After Skidmore
Teaching Classics
Interested 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: