This page has 0 children

Post Universitatem Bucknellensem ("After Bucknell")

Bucknell University

Classics is an excellent foundation for people who wish to pursue careers in all sorts of fields. 

  • Law: Recent studies have documented that Classics, together with Math majors, have the highest success rates of any majors in law school. Visit also the CDC's Pre-Law website.

     

  • Business: A 1990 survey of business recruitment officers found that "studying the classics developed intellectual rigor, communications skills, analytical skills, the ability to handle complex information and above all, a breadth of view which few other disciplines can provide."

     

  • Medicine: Combined with a science, Classics makes an excellent double major for pre-med students. Students who major in languages, including Greek and Latin, have a better success rate getting into medical school than do majors in Biology, Microbiology, andthe like (see the AAMC's Medical School Admissions Requirements, 1997-98, p. 24). Visit also Bucknell's Pre-Med website.

     

  • Teaching: There is a strong demand for Latin teachers around the country. For imformation on the Latin teacher shortage, visit the National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week Website. To quote a recent article in the Los Angeles Times on the recruitment of teachers, "Surprisingly, while Spanish majors are highly sought after, the sharpest appetite is for Latin majors...Recruiters are eager to find college graduates who majored in Latin because high school students in significant numbers continue to want to study it. Some are attracted to Latin for the mental discipline and for what it teaches about the inner workings of English and many other languages. Latin is also popular with students who may want to go to medical school or specialize in biology or other sciences that use Latin words in their terminology." Click here for a site on job placement services for classics-related teachers.

     

  • Graduate School: Classics alumnae/i have gone on to graduate school in Anthropology, History, English, seminary, and, of course, Classics. Click here for a site linking to all the Classics graduate programs in the country with a brief description of each. See also Bucknell's Graduate School Advising Page. There is also the Lionel Pearson Fellowship which provides funds for majors in Greek, Latin, or Classics to study in England or Scotland for a year immediately after graduating from college. The application deadline is usually in mid-October of the senior year. Click here for a list of graduate programs in the USA.

     

  • Archaeology: If you have never gotten over that urge to play in the mud and dig in dirt, this may be for you. Check out this site on Frequently Asked Questions about Careers in Archaeology in the US.

     

  • Museums: Classics, especially with an emphasis in material culture and archaeology, is an excellent preparation for a career working in or with museums.There are summer internships which can get you started, such as The Museum Studies Summer Internship Program at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Smithsonian Institute's Center for Museum Studies provides both information and opportunities. One can also pursue this career further at the graduate level of study, such as at the University of Delaware , NYU or the University of Leicester in the UK (to name a just a few). The American Association of Museums puts out a job newletter, Adviso, through which you can learn about the types of opportunities available.

     

  • Publishing: Students who follow a more literary criticism track (philology) gain a knowledge of western literary traditions as well as writing and analytical skills useful in publishing -- and a real love of literature! There are many ways to break into this industry, including an excellent summer institute at Denver which addresses not only editing skills but also career counseling.

     

  • Non-profit associations: In addition to museums, many other non-profit associations are looking for the kind of research, writing, and critical analysis skills which Classics graduates have. Many students choose Classics, and the humanities in general, precisely because they did not want to go the mainstream business route. Non-profit work can be very rewarding to those with a humanist bent.