Why Classics? Thinking about Careers

While our subject matter may be rooted in Antiquity, our academic programs are very much designed to prepare students for careers in the 21st century. Many of our students have proceeded to successful careers in academia, and today our alumni hold some of the most prestigious professorships in Classical Studies. However, grounded in a Liberal Arts tradition that emphasizes written and spoken competencies, critical thinking and argument-driven reasoning— the curriculum of our Classical Studies programs not only trains scholars of the ancient world, but it works to develop the skillsets and intellectual robusticity sought by employers today. In fact, our students have found success into a wide range of professional fields, with FSU Classics alumni currently holding positions in university academia and administration; museums, collections, and conservation; academic libraries; publishing; cultural resource management, computer science; secondary education; and law.

Our Ph.D. graduates have obtained academic positions at the University of Delaware, University of Iowa, University of Tennessee, University of South Florida, the University of Virginia.

B.A. and M.A. students of the ancient languages have enjoyed productive teaching careers in secondary education nation-wide and in the South-East. With their strong language training, our M.A. students have continued their education at institutions such as the University of California at Berkeley, Duke University, the University of Chicago, University of Colorado, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, the University of Virginia. Our B.A. graduates have entered graduate school at places such as the University of California at Berkeley, University of Texas, University of Toronto, Cornell University, Princeton University, and Ohio State University.

B.A. and M.A. students of Classical Archaeology at FSU have also established exciting careers that build on the skills and expertise developed at FSU. Many archaeologists now work at major museums (J. Paul Getty Villa Museum; American Museum of Natural History, NYC; North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences; Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts; Penn Museum Library, University of Pennsylvania; Michigan Museums Associations). They also hold important positions at national and international research institutions (American School of Classical Studies at Athens; National Endowment for the Humanities) and major cultural resource management organizations (US National Parks Service; Ohio History Connection; State Historic Sites of South Carolina). B.A. and M.A. students in Classical Archaeology at Florida State University regularly continue to pursue higher education at other major American graduate programs.