Classics with Oriental Studies

Number of places at Balliol

7–8 for Classics (and Joint Schools)

Subject information

See the Faculty of Classics website and the University’s Undergraduate Admissions website.

This degree is particularly suited to highly motivated students with serious intellectual interests in Classical and Oriental cultures, and an excellent aptitude for languages.

Course requirements

See the University’s Undergraduate Admissions website.

College requirements

We only take students in Classics with Oriental Studies (i.e. focusing on the Classics side of the degree), rather than Oriental Studies with Classics.

Admissions/ selection criteria

See the University’s Undergraduate Admissions website.

Classics with Oriental Studies at Balliol

One of the biggest Classics colleges in Oxford, Balliol is unusual in having tutors in all four of the main areas of the subject, a large, vibrant and cohesive community of undergraduates and postgraduates, a College Library with one of the best Classics collections in Oxford, and plenty of opportunities to participate in the wider life of the subject, including Classics societies and travel grants.

For Oriental Studies, both Professor Thomas and Dr Kelly (below) have strong research interests in the relationship between Near Eastern and Ancient Greek culture and literature. Furthermore, though they are not ordinarily involved in undergraduate instruction, both the Boden Professor of Sanskrit and the Numata Professor of Buddhist Studies are located at Balliol.

Tutors

Professor Rosalind Thomas, Fellow in Ancient History (works esp. on Herodotus, ancient literacy and orality, polis histories).
Dr Jessica Moss, Fellow in Ancient Philosophy (Plato and Aristotle, especially ethics and psychology).
Dr Adrian Kelly, Fellow in Greek Literature (Homer, Hesiod, and Greek tragedy).
Dr Emily Pillinger, Lecturer in Latin Literature (Latin and Greek Poetry and poetics; epistolography; the classical tradition).