Study History, Ancient Studies in Germany

The field of study history and ancient studies comprises several subject areas that all deal with past cultures, societies, religions, and related topics. Study areas such as Egyptology, ancient oriental studies, ancient history, Byzantine studies, medieval history, protohistory, modern history, and also prehistory focus on specific regions and time periods. The areas of study ancient studies, archaeology, and history in general deal in a somewhat broader manner with topics of the past. Economic history, social history, and history of science, on the other hand, are three areas that study human development and the past from special points of view.

In all these study areas, you will learn to decipher historical texts and interpret them scientifically in order to understand cultural, aesthetic, religious, social, economic, and political processes of the past. Accordingly, you should have analytical skills and the willingness to deal intensively with texts.

Please note: Since history and ancient studies cover a wide range of topics, the degree programmes are also diverse and sometimes very differently structured. Therefore, even degree programmes with the same name can have different thematic focuses. It is therefore advisable to take a look at the module plans and curriculum of the degree programme before deciding which higher education institution to apply to.

As with most degree programmes, you primarily need a general or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, a university of applied sciences entrance qualification or an equivalent qualification.

Further admission restrictions are usually found in the form of minimum language requirements. Many higher education institutions require certified skills in Latin, English and/or French, for example. Sometimes only one language is required, but sometimes several languages. In addition, some require proof of Latin or ancient Greek.

In addition, there may also be admission procedures specific to a higher education institution or local admission restrictions. However, if minimum grades (a so-called numerus clausus) are required, they are often not set too high.

Some programmes are free from admission restrictions; it is rather the Master’s programmes that are more difficult to get into.

Courses of study in history and ancient studies are most often offered at universities. In most cases, there are no tuition fees at state universities (but note the exceptions!). As a rule, semester contributions are charged instead, which you have to transfer to the university each semester. The amount varies from university to university and is approximately between 100 and 400 euros per semester. Sometimes your semester contribution covers a ticket for local public transport or you can purchase a discounted ticket. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available.

A major expense will probably be your rent. When it comes to renting, there are large differences within Germany, which makes it difficult to calculate the overall costs of studying. In large cities, housing is often scarce and expensive, while in smaller cities it is comparatively affordable. By the way, a good tip for comparatively lower rent costs is student halls of residence or shared flats. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities.

When you think about how expensive your studies will be, you should not forget the smaller additional costs and living expenses that add up. These include food, clothes, textbooks and possible excursions. But health insurance, internet and electronic devices also need to be covered by your budget. Your lifestyle can play a big role here.

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

A degree programme in history and ancient studies does not prepare you for a specific profession. On the contrary, you can work in various sectors:

• For example, you can find work in media, journalism, publishing houses or translation services. Tourism, for example as a scientific tour guide, can also offer many options.
• Foundations, trade unions, political parties, public administration and the foreign service are other possibilities.
• If you specialise in a particular field, you can also use your knowledge to support international companies and/or take on foreign assignments. Working abroad is also conceivable.
• In addition, jobs in museums, archives, libraries or in cultural management, in general, are possible.
• Scientific work at higher education institutions and research institutions is also a potential field of work.
• Of course, you can also study the subject as a teacher (see My GUIDE field of study “Teaching Degrees”: School Subjects) and work as a teacher in schools, for example. But even without a teaching degree, you can go into adult and political education outside of school.

Since a degree in History and Classics gives you a very broad choice of jobs, it is advisable to acquire additional qualifications early on and to establish your field of specialisation. Internships or traineeships, for example, make it easier for you to find your way in the professional world.

Your future salary depends on many factors and is therefore difficult to calculate: while you earn comparatively well in journalism and the civil service, for example, cultural and academic fields usually pay somewhat less. By the way: Since salaries in the public sector are regulated by public pay scales, you can easily look them up online!