Ancient History Cardiff University

Overview

Designed for students with no prior study of the ancient world, but also catering for those who do have some prior knowledge, the Ancient History degree from Cardiff University will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of these fascinating ancient societies, examining their political, social, economic and cultural structures, as well as building the skills that you need to succeed at university level and beyond.

Key Features

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.

You will assess the range of evidence available for the study of the ancient world and learn to evaluate varying and sometimes conflicting interpretations of the past, in order to construct your own robust and coherent arguments. You will practise communicating your ideas to different audiences in a variety of different media and formats. At the end of your degree, you will design and carry out an individual research project on a subject of your choice.

Career prospects

The degree equips you with important skills that employers value, from collaborative working and communicating with a wide range of audiences to critical thinking and finding new ways to address problems. Training and careers events are delivered in and out of the curriculum, with a focus on developing skills while in university and articulating those skills successfully in future applications. 

The university works closely with Student Futures, who not only deliver training and workshops, but also offer a wealth of placement opportunities. Beyond your formal studies we run programmes that provide you with opportunities to engage with local schools and communities or work with local heritage organisations to develop your own skills and profile whilst allowing you to make a difference.

The graduates progress into a wide range of careers using the skills gained throughout their degrees. Some choose to pursue professions making direct use of their discipline expertise, whilst others enter the public or private sectors, from graduate-level management to teaching. 

Recent graduates from the school have gone on to roles in museums, archaeology, the heritage sector, teaching and education, the media, civil service, the military, banking and insurance, the law, human resources and the charity sector, with employers ranging from the Museum Wales to local authorities and schools.

Graduate careers

• Historian
• Lecturer
• Curator