Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Classical Philology

Classical philology is the study of ancient Greek and Latin through the texts written in them. The Universidad de Sevilla defines it as the discipline that interprets and investigates Greek and Latin texts on every level: linguistic, literary, historical and institutional, and ideological. The University of Bern puts it more briefly: classical philology deals with the entire written heritage of Greek and Roman antiquity.

It differs from a general classics or ancient history course in its weight on language. Students spend most of their time reading, translating and commenting on original texts, and learn history, philosophy and literature through that reading.

What students learn

The first aim of the bachelor's degree (grado) at the Universidad de Salamanca is fluency in reading and understanding texts in Latin and in Greek. At the Universidad de Sevilla the plan follows the two languages in parallel, with Greek texts and Latin texts courses in each of the four years. Around these are courses in:

  • Greek and Latin phonetics, morphology and syntax
  • Greek and Latin literature and its genres, such as theatre, epic and historiography
  • History of the Greek and Latin languages
  • Textual criticism and the editing of texts
  • The classical tradition in later European literature
  • A modern language and general linguistics

Salamanca recommends the degree especially to students who already have basic knowledge of Greek and Latin, although it sets no special entrance test beyond the general admission rules. The University of Bern does expect proof of school-leaving level in Latin and Greek, or the equivalent university certificates.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree in Spain. Official bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and take four years. At the Universidad de Sevilla the Grado en Filología Clásica has 60 credits of basic training, 108 compulsory and 60 elective, plus placements and a final project. Salamanca, where classical philology has been taught since 1939, offers 50 first-year places for 2026-27. The Universidad de Cádiz teaches the degree in Spanish over four years. The name varies: the Universidad de La Laguna offers a Grado en Estudios Clásicos of 240 ECTS credits with the same focus on the Greek and Latin languages and literatures.
  • Bachelor's degree in Switzerland. The University of Bern awards a Bachelor of Arts in Classics of 180 ECTS credits in six semesters: a major of 120 ECTS credits with a focus on Greek or Latin, combined with one or more minors. It is taught in German.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Salamanca suggests its Máster Universitario en Textos de la Antigüedad Clásica y su Pervivencia to graduates who want to specialise. Bern's Master of Arts in Classics has 120 ECTS credits, lasts four semesters and is taught in German.
  • Doctorate. Research and university teaching require a PhD after the master's degree.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 17 active schools for classical philology: 15 in Spain, one in Switzerland and one in Germany. In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Salamanca, the Universidad de Sevilla, the Universidad de Cádiz, the Universidad de Granada, the Universidad de Murcia, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela and the Universidad de La Laguna. Outside Spain it includes the University of Bern and the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg.

Spanish universities teach the degree in Spanish, and Bern teaches in German. Degree names and intake change from year to year, so check each university's current offer before applying.

Careers

Teaching is the main route. The Universidad de Sevilla names teaching as the principal outlet for its graduates, and Salamanca lists the teaching of classical culture, Latin and Greek in secondary schools. In Spain that requires an additional official master's degree in secondary teacher training of 60 ECTS credits.

Other fields named by the universities are libraries and archives, including the cataloguing of old holdings and documents written in Latin; translation; and publishing, with work in editing, proofreading and editorial advice. Bern also lists culture management and journalism.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Latin and Greek before I start?

It depends on the university. The Universidad de Salamanca recommends basic knowledge of both languages but has no special entrance test. The University of Bern asks for proof of school-leaving level in Latin and Greek or the equivalent university certificates.

How long does a degree in classical philology take?

In Spain the bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. At the University of Bern the bachelor's degree has 180 ECTS credits in six semesters and the master's degree 120 ECTS credits in four semesters.

Can I become a Latin or Greek teacher with this degree?

Yes, with a further step. In Spain, secondary school teaching requires the official master's degree in secondary teacher training, which has 60 ECTS credits, after the bachelor's degree.

Is classical philology taught in English?

Not at the universities described here. The Spanish degrees are taught in Spanish and the Bern programmes in German.