WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY www.warwick.ac.uk/go/classics The Classics and Ancient History session line up Why Classics? Why Warwick? The degrees we offer Admissions The students – The student view Break-out – meet staff and students and get any further questions answered at our ‘Admissions’, ‘Department Life’ and ‘Student experience’ stalls Roman Britain Quiz! Which is NOT true? Britain is home to the oldest known Roman wooden toilet seat Some escaped snails may be the last surviving Romans in Britain Westminster Abbey sits over a Roman temple to Diana The oldest wooden Roman toilet seat was found in Vindolanda (just south of Hadrian’s wall) last summer Snails brought to Britain by the Romans as food escaped and live on in Britain as protected species (Chedworth Roman villa) The idea that Westminster Abbey is over a Roman temple was likely invented by monks in the middle ages so that they might compete with similar claims by other churches, like St. Paul’s. What this tells us: How engrained in the fabric of our world are the societies of ancient Greece and Rome. How different the realities of those ancient societies can be from our perceptions of them. How much every period of history between then and now is implicated in forming our picture of them and their legacy. As a result, we believe that studying the Classical world: •Opens our eyes to a fascinating period of history in the human story that has had a tremendous impact on our own age. •Helps us to understand better the nature of modern society. •Makes us aware of the complex and constantly changing ways in which concepts crucial to human society like ‘history’, ‘tradition’ and ‘identity’ are formulated and manipulated. Why Classics and Ancient History at Warwick? Very strong staff to student ratio High level of 1 to 1 staff-student contact time As a result, a wide variety of module choice + specialty to suit each student Innovative and flexible teaching styles – thanks to the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning at Warwick Research-led teaching by leaders in the field in new and exciting areas across the subject: literature, history, art-history, archaeology, numismatics and ancient economics, ancient science, reception studies Interdisciplinarity – cross-overs between different areas of study, both within Classics, and beyond the traditional confines of the discipline Why Classics and Ancient History at Warwick? Continuous in-depth feedback for all students on their work as they progress Lots of opportunities for involvement with department academic projects Lots of opportunities for student – led engagement and impact projects Erasmus exchanges with Universities of Venice, Bologna and Rome, and International exchanges with Monash university, Australia Warwick university voted one of major targets for UK graduate recruiters and has been voted University of the Year by the Times and Sunday Times. Our department is ranked 4th in the UK in the Times Good University Guide 2015 and the Guardian University Guide 2015. Our Degrees c. 80 undergraduate students taken each year across the degrees Flexible and interdisciplinary Some compulsory modules, esp. in 1st year Everyone gets to learn an ancient language at the level right for them! Third year dissertation Opportunity to learn outside the classroom Students take 4 modules a year, equating to 8-10 contact hrs/week Module sizes vary (6-50 students) Assessed through essays and examinations Our Degrees Degree Programmes Ancient History and Classical Archaeology Classical Civilization Classics Classical Civilization with Philosophy English and Latin Study in Europe Liberal Arts (Classics Pathway) Study in Europe Available as a degree option for Ancient History + Archaeology, Classical Civilisation, + Classics degrees 4 year degree, with one year spent abroad in Italy, at our partner universities in Venice, Bologna, or Rome via the Erasmus scheme Italian language Requires an A level in a modern or ancient language, or evidence of ability to learn Italian Students must achieve a 2.1 in 1st year, and 2.1 in Italian modules + overall 2.1 in 2nd year in order to go abroad. Module Options 2015/16 Literature: Greek Tragedy, Origins of the Modern Novel, Sexuality & Gender in Antiquity Language: ancient or modern History/Archaeology: Tiberius to Hadrian, Principles and Methods of Archaeology, Democracy and Imperialism Thematic: Receptions of Antiquity Inter-disciplinary: IATL – Challenges of Climate Change; Censorship and Society, Achieving Sustainability; Digital Humanities and Texts External – Language / Business School / History Want to know more? Department of Classics and Ancient History: the admissions procedure The standard Warwick offer ABB / Equivalent Preferred subjects? – None Interview? – Not generally Exceptions (reminder) Classics Q800: AAB, including A in Latin or Ancient Greek English and Latin Literature AAB, including A in English Literature and Latin Liberal Arts (Classics Pathway) AAB Our degrees with study in Europe SIE degrees require evidence of language learning ability. For Classics with SIE, that evidence is provided by the study of Latin and/or Greek at A-level (and the necessity of achieving an A in the ancient language). For CC and AHCA with SIE….. Timing of application Deadlines 15th January UCAS extra What we do next Read, considered and processed by Classicists – Admissions officer: Michael Scott What we look at (in this order) Achieved grades (GCSE, AS) Personal statement Reference if there are any factors that may have affected your performance, make sure your referee has explained them Predicted grades Your personal statement: what we look for Personal interests: The way you have followed your interests shows us something about your focus, work and time management Subject interest is paramount EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is evidence of this If there is something specific that sparked your interest but don’t make something up Your personal statement: what we look for Well-written Accurate punctuation No spelling errors Good grammar All Classical names are spelled correctly Advice for students · Listen to your teachers. · Have your final draft ready a few days early so you can reread with a fresh pair of eyes before uploading it. Do not be making major changes hours before submission – this is where errors can creep in. Advice for parents · Let them write it. · Focus needs to be on their engagement with the ancient world · Extra-curricular activities are useful to the extent that they show us about achieving high standards, time management, focus. Communication Communication We are human. Contact us. Email is best: Michael Scott: m.c.scott@warwick.ac.uk BEING A CLASSICS STUDENT AT WARWICK LIVING ON CAMPUS/REVOLVING AROUND THE SU: (DIRTY DUCK, CURIOSITEA, TERRACE BAR, BREAD OVEN) SU NIGHTS IN THE COPPER ROOMS – POP, SKOOL DAYZ… ACCOMODATION NEVER FEAR ENJOY THE CLASSICS SOCIETY SOCIALS WEEKLY ‘CURIOSITEA’ AND ‘DUCK’ SOCIALS OTHER SOCIALS: RESTAURANTS, CINEMA TRIPS, QUIZZES MORE SOCIALS: GENERAL NIGHTS OUT ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SYMPOSIUM CLASSICS OLYMPIAD, SOCIETY’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY PLAY THESMOPHORIAZUSAE PRODUCTION, 2015 PAST PRODUCTIONS: PSEUDOLUS, 2014 AND THE BACCHAE, 2013 SPORTS SPORTS SOCIETY TRIPS PAPHOS TRIP, 2014 STONEHENGE OVERNIGHT CAMPING TRIP 2014 ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES MORE OPPORTUNITIES • Language classes • Mentoring support • Charity fundraising • SSLC Thank you for coming. We very much hope to see you again in the Department! Remember, any questions get in touch M.C.Scott@warwick.ac.uk Enjoy your time here at Warwick and have a safe journey home