Master of Arts in Teaching
Latin and classical humanities
The master of arts in Teaching Latin and Classical Humanities is the equivalent of a master's degree in classics with supplementary graduate-level work in education. The program leads to a middle and high school (grades 5–12) teaching certificate in Latin and classical humanities valid in 30 states within the Interstate Certification Compact.
The program offers coordinated study in educational theory and practice, Latin language and literature, methodology, and the development of middle- and high-school curricula in Latin and classical humanities. The core of the program is a series of seminars in which classics faculty explore how the latest teaching trends and methodologies can best serve the needs and traditions of teaching Latin and classical humanities. These seminars give graduate students practical, hands-on experience in teaching, research, and developing teaching materials.
Students teach Latin at the university and at cooperating schools in western Massachusetts. They are thereby exposed to the full range of materials and methods for teaching Latin and classical humanities in middle and high schools. They also serve as teaching assistants in Classics Department undergraduate courses such as Greek civilization, Roman civilization, Greek mythology, and classical archaeology. The department subsidizes memberships for students in classical associations and supports their attendance at annual meetings where they have opportunities to make presentations, share ideas with other teachers, and learn about the profession.
All Educator Licensure programs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Second Education to meet licensure requirements in the state of Massachusetts ONLY. Many US states are signatories to the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which facilitates the mobility of educators among the states that are members of NASDTEC. This agreement makes it possible for an educator who completed an approved program and/or who holds a certificate or license in one jurisdiction to earn a certificate or license in another state or jurisdiction, with possible additional requirements. If you are seeking licensure in another state, here is a Teacher Licensure Agency Directory for you to contact other states.