Education
Common Career Paths
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
- Student affairs:
- International education/Study abroad, academic advising, admissions, student support services
- Library and information sciences
- English as a second language instruction
Employers
- Universities and colleges
- Elementary and secondary schools, public and private
Strategies
- Earn a Ph.D. for college/university teaching or a graduate degree in college student affairs or library/information science for other university positions.
- Learn the certification process for teaching K-12. Acquire certification in additional subject areas for increased job possibilities.
- Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong recommendations from faculty.
- Seek research opportunities.
- Take as many classes in the original languages as possible. Study abroad or travel internationally.
- Get involved on campus as a resident assistant, orientation leader, admissions guide, etc.
The Arts
Common Career Paths
- Administration/Management
- Archival work
- Education
- Research
- Translation
- Museum work (e.g., curatorship, conservation, restoration)
- Design (e.g., period, exhibit, costume, set)
- Development/Fundraising
- Appraisal
Employers
- Museums (e.g., public, private, university)
- Art galleries
- Antique dealerships
- Art councils
- Historical societies and sites
- Archives
- Libraries
- Public research agencies
- Private foundations
- Theatrical companies
Strategies
- Complete coursework in classical archaeology, and art, or other relevant subject areas.
- Develop excellent writing and communication skills.
- Volunteer or intern in an art or historical museum.
- Earn a graduate degree in museum studies, archaeology, art history, library/information science, or other related field.
- Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong recommendations faculty.
- Be prepared to relocate to areas with higher concentrations of art-related employers.
Government
Common Career Paths
- Administration
- Research
- Policy analysis
- Lobbying
- Legislative services
- Program management
- Cultural resource management
- Translation/Interpreting
- Foreign service
- Library and information sciences
- State or county archaeological services
Employers
- Federal government:
- Department of State
- Department of Education
- Federal Trade Commission
- Government Publishing Office
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Labor
- Library of Congress
- National Labor Relations Board
- National Park Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Department of Transportation
- State and local government
- Public archives
- Libraries
Strategies
- Learn federal, state, and local government job application process. Seek assistance from the campus career center.
- Take additional courses or earn a minor in area of interest.
- Gain relevant work experience through government internship programs.
- Earn a master’s or professional degree in a related field to qualify for the most job opportunities.
- Get involved in campus leadership roles.
- Develop excellent written and oral communication skills.
Nonprofit
Common Career Paths
- Administration
- Research
- Grant writing
- Development/Fundraising
- Programming
- Volunteer coordination
Employers
- Nonprofit organizations
- Social service organizations
- Churches and religiously affiliated groups
Strategies
- Volunteer or intern with social service organizations.
- Learn to work well with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Develop excellent communication skills.
- Take a course in grant writing.
- Join a service organization or get involved in community service projects.
Communications
Common Career Paths
- Technical writing
- Editing
- Copywriting
- Journalism
- Research
- Translation
Employers
- Publishers
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- TV stations
- Film companies
- Internet sites
- Advertising agencies
Strategies
- Develop excellent writing and research skills.
- Take courses in applicable areas such as English, technical writing, or journalism.
- Gain related work experience by completing an internship.
- Develop a portfolio of writing samples.
- Write for campus or community newspapers or websites.
- Learn appropriate computer software packages or programming languages.
Business/Industry
Common Career Paths
- Customer service
- Management
- Sales
- Human resources
- Public relations
- Importing and exporting
- Finance
- Consulting
- Technical writing
- Insurance underwriting and claims management
- Market Research
- Information Sciences/Special Libraries
- Competitive Intelligence
- Archaeology
Employers
- Business corporations in various industries:
- Retailers
- Banks and financial institutions
- Insurance firms
- Hospitality and tourism related organizations
- Consulting firms
- Pharmaceutical and Health Care
- Manufacturing
- Contract archaeology firms
Strategies
- Many businesses hire students of “any major” if they have relevant experience and have developed the skills employers seek.
- Minor in business or another relevant field.
- Obtain related experience through internships, summer, and part-time jobs.
- Develop strong technical and analytical skills.
- Learn to work well on a team.
- Get involved in campus organizations and seek leadership roles.
- Develop excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Learn how to sell the skills associated with a classics major to employers (e.g., analytical skills, communication skills, critical thinking).
Law
See also What Can I Do With This Major in Law?
Common Career Paths
- Law assistance
- Prosecution
- Defense
- Contractual
- Corporate
- Nonprofit or public interest
- Government
- Mediation
- Lobbying
Employers
- Law firms
- Federal, state and local government
- Corporations
- Public interest organizations
- Private practice
- Colleges and universities
Strategies
- Complete coursework in Latin.
- Develop strong research skills and attention to detail.
- Participate in a debate or forensic team to hone communication skills.
- Take courses in and gain experience with mediation and conflict resolution.
- Get involved with pre-law organizations.
- Obtain a summer or part-time job in a law firm.
- Shadow an attorney to learn more about the field and various specialties.
- Complete special training requirements for paralegal positions.
- Attend law school and earn a J.D. to become an attorney. Maintain an excellent grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations to gain law school admittance. Prepare to take the LSAT.
Medicine
Common Career Paths
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Optometry
- Podiatry
- Pharmacy
- Allied health (e.g., occupational therapy and physical therapy)
Employers
- Hospitals
- Medical centers and clinics
- Nursing homes
- Private practice
- Armed services
- Government agencies
Strategies
- Plan on attending medical school or other related graduate program.
- Take applicable prerequisites for medical/professional school and maintain an excellent grade point average, particularly in the sciences.
- Complete coursework in Latin, Greek, and/or medical/scientific terminology.
- Meet with a pre-health advisor periodically.
- Seek experiences in hospital or healthcare settings through volunteering, shadowing, part-time positions, or internships.
- Get involved in campus organizations and take leadership roles.
- Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations.
- Prepare for applicable graduate admission exams (e.g., the MCAT or GRE).
Getting Started and Advancing in Major
- Classics is an interdisciplinary major useful for cultivating verbal, written, and logical reasoning skills and for broadening one’s world view. Classics majors often develop strong analytical and critical thinking skills valued by many types of employers and graduate programs. Latin and Greek language training is particularly helpful for learning legal and medical terminology. For more information about archaeology, see also What Can I Do with a Major in Anthropology/Archaeology?
- Some students may choose to pursue Classics because they enjoy the subject but wish to pursue careers requiring “any major.” In this scenario, it is critical to develop skills relevant to targeted field through internships, part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer experiences.
- Develop excellent writing and research skills.
- Join organizations such as The American Classical League, The Society for Classical Studies, or The Archaeological Institute of America to establish a professional network.
- Study and/or travel abroad to contribute to your understanding of the field.
- Pursue graduate education in classics for increased opportunities. Plan to specialize in one area such as Latin and Greek, classical literature, classical archaeology, history, or classical civilization.
- A classics major serves as good preparation for graduate study in other analytical subjects such as law, anthropology, medieval studies, philosophy, history, or English, and for research or practice in religion. Consider combining study in the classics with a major or minor in another discipline to maximize opportunities.
- Build strong relationships and secure personal recommendations from professors, and become familiar with the specific entrance exam for graduate or professional schools.
- Conduct informational interviews and/or job shadowing experiences with professionals in jobs of interest to learn about their career fields and to build a network of contacts.
Professional Associations
- American Association for Neo-Latin Studies
- American Classical League
- American Translators’ Association
- Archaeological Institute of America
- Association of Ancient Historians
- Classical Association of the Middle West and South
- National Classics Honor Society
- Society for Classical Studies
Related Resources
Occupational Outlook
- Anthropologists and Archeologists
- Archivist, Curators and Museum Workers
- Editors
- Historians
- Interpreters and Translators
- Librarians
- Postsecondary Administrators
- Teachers-Postsecondary
- Writers and Authors
Employment Opportunities
- See the Professional Associations for job listings in field and general job posting sites for other areas.