Classics

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Academic researcher
• Editorial assistant
• Higher education lecturer
• Museum/gallery curator
• Secondary school teacher

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Archivist
• Academic librarian
• Barrister
• Chartered accountant
• Civil Service fast streamer
• Government social research officer
• Heritage manager
• Human resources officer
• Local government officer
• Market researcher
• Marketing executive
• Museum education officer
• Newspaper journalist
• Project manager
• Solicitor

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

Studying a classics degree provides you with skills relevant for several sectors, including:

• consultancy
• film and television
• legal
• local and national government
• marketing
• media and broadcasting
• museum and gallery work
• teaching and academia.

Work experience and volunteering are valued in the museum sector, so try to get experience in the area you're interested in. For example, if you want to work in museum curating, look for an opportunity to gain experience with museum collections at your local museum or gallery.

Structured work placements aren't commonly part of a classics degree. But, a part-time job, a year out as part of your course, voluntary work or even a period of work shadowing are all good ways to find out what type of employment you wish to seek. You can also use the time to develop your skills and to establish contacts within the industry.

If you're looking to use your classics degree to get into an area such as law or consulting, you may find that a structured work experience option, such as a vacation scheme or internship, is available. Research the companies and firms to make your application competitive.

Getting involved in student societies can also be a good way of developing skills related to your chosen career, such as leadership, teamwork and planning.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

The breadth of your classics degree makes you attractive to many employers, including:

• art centres and theatres
• charities
• film companies
• financial institutions
• heritage and cultural organisations
• higher education institutions or universities - sharing your expertise through teaching and research
• law firms
• libraries
• local and national government
• museums - these are a key employer for classics graduates wishing to use their subject knowledge
• publishing companies
• research and information organisations
• schools
• television and media companies - including marketing and digital media organisations.

Find information on employers in the public services and administration, law, teacher training and education and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

Throughout your classics studies you acquire a range of subject-specific skills, including knowledge of the Greek and Roman languages and the political, social, literary and cultural history of the ancient world. In addition to this, you'll gain a grounding in philosophy and critical thinking.

A classics degree also develops many valuable transferable skills, such as:

• the ability to research, collate and analyse materials, including written documentation and statistics
• critical evaluation skills and the ability to interpret resources and analyse data
• the capacity for solving problems and thinking creatively
• effective oral, written and presentation communication skills
• the ability to formulate impartial and coherent arguments
• group working and project management as a part of a team
• the ability to negotiate, question and summarise
• the ability to think logically
• self-management skills, including being able to meet deadlines.

Further study

Classics graduates may choose to study a Masters or PhD in classics or related subjects, such as classical archaeology, ancient history, and Greek and Latin languages and literature. Becoming a specialist in an academic discipline, particularly at PhD level, can be the first step towards getting an academic job as a lecturer/researcher.

Other classics graduates opt for more vocational courses, generally at Masters level, such as museum studies or records and archive management. Some use the option of further study to move into professions such as law, teaching, librarianship or accountancy.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in classics.

What do classics graduates do?

Secondary education teaching professionals (7%), sales and retail assistants (5%), bar staff (3%), social and humanities scientists (3%) and advertising and marketing associate professionals (3%) are the top five jobs reported by classics graduates 15 months after graduation.

Find out what other classics graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.