Skip to Main Content
Skidmore College
Classics

After Skidmore
Teaching Classics 

Roman Forum from CapitolineInterested in teaching Latin or Greek? High schools, both private and public, are desperate for qualified instructors in both ancient languages, especially Latin, and in Greek and Roman civilization. A student interested in teaching classics after college should work toward an M.A.T. (master of arts in teaching). M.A.T. programs typically take either one or two years beyond the B.A., and expect applicants to have studied Latin for at least one year at the advanced level and to have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Graduate programs, including M.A.T.s, cost money. There are, however, many opportunities to get financial support in loans and grants from state departments of education. When you know where you might want to study, contact the appropriate department of education. Some programs offer substantive (even full) support. For example, UMass-Amherst provides teaching assistantships with stipends of approximately $17,000 (as of 2015) and waivers of tuition, the curriculum fee, and most health fees for all students admitted into the program.

Skidmore's Classics and Education Department faculty can help you identify an M.A.T. program in the state where you want to gain certification to teach. Note that many programs will certify you to teach grades 9–12 in virtually all states. Some programs to consider in New York and Massachusetts: