WHAT CAN I DO WITH A B.A. IN

CLASSICS, GREEK, or LATIN?*

LAW          

Classical Studies majors, along with math majors, top the list for success rates in Law School. Grounding in rhetoric, logic, and the development of analytical and critical thinking skills inherent in the study of Greek and Latin, not to mention vocabulary acquisition, prepares students well for a legal career.

           

BUSINESS

Good writing skills, the ability to pay close attention to detail, and a talent for mastering complex information are invaluable in business. Did you know that Peter Lynch, the Fidelity investor, Chuck Geschke, the founder of Adobe, Jim Manzi, the founder of Lotus, and Ted Turner, the founder of Turner Broadcast, were all Classics majors?

JOURNALISM

A double major in Classical Studies and MassComm, or a major/minor combination can set you on the path to a great career. Lynn Sherr, the ABC News correspondent 20/20 was a Greek major at Wellesley, and although friends and family often questioned her choice, said that she eventually realized that "in fact, I am doing something with my Greek -; I am living it every day and using it in everything I write and read and say." For an interesting talk she gave on this subject, visit http://www.apaclassics.org/Classics/whyclassics/sherrtalk.html

MUSEUMS

If you're interested in archaeology and material culture, this is a great career path for you. The science of the preservation, reconstruction, and public presentation of archaeological artifacts are a perfect combination of the sciences and the classics. Consider applying to an internship program; you might choose the Smithsonian (http://intern.si.edu/) or the summer program at the Philadelphia Museum of Art http://www.philamuseum.org/opportunities/internship.shtml

                       

PUBLISHING

The linguistic skills and grasp of grammar fostered by Classical Studies make work in publishing a natural "fit." Check out institutes that offer programs to help equip you for a career in publishing; for instance, the summer institute at the University of Denver  (http://www.du.edu/pi/) or The Nation's internship program (http://www.nationinstitute.org/internships/)

LIBRARIAN/ARCHIVIST

There are many top-notch programs offering a Master's in Library Science. The American Library Association maintains a list of accredited graduate programs at: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oa/lisdir.html

U.S. GOVERNMENT

The skills Classical Studies majors learn in "decrypting" ancient Languages and the grounding in rhetoric from reading ancient authors are excellent training for careers in Intelligence, other branches of the US Government, speech writing for political figures, or politics itself. For example, one former Classics major who as a graduate student had studied at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens became the US ambassador to Greece.

TEACHING

There is a strong demand for middle-school and high-school Latin teachers in most parts of the country. Teachers who are certified in another subject as well--another language, particularly French or Spanish, or another subject such as English or history-are particularly sought after. 

For information, links to current job listings, and so forth, see the National Committee for Latin and Greek website at http://www.promotelatin.org/nltrw.htm

In most states, an M.A. will guarantee you a higher starting salary than you’ll get with a B.A. alone. There are some excellent graduate programs in Classics that are geared specifically towards students who want to teach in secondary school; see, for instance:

            Boston University's M.A.T. in Latin and Classical Humanities                                                       http://fmwww.bc.edu/CL/mat.html

         The Ohio State University's M.A. in Latin Studies with a Master's of Education               and Teacher Certification

                        http://omega.cohums.ohio-state.edu/php/index.php

            Rutgers University's M.A.T. in Latin

                        http://classics.rutgers.edu/gradprog.html

            The University of Colorado's M.A.T. in Teaching of Latin

                        http://www.colorado.edu/Classics/clguides/%7Fgradguide.html

            The University of Michigan's M.A.T. in Latin

These are just a few examples; there are many more such programs.

PROFESSOR

The Classical Studies programs at UNC-A prepares students for graduate work in  Classics, Ancient Philosophy, and Ancient History, though, frankly, at the present time the job market is less than optimum for higher education in these fields. Check out this website for Classics Graduate programs:

http://www.williams.edu/Classics/Grad_Programs.html

                                               

Or perhaps you'd like to do graduate work in some other field. Classics majors sometimes switch in grad. school to related fields such as linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, sociology, English, comparative literature, seminary, etc. You decide!

MOVIE-MAKER/ACTOR

Hercules, Troy, Gladiator, A Funny Thing Happened on the

Way to the Forum, etc. You know the movies, and you know they would have been better if a Classics major had written the script or directed the movie. The actor John Cleese (Monty Python) taught Latin for two years in prep school, but wasn't a Classics major at University; it was enough, however, for managing "The Latin Lesson" scene in Life of Brian!

Nothing catch your eye yet? There are MANY other options. Try browsing around on these websites for more ideas.

Bucknell University:   http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/classics/major.htm#posthoc

(This is an excellent site, from which much of the information in this handout was gathered)

 

*Many thanks to Elizabeth Vandiver, Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Greek and Roman Studies at
Rhodes College, for sharing much of this information from a handout she constructed.