or be working towards: English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements. We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects. We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements. IELTS - At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-score TOEFL iBT - At least 90 with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

ADD TO MY FAVOURITES

About Cardiff University

Cardiff University offers world-leading teaching, a vibrant campus life with diverse activities, excellent facilities, and global career prospects.

  • Ranked within top 24 research-intensive UK universities
  • 12th in the UK for graduate employability (THE, 2024)
  • 2nd most affordable UK university city (NatWest 2023)
  • More than 7,500 overseas students

Get in touch