Egyptology and Ancient History
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities Course
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a Grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSEs: English/Welsh Language Grade C
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
International students will also require a score of 4 at Higher Level English Language or Literature, or 5 at Standard Level English Language or Literature.
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University will accept the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as fully equivalent to one A-Level.
About this course
This three-year Egyptology and Ancient History degree covers the study of Ancient Egyptian language, literature, history and culture.
You will explore Egyptian art, architecture, history and civilisation, archaeology, religion and gender alongside the political, social and cultural history of the Greek and Roman world.
Our interdisciplinary approach will give you the freedom to tailor your degree according to your specialist interests as you progress.
Your studies will be enriched by practical experience at Swansea’s award-winning Egypt Centre, our on campus museum which contains over 5,000 Egyptian antiquities.
You can also gain further teaching experience as part of the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnerships or by teaching Hieroglyphs or Latin to schools and the local community.
Based on our stunning Singleton Park Campus overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, teaching is informed by our world-leading research. You will be part of a close-knit student community and can get involved in a wide range of clubs and societies including the Egyptological Society and Ancient World Society which run events and trips throughout the year.
Graduates have progressed to careers in sectors such as education, archives, museums and heritage, business, media and public relations and public services.
Ancient History at Swansea is ranked:
• 3rd in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
• 3rd in the UK for Student Experience (Times Good University Guide 2024)
• 3rd in the UK for Teaching Quality (Times Good University Guide 2024)
• Top 10 in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2024)
• Top 51-90 in the World (QS World Rankings 2023)
Please visit our course page for more information: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/classics-ancient-history-egyptology/ba-egyptology-ancient-history
Modules
Your first year of study is made up of compulsory modules covering a range of themes. Compulsory modules are studied by all students on the programme, meaning you are automatically enrolled. Examples include:
• Introduction to Ancient Egyptian History, Society and Culture
• Greek History and Society
• Age of Empire: Ancient Egypt and her Neighbours
• Rome from Village to Empire: An Introduction to Roman History
Your second and third years will comprise entirely optional modules from a expansive range of subject areas. Examples of optional modules in recent years have included:
• Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology
• Egyptian Art and Architecture
• The Greek Romance: Sea, Sun and Sex
• Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology
• Alexander and the Hellenistic world
Your final year comprises almost entirely of optional modules, allowing you to shape your own degree, alongside undertaking a compulsory independent dissertation project.
For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage:
www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/classics-ancient-history-egyptology/ba-egyptology-ancient-history
Assessment methods
We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:
- Essays
- Presentations
- Source Analysis
Throughout your undergraduate Classical Studies degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/classics-ancient-history-egyptology/ba-egyptology-ancient-history/
or get in touch with us at [email protected]
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
History and Classics
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Classics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Archaeology
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Classics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a category for graduates taking a wide range of courses that don’t fall neatly into a subject group, so be aware that the stats you see here may not be a very accurate guide to the outcomes for the specific course you’re interested in. Management, finance, marketing, education and jobs in the arts are some of the typical jobs for these graduates, but it's sensible to go on open days and talk to tutors about what you might expect from the course, and what previous graduates did.
Archaeology
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Want to do a job in the arts - with lots of the great outdoors? Try archaeology! There don't tend to be many archaeology undergraduates out there (just under 700 graduated in 2015) - but it's quite a popular subject at postgraduate level. In fact, over a quarter of archaeology graduates take some kind of further study when they graduate - usually more study of archaeology. When you look at the stats, be aware that junior jobs in archaeology are not always well paid at the start of your career, and that temporary contracts are not uncommon. Thankfully, though, unpaid work, whilst not completely gone, is less common than it used to be. The archaeology graduates of 2015 found jobs in archaeology, of course, but also management and heritage and environment work, as well as more conventional graduate jobs in marketing and the finance industry.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Classics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£22k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Archaeology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£22k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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