BA in Ancient History Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

B.A. in Ancient History is a 3-year undergraduate course, divided into six semesters, with each semester lasting a period of six months. As an academic discipline, Ancient History is the study of mankind’s past, viz. history, society, religions, material culture, and languages of Ancient Greece, Rome, besides Indian History. Subjects range from Prehistory (c 1500 BCE) to the early medieval world (c 1000 CE).

It is one of the specializations of Bachelor of Arts (BA) that deals with the history of Greeks, Romans and related tales about their empires. The course’s curriculum covers significant historical events and personalities, such as Greek heroes in the Trojan war, rulers and citizens of Rome and its empire, makers of medieval Europe and Classic Indian History.

Students enrolled to the course are offered an advanced insight into the cultural patterns and traditions of the ancient world. The program is a critical, interdisciplinary approach to a broad range of material and textual remains.

The course has been designed to build in eligible students the requisite skills to engage in higher research in the discipline, besides pursuing the field professionally, such as studying and using literary texts, papyri, inscriptions, coins, art, and other such archaeological evidence to reconstruct and decode the ancient world academically. Students are also needed to partake in archaeological fieldwork as part of the curriculum.
The average course fee charged in India ranges between INR 30,000 and 5 lacs for the total duration. The average annual salary offered to successful graduates of the course in India ranges between INR 3 and 10 lacs.Upon successful completion of the course, graduates interested in pursuing higher studies in the discipline may go for pursuing M.A., and further Ph.D. in the subject.

B.A. in Ancient History: Career Prospects

Successful graduates of the course can find gainful career opportunities in fields like archaeology, heritage industry, museums, business, journalism, administrative services, computing, media, librarianship, teaching, further academic study, and other such areas requiring artistic academic versatility.

Historians analyze and evaluate documentary evidence, work with government agencies, public sector departments, not-for-profit organizations and such. They are also best suited for roles such Policy Analyst, Local Historian, Evaluator, and Planner, and after specialized training, Cultural Historic Preserver and Resources Manager.

Such graduates are hired in capacities such as Information Officer, Records Manager, Archivist, Genealogist, Gallery or Museum Curator, and Librarian, Newspaper and Broadcast Journalist, Administrative Officer, etc.

In terms of job roles, they organize service delivery, engage in report writing, draft procedures and policies, and such.

Some of the popular professional avenues open to such graduates are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Salary in INR
Archaeologist	They work closely with local authorities, advising on the archaeological implications of museums and heritage centers. They assist in preservation, conservation, display and interpretation of artefacts. Also, they collaborate with universities and research organizations, carrying out research and educational work.	7-8 lacs
Curator	They are responsible for assembling, cataloguing, managing, presenting, and displaying artistic and cultural collections. They are in charge of collections/ exhibits in museums and art galleries.	5-7 lacs
Tour Guide	They are in charge of leading groups of visitors through points of historical, cultural, or regional interest. They provide in-depth intelligence, about heritage sites and famous places in a city, frequented by tourists, vacationers, and students.	2-4 lacs
Archivist	They acquire, manage, and maintain documents and other materials of historical importance. They work for individuals, organizations, and nations. A large part of their work is related to making information accessible to users, increasingly in digital format.	1-2 lacs
Genealogist	They use a variety of public and private records, court records, immigration records, and original tax books to trace family trees and descendants. They work as consultants for their clients, and both advise and undertake lines of research.	4-5 lacs
Historian	They research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.	4-6 lacs