1127 Park Street -- Grinnell, IA 50112-1690
Phone 641-269-4940; FAX 641-269-4946
Contact Us
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1127 Park Street -- Grinnell, IA 50112-1690 Phone 641-269-4940; FAX 641-269-4946 Contact Us |
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American
Studies
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Classics
Choosing your major was one of the most significant decisions of your college career. Your passion for classics is one you share with your peers, professors, and alumni/ae. Students choose to major in classics for different reasons. Read some of the reasons alumni/ae chose a classics major: "I loved Latin. The classics major is extremely contemporary. I know so much that's useful because of this major. It helped my writing skills, taught me how to analyze texts and gave me an understanding of a culture that although different is very similar to ours. There are so many truths to be had that speak to everyone." "I majored in classics because I thought I was going to go into classical archaeology. The major is an incredible foundation to have and you can go anywhere with it." "Classics was an excellent choice as a major. The professors were excellent and the courses were difficult and challenging. I wanted to read great books. I still read in Greek and Latin every day. Classics is a contemporary major because it is a difficult one; you learn how to study and how to apply yourself to close, concentrated work." "I majored in classics because of the people in classics - Bill McKibben, Gerry Lalonde." "I had planned to major in science, but didn't turn out to be a good enough student in it. I always loved Latin. With the classics major, you got to read good stories. I did graduate work in classics and taught Latin at all levels. Classics is not an outdated major but it is not for everyone. It still has contemporary implications and applications and you meet a lot of people who are fascinated by the ancient world." You will use the skills you develop as a classics major every day in whatever environment you decide to work. Alumni/ae and faculty offer their thoughts about the kinds of skills a major in classics will provide: "The classics major developed my writing and critical thinking skills. But, it also taught me how to get along with others. Since the department is so small, you really have to learn to get along with everyone." "Language skills, art history, analytical skills, research and bibliographic skills." "Writing,
research, concentration, logic and a strong work ethic. I also
learned how to approach research." "It helped every day with vocabulary. You have a 90 percent head start on figuring out words you have never seen. To the extent that studying classics requires you to read something in non-conversational English and translate it into conversational English, it is good preparation for something like law. It gives you the ability to read carefully." "Before majoring in classics, I wasn't particularly logical about literature; I was emotional and sentimental about it. The act of translating texts helped a logical progression." Classics majors have selected a wide variety of careers from attorney to professor, from librarian to consultant. As you can see from the following list of alumni/ae job titles of classics majors, you are not your major! Alumni/ae
Job Titles How will
you decide what kind of career to pursue? Will it follow your
major? In what way? Both alumni/ae and faculty emphasize the
importance of researching different kinds of careers. There are many ways to research career fields of interest to you. The most common way is to complete an internship. Alumni/ae who have held internships or participated in career previews have lots of advice to offer. "Pursue an internship and be open-minded about what you can do with your major." "I strongly recommend study abroad. It's extremely broadening to know that classics are not the be all and end all." "Don't get discouraged when you just start looking for a job. Find the right person who understands that liberal arts is good preparation for a business career." "Although I was enamored of my college professors' lifestyle, Peter Connelly convinced me to go to law school and not be a professor. Classics is great preparation for law school." "The career office's credential files are very useful." If you are thinking about graduate school, there are graduate programs in the field of classics as well as other professional degree programs. These links provide more information about the different paths you can follow: graduate school, jobs, or other paths. The following are first-hand accounts of the experiences of alumni/ae after Grinnell who have graduated with a classics major: "I saw Steve Langerud and other Resident Advisors at Grinnell and said 'you can get paid to do this?' An internship my senior year that Steve organized at Grandview College was great. I knew I wanted to be in student services." "My career path was long and torturous. My very first job was at an art store as a picture framer. I had some framing experience from Grinnell and was interested in paper conservation." "My first career was in high school teaching. While I liked it, there were a lot of difficulties. I wanted a change. I didn't know any lawyers but there was a law school nearby. Then I discovered the range of careers possible with a law degree." "I knew I wanted to be a lawyer since the eighth grade and watching E.G. Marshall on tv." Of course, Grinnell's Classics Department provides advising as you consider questions about your major, internships, gaining experience, and making career decisions. The departmental web page also offers detailed information about the classics major, outlines requirements for its completion, and lists courses. |
| Back to CDO Home Page | Career Development Office (career@grinnell.edu) Steve Langerud, Director 1127 Park Street -- P.O. Box 805 Grinnell, IA 50112 |
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