Classics

A classics degree develops your intellectual flexibility and analytical thinking skills. Discover the range of careers you could pursue

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

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.

Types of work experience include structured work placements, a part-time job, a year out as part of your course, voluntary work or even a period of work shadowing. 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, banking 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
• local and national government
• law firms
• libraries
• 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
• universities - sharing your expertise through teaching and research.

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
• the capacity for solving problems and thinking creatively
• effective oral and written communication skills
• the ability to formulate impartial and coherent arguments
• group working
• 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. Further training is also necessary for a 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?

The top ten jobs reported by classics graduates include sales, marketing and related associate professionals (8%), HR, training and other vocational associate guidance professionals (6%), business, research and administrative professionals (5%), teaching professionals (4%), media professionals (3%) and artistic, literary and media occupations (3%).

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

Graduate destinations data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.