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Classics Schools and Programs in The United States

66 schools in The United States teach Classics.

Classics Studies in The United States

Classics is the study of ancient Greece and Rome: their languages, Latin and ancient Greek, and their literature, history, philosophy, religion, art and archaeology. In the United States it is taught mainly in university and college departments of Classics or Classical Studies, where students can either learn to read texts such as Homer, Sophocles or Plato in the original or study the ancient world in English translation.

How the degrees are organised

US undergraduate education is based on the liberal arts and sciences, and a bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. Classics fits this model well: it is often taken as a major, a second major or a minor next to subjects such as history, philosophy or English. There is no national curriculum; each university is accredited by an independent body and designs its own programme. Departments typically distinguish two tracks:

  • Language-based majors in Latin, Greek or Classics (both languages), with courses from beginner to advanced level
  • Classical civilization or classical studies, taught in English, covering archaeology, history, literature, religion and thought
  • Graduate degrees: master's (MA) and doctoral (PhD) programmes for teaching and research

The University of Texas at Austin is an example of the range: its Classical Civilization courses require no knowledge of Greek or Latin, its Greek and Latin courses run from beginning to advanced levels, and majors choose from five options, namely Classics, Ancient History and Classical Civilization, Classical Archaeology, Greek, and Latin. Boston University teaches Latin, ancient Greek and Modern Greek, offers placement exams for students who already know a language, and has MA, combined MA/PhD and PhD programmes.

Where to study classics in the United States

The 66 schools listed on this page are mostly research universities and liberal arts colleges, spread across the country. Examples include, in the Northeast, Harvard University, Yale University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Wellesley College, Middlebury College and the University of Pennsylvania; in the Midwest, the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, The University of Chicago and Saint Louis University; in the South, Duke University, Vanderbilt University and Florida State University; and in the West, Stanford University, The University of California at Berkeley, The University of California Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. Two secondary schools are also listed: Mercersburg Academy, a college-preparatory boarding and day school in Pennsylvania, and Lee Academy.

Many students spend time in the Mediterranean. Archaeology is often part of the programme: UT Austin's Institute of Classical Archaeology runs field research on ancient Greek colonies, and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, a consortium of nearly 200 North American colleges and universities, gives graduate students a base for advanced study in Greece. EducationUSA notes that there is no official ranking of US universities, so compare departments by their language offer, faculty specialisms and study-abroad options.

Admission and visa

Undergraduates apply to the university, not to the classics department, and choose their major as part of their studies. No previous Latin or Greek is required to start, though students who have studied a language at school can take a placement exam. Graduate programmes are the master's and the doctorate; each department sets its own requirements, including the level of Latin and Greek expected, so check them programme by programme. International students need an F student visa for degree study. EducationUSA points out that a school certified to issue visa documents may not hold national or regional accreditation, so check its status.

Careers

Classics graduates go into teaching, academic research, museums and archives, publishing, law, public service and business, using skills in close reading, analysis and writing. Teaching Latin at school is a common route: the American Classical League supports Latin and Greek education for teachers and students. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), public school teachers need a state certification or licence, which may require an academic background in the subject they teach, and the median wage for high school teachers was $72,040 in May 2025. University teaching typically requires a PhD; the median wage for postsecondary teachers was $85,330 in May 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Latin or Greek before starting a classics degree?

No. Language courses start at beginner level, and classical civilization courses are taught in English. Students who already know some Latin or Greek can take a placement exam.

What is the difference between classics and classical civilization?

A classics major centres on reading Latin and ancient Greek texts in the original; classical civilization covers the history, literature, art and archaeology of the ancient world in English.

What can I do with a classics degree?

Graduates teach Latin and other subjects, continue to a PhD, or work in museums, publishing, law, public service and business. Public school teaching requires a state licence.