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Making the Most of Your
Time In Classics

There are several resources available through UT that can greatly enhance your academic experience.

You Might want to read through the outline of a talk given by our Departmental Chairman, Tim Moore on Maximizing Your Degree.

Study Abroad

We highly recommend that you enhance your academic experience by taking a summer, semester or year to study abroad. The optimal year for study abroad is usually your junior year.

Career Exploration Center

The University has a Career Exploration Center with counselors and peer advisors who can help you explore your interests and career options.

The College of Liberal Arts Career Services

The Liberal Arts Career Services Center can provide you with more assistance in career exploration and has an extensive data base of internship opportunities. Internships are a great way to develop the job skills that will make you more competitive in the job market. *You might want to note that the degrees that are often seen as the most highly marketable, require students to participate in practicums or internships as part of the degree plan.

Students who are interested in pursuing a Law degree after graduation should contact the Liberal Arts Pre-Law Services advisors.

Students who are interested in pursuing a degree in Health Professions/Medicine, should contact the advisors in the Health Professions Office.

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Tutoring/Academic Assistance

If you find you are having difficulty in either a Latin or Greek course please contact the Department of Classics Undergraduate Coordinator for a list of people who are willing to provide tutoring.

If you are having difficulty with other courses, The UT Learning Center can help with tutoring and academic counseling.

If you are having difficulty with writing assignments, The Undergraduate Writing Center may be able to provide you with assistance.

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Honors Programs

Participating in the College of Liberal Arts Honors program can give you an opportunity to take more challenging courses with smaller class sizes.

Writing an Honors Thesis is a great way to bring together your academic experience with more intensive study in a particular topic and practice in communicating information and ideas clearly. An Honors Thesis is a good resource for students who are planning on going on to graduate school. You will work with a faculty mentor and you will have a writing sample ready for your graduate application.

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Honors Societies

The Department of Classics participates in the Eta Sigma Phi (National Classics) Honor Society. We are the Gamma Sigma Chapter. Applicants to Eta Sigma Phi (ESP) must have an overall UT GPA of 3.000, a Latin, Greek or Ancient History and Classical Civilization GPA of 3.500, and a minimum of 12 hours in CC, LAT, or GK courses. Stop by the Classics Advising Office (WAG 121) for an application.

The University has several other Honors Societies that may be of interest of interest to you. You can find more information in the Undergraduate Catalog.

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Maximizing Your Degree

Department of Classics, The University of Texas at Austin

Outline of a talk delivered by Tim Moore, October 3rd, 2001

I. Why a Classics Major?: fun, practicality, knowledge

II. Choosing courses

  1. keep track of requirements
  2. follow what you want to learn
  3. take as many Substantial Writing Courses as you can
  4. don't overload on conference courses
  5. take as much of the languages you choose as soon as you can
  6. don't forget the practical (especially computers)
  7. get as much breadth as possible, both within classics and beyond
  8. take as many credit hours per semester as you can
  9. write an honors thesis if you can
  10. keep an eye out for scholarships from UT and others
  11. Read more, both in the languages and in English, than your courses require

III. General advice

  1. a major is a commitment: stay put if possible
  2. take a pro-active approach to learning
  3. keep an active life outside of the classroom
  4. surf the web regularly for things classical
  5. become best friends with the library
  6. get to know your professors
  7. study abroad if at all possible

IV. Where to head after graduation

  1. Finishing with the BA
    1. Secondary Teaching
      1. in private schools (no certification required, but some want a Master's degree)
      2. in public schools (certification required)
        this is where classicists are in greatest demand
        ways to get certification
        1. UTeach (Gabby Yearwood: gabby@mail.utexas.edu)
        2. Degree with certification through the school of education (SZB 216)
        3. Postbaccalaureate certification (SZB 216)
        4. emergency certification through school districts and regional centers
      3. Training Strategies
        1. get to know local teachers (Texas Classical Association, observation)
        2. get as much Latin under your belt as you can
        3. take courses in Roman history and civilization
    2. Other careers
      1. The skills provided by a degree in classics are highly valued in the business world
      2. supplement those skills with something more directly marketable
      3. a good option: the Concentration in Business
  2. Going beyond the BA
    1. Graduate School in Classics
      1. not for the faint of heart: the road is tough, the market tight (though this may change)
      2. get as much Latin and Greek as possible, as soon as possible
      3. a good minor: German. Get as much German (and French and Italian, if possible) as you can
      4. writing ability is essential: write an honors thesis
      5. an option: terminal MA or non-degree program after graduation, to improve languages
    2. Other graduate and professional degrees
      1. Professional schools value the skills learned by Classics majors
      2. Choose courses and minors accordingly (e.g, Roman and Greek Law for Law school, Religious Studies for seminary, biology for Med School).

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Last Updated 01 August 2003 by the Undergraduate Coordinator.
To report problems  please contact the Undergraduate Coordinator.