Classics degree online first

Classics degree online first

The classics department teaches about the ancient Greeks and Romans

A London university is blending ancient and modern with an innovative online degree in classics.

Royal Holloway says that it believes this "e-degree" to be the first of its kind in this subject in the United Kingdom, and possibly anywhere else in the world.

The classics department at Royal Holloway provides course units in Greek and Latin culture, history, literature and philosophy.

This classical studies undergraduate course, which will begin in September, will be entirely online, except for their written exams, and will be available through the University of London External Programme.

Online seminars

The degrees can be taken in three years, like ordinary undergraduate courses, but the university expects online students to take longer, similar to other distance learning students who might take five to eight years.

Students will be given feedback on their coursework by tutors and there will be seminars in the form of online exchanges between groups of students and a tutor.

The university says that "e-librarians" and web developers have worked with academics to produce materials and tools for learning, which will include online quizzes, animations and audio.

Royal Holloway is also offering undergraduate e-degrees in history and business management and an MSc in information security.