During the first year, you will gain a clear picture of the cultural history of Antiquity, including the continuation of elements from ancient cultures into later periods. Topics that will be discussed are, among others, contacts between the Greek-Roman world and the Near East, antique philosophy, and the question of what makes a certain work “classic” and how this is determined. You will also learn to investigate ancient material and textual sources. In the second semester, you will have the opportunity to get a feel for potential specialisations to pursue after your first year.

In your second and third year, the programme will continue with interdisciplinary modules such as ‘Cultural Contact: Mediterranean Connections’, which concerns the interaction between the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region; ‘Religion in Antiquity’; and ‘Lieux de mémoire’, in which you study the way in which places gain importance because people connect stories to them. The second year will conclude with a trip to Sicily, together with students of Archaeology and Classics. Next to your regular courses, you will be able to specialise in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Greek, Latin, archaeology or ancient history. You will conclude your Bachelor’s degree by writing a thesis in which you demonstrate that you can tackle a topic in an interdisciplinary manner.

Next to your regular courses and your specialisation, you will also have 30 ECTS worth of space to fill by doing electives, a minor, an internship or by studying abroad.

Electives

In theory, any course can be taken as an elective, from courses offered by the Faculty of Humanities to those offered by other faculties or even other universities. Most programmes offer separate electives.

Minor

A minor is a cohesive teaching programme that consists of 30 ECTS. Doing a minor is not mandatory. However, it may be a good way to prepare for a Master’s programme or for a certain profession.

The programme allows for you to do an internship and/or to study abroad for a period of time.

Internship

You can enrich your study programme as well as your CV by doing an internship. This will allow you to gain experience at an organisation in the field of Ancient Studies and gives you an impression of the job opportunities they offer.

Studying abroad

The UvA is closely involved with international programmes involved with cooperation and exchange within Europe, the United States and Canada. This gives you the opportunity to study abroad for a period of time. Moreover, this specific programme has exchange agreements with the University of Bologna and the University of Naples.

Would you like to be challenged even more? You can choose to do two Bachelor’s degrees or follow the Honours programme.

Double Bachelor’s in Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities offers the possibility to obtain a degree from two different Bachelor's programmes. By means of exemptions you can obtain two degrees with a reduced effective workload. The double Bachelor's is intended for motivated students who are looking for an extra challenge and/or a broader perspective during their studies.

Honours programme

Highly-motivated students may qualify to take part in a selective Honours programme. This programme accounts for an additional 30 ECTS and will help familiarise you with various other aspects of academic research and prepare you for a subsequent Research Master's degree.

Ancient Studies is a three-year Bachelor’s degree. One academic year accounts for 60 ECTS credits that are spread across two semesters, each comprising two 8-week blocks and a 4-week block. As a Bachelor’s student, you are expected to spend an average of 42 hours a week on your studies. Around 14 hours a week are spent attending lectures. The remaining time will be spent on self-study, preparing for lectures, seminars and exams, as well as completing coursework and assignments.

• During lectures, the lecturer will discuss and explain the literature you read and studied beforehand.
• In the seminars, you will work closely with your fellow students, collaborating on assignments, presentations and talks.
• Assessment consists of written or oral exams, presentations, essays, reports and assignments.