A Level Classical Civilsation
Entry Requirements:
Grade 6 or above in GCSE English Language and English Literature.
A Grade 6 or above in History and/or Latin
Exam Board: OCR
Course content:
The A Level course in Classical Civilisation offers students the opportunity to study elements of the literature, visual/material culture and thought of the classical world, and acquire an understanding of their social, historical and cultural contexts. The course is ideal for keen and dedicated readers, with an interest in the world of ancient Greece and Rome.
Students do not need to have studied Latin, Greek or Classical Civilisation at GCSE level to take this subject in the Sixth Form. All literature is studied in translation rather than in the original language.
Component 1: The World of the Hero This component consists of an in-depth study of: • Homer’s Odyssey; and • Virgil’s Aeneid This component is solely focused on the study of literature in translation. Students will study Homer’s Odyssey, as well as Virgil’s Aeneid. Students will develop an increasingly sophisticated level of knowledge and understanding of the epics themselves, the way in which they were composed, and the religious, cultural and social values and beliefs of its society.
Component 2: Culture and the Arts • Invention of the Barbarian (H408/23) – studied in Year 12. This component allows learners to explore how the Greeks saw themselves as distinct from their ‘barbarian’ neighbours. With issues of race and stereotypes so prevalent in the modern world, this component raises matters which will resonate with learners and encourage them to think about their own society and beliefs.
Component 3: Beliefs and Ideas • Greek Religion (H408/31) –studied in Year 13 Religion was an essential part of ancient Greek identity, permeating all strata of society and all aspects of an individual’s daily life. Politics and religion were also intertwined to the extent that political decisions were sometimes made on the basis of divine oracular intervention. Studying the practicalities of religious ritual, and the role it played in society, alongside the functions and layout of famous temple complexes, will make this component tangible for students and help develop their sense of the central role religion played in the life of everyday people.
Assessment
The World of the Hero: The examination is worth 100 marks and lasts 2 hours and 20 minutes. This represents 40% of the total marks for the A Level. The examination will consist of three sections:
Section A focuses solely on Homer and will contain two sets of questions; one on the Iliad and one on the Odyssey. Students will answer the questions on the text they have studied.
Section B contains questions focusing solely on Virgil’s Aeneid, and all questions in this section are compulsory.
Section C contains a stimulus question in which students draw on both a passage from Homer (either the Odyssey or the Iliad) and one from Virgil; and a choice of essays.
Culture and the Arts: Invention of the Barbarian
The examination is worth 75 marks and lasts 1 hours and 45 minutes. This represents 30% of the total marks for the A Level. The examination will consist of two sections. All questions in Section A are compulsory. These will involve short answer questions and commentary questions which respond to two stimuli from the prescribed sources list of differing types, and a shorter essay question which takes one or both sources as its starting point. Section B contains a choice of one from two essays. In these essays students will be expected to make use of secondary sources and academic views to support their argument.
Beliefs and Ideas: Greek Religion
The examination is worth 75 marks and lasts 1 hours and 45 minutes. This represents 30% of the total marks for the A Level. The examination will consist of two sections. All questions in Section A are compulsory. These will involve short answer and a commentary question responding to one stimulus from the prescribed sources list, and the same style of questions discussing an idea from one of the key thinkers, and a shorter essay question which takes the source, idea or both as a
starting point. Section B contains a choice of one from two essays. In these essays students will be expected to make use of secondary sources and academic views to support their argument
Career Value
Classical Civilisation works very well when taken in combination with History, English Literature, Religious Studies or Politics, but it can be successfully combined with many other subjects. It is a subject valued by all universities, and many degree courses in Classical Studies are now available. In common with all other university arts and humanities subjects, these Classical degrees open up a wide range of career opportunities.