This course explores the extraordinary legacy of the classical world and its enduring influence on modern literature and culture. Study texts written in every era, from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, and contemporary writing from America, the Caribbean and across the globe. In Classical Studies, you will learn about the literature, history and culture of ancient civilisations. Through the study of translated texts you can explore genres and themes like poetry, tragedy and love in classical literature, and their influence on the modern world. You can also enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through Latin and Greek language modules or gain an understanding of the period through different media, for example through drama and films from Ben-Hur to Gladiator. In your English Literature, you will read more of authors and genres that you already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). But you will also encounter aspects of literary studies that you may not know so well, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary Caribbean and American fiction. All students are encouraged to undertake a work placement, and the Classics Department benefits from a dedicated placements officer to help with CV writing and applications. Past students have undertaken work placements in a charity, barristers' chambers and within a division of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Others have enjoyed placements in the Netherlands and the Isle of Man. The University's museums can also provide a number of work and voluntary placements. A degree in Classical studies and English literature will help you develop a range of transferable skills, including critical thinking; research and writing; ability to analyse a diverse range of materials; time-management; adaptability; independence; and a high degree of cultural literacy.