Teaching Certification in Latin

The VWU Department of Classics has a Virginia Department of Education endorsement in the teaching of Latin.

If you love Latin and are interested in teaching, you should consider pursuing the combination of the Latin Major with Teaching Endorsement plus the MA.Ed. program offered through VWU’s Education Department.


Why should i pursue teaching certification in Latin?

  • The job outlook for Latin teachers is excellent. Almost every year the Department receives several emails from high school and middle school principals asking whether we have any students available to start teaching for them in the Fall.
  • VWU’s new MA.Ed. program will permit students to complete an MA in Education with just one additional year of study after completing their BA in Latin. Students who begin their teaching career with an MA.Ed. start with additional experience and at a higher pay grade.
  • View current job postings for Latin teachers.
    *The job posting cycle is seasonal; some times of year will have more postings than others.

How do i go about pursuing teaching certification in Latin?

  1. First, complete your B.A. in Latin, taking LATN 471 (A one-credit internship in the teaching of Latin) and the two INST classes listed below (recommended, but not required) in addition to the regular coursework for the major.
  2. Then, apply to and complete the requirements for a Master of Arts in Education, the one-year MA.Ed. program offered by the Education Department at VWU.

The chart below offers one possible progression of classes for those wishing to pursue teaching certification in latin who arrive at vwu with little or no previous experience in latin:
(Only the recommended classes for the Latin Major are listed; Electives and General Studies courses not included. Please note that students intending to apply to graduate school in Classics should take at least three years of Greek in addition to four years of Latin and have at minimum a 3.5 GPA)

Possible Progression Of Courses
For Latin Major With Teaching Certification

Year Semester Courses Contributing To
Latin Teaching Certification
Additional Activities Outside Classroom
First Year 1 LATN 111 Beginning Latin I Clubs: Join Classics Club
Service Learning:  Students Do Service Learning Linked to at least One Classics Course
CLAS 105 Classical Mythology
OR
CLAS 120 Introduction to Classical Archaeology
  2 LATN 112 Beginning Latin II Honor Societies: Join Eta Sigma Phi
Sophomore Year 1 LATN 213 Intermediate Latin Service Learning:  Students Do Service Learning Linked to at least One Classics Course
CLAS 209 Greek History
INST 202 The School and Society
  2 LATN 305 Age of Nero Research: Represent Classics at VWU at yearly Eta Sigma Phi conference in March
CLAS 210 Roman History
INST 203 Applied Technology for
Innovative Instruction
Junior Year 1 LATN 306 Catullus and Horace Study Abroad: (Summer or Full Semester)
CLAS 330 Classical Epic and the Epic Tradition
  2 LATN 306 Ovid  
LATN 471 Internship in Teaching Latin
in Secondary Education (1 cr.)
Senior Year 1 CLAS 430 Classical Epic and
the Epic Tradition (Senior Thesis)
Research: Present Senior Thesis at Classics Department Symposium
LATN 306 Vergil, Aeneid (Optional Elective)
  2 LATN 306 Seneca, Plautus, Terence:  Greek
Drama (Optional Elective)
Study Abroad: Apply for American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Centro at Rome
Research:
Present Senior Thesis at Annual Eta Sigma Phi Convention in March
Master Of Arts, Education MA.Ed. Students complete required
coursework for VWU’s MA.Ed. program
 

*Note: that the Introductory Latin sequence does not count toward the Major, but substitutions of LATN 111, 112, and 213 for courses in translation are sometimes permitted on a case-by-case basis.