Master’s in History VS. Master’s in Classics: Which Should You Get?

Master’s in History VS. Master’s in Classics… how does a history lover choose?!

I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately.

When you’re passionate about history, it’s not just a matter of whether to go to grad school.

It’s also which degree will get you closer to the kind of work, research, and life you actually want.

For a lot of us, that means choosing between a Master’s in History and a Master’s in Classics.

On paper, they sound similar.

Both study the past, both involve research and writing, and both open doors to academia, teaching, and museum work.

But the focus—and even the language—is completely different.

So for this blog post, I did a deep dive into both the Master’s of Classics program, and the Master’s of History program, at University of Arizona.

Of course, not every school will be the same.

But what I’m typing here does seem to broadly apply when I look at other various universities around the world.

So hopefully, by the end of this article, you’ll have a better idea of which you’d like to focus on!

Table of Contents

About the Everyday Historian

Heeey! I’m Brittany – the writer and researcher behind The Everyday Historian.

This blog and my YouTube channel are documenting my journey to and through grad school.

I’m a married woman in my 30s, and it’s a different game making these big kinds of life decisions when you have a husband and a home to consider.

So if you can relate, be sure to join our free Facebook Group full of fellow Everyday Historians!

So, what is the real difference?

Think of it like this:

A Master’s in History is about interpreting human experience through time.

A Master’s in Classics is about understanding the ancient world through its original languages and texts.

If you want to study the Viking Age, medieval Europe, the early American colonies, or modern cultural movements—you’re squarely in history territory.

If your heart beats faster at the thought of reading Homer, studying early Christianity in Greek, or analyzing Roman inscriptions—you’re looking at classics.

At schools like the University of Arizona, the M.A. in Classics includes emphases like Ancient History, Classical Philology, and Ancient Religion.

Students learn both Greek and Latin, often alongside archaeology, philosophy, or ancient art.

It’s ideal for anyone fascinated by Greek and Roman civilizations or the Biblical world in its original context.

The M.A. in History, by contrast, is broader and more flexible.

You might specialize in Early European, Modern European, U.S., Latin American, or Asian History. You’ll take historiography, seminars, and electives that teach you how to research, analyze, and communicate historical ideas to both academic and public audiences.

Both are rigorous.

Both can lead to a PhD.

But they shape you into very different kinds of scholars.

Career Outcomes and PhD Readiness

Both paths can lead to a PhD, but they prepare you in different ways.

A Master’s in Classics is excellent preparation for doctoral work in ancient history, theology, philosophy, or archaeology.

Because it requires language mastery and textual analysis, PhD committees know that classics grads are skilled researchers with serious academic discipline.

If you plan to pursue ancient or biblical studies, or teach Latin and Greek, this foundation is gold.

A Master’s in History, on the other hand, is broader.

It can feed into PhD work in any historical period—from medieval to modern, from global to local.

You’ll also build transferable skills: research design, writing for both scholarly and public audiences, and even data analysis or GIS if your program offers it.

In short:

Classics builds depth in one era and its languages.
History builds range across eras, themes, and methods.

If your goal is to become a professor of Greek literature or ancient Mediterranean culture—Classics will get you there.

If you want to research, teach, or write about broader historical questions—History gives you room to move.

The Big Picture: What Each Degree Emphasizes

	Master’s in Classics	Master’s in History
Primary Focus	Ancient Greece, Rome, early Mediterranean civilizations	Any historical era (ancient to modern) depending on concentration
Core Skills	Translation, textual analysis, archaeology, philology	Archival research, historiography, comparative analysis
Languages	Ancient Greek and Latin (plus a modern research language)	One modern research language (often French, German, or Spanish)
Typical Courses	Greek and Roman Historians, Classical Archaeology, Ancient Religion	Historiography, Historical Research Seminars, Thematic/Regional Studies
Ideal For	Students passionate about classical languages, ancient texts, or Biblical contexts	Students interested in cultural, political, or social histories of any era
Career Paths	Academia, museums, archaeology, theological research, secondary teaching	Academia, museums, archives, public history, education, policy, writing
Funding Availability	Moderate – some programs (like UArizona’s) offer generous support	Varies – often tied to assistantships or continuing to PhD programs

Which One Fits You Best?

If you’re drawn to dusty ruins, Greek epics, and the sound of Latin prayers echoing through time—you might love the classics route.

It’s deeply linguistic, text-based, and steeped in the ancient world.

You’ll probably spend your days reading, translating, and analyzing primary sources—often in the very languages they were written in.

If you’re more captivated by how cultures evolved, how migration shaped societies, or how historical memory influences modern life—you’ll thrive in history.

You’ll focus on context, causation, and interpretation—how we tell the story of humanity.

I’ll also add here that, if you’re a Christian, then you might find a more spiritual and personal connection to what you’d learn in the Classics.

I know I personally benefit from looking up translations from the original languages when I’m studying the Bible.

Knowing Latin, Hebrew, and Greek can be incredibly helpful for this.

If you want to teach in a Catholic school, or go to seminary eventually, then a master’s in Classics can set you up for that as well.

Quick Decision Quiz

I know that this is a huge life decision, and that a silly quiz is likely not going to get you where you need to be.

But hopefully this helps!

You might be a “Classics” person if:

You love ancient Greece, Rome, or learning about early Christianity
You enjoy language learning and textual analysis
You see value in reading sources in their original languages
You’re fascinated by archaeology, mythology, or ancient philosophy

You might be a “History” person if:

You’re drawn to storytelling, interpretation, and big-picture analysis
You want to study topics beyond the ancient world (medieval, modern, or global)
You’re interested in connecting the past to contemporary issues
You want flexibility—maybe even combining fields like world religions or cultural memory

Funding and Practical Considerations

Let’s talk money. Because money definitely matters, and it’s a huge consideration here.

Funding in humanities master’s programs can be inconsistent, but there are patterns.

Many Classics departments, like the one at the University of Arizona, actually offer generous funding packages for M.A. students.

This is somewhat rare for standalone master’s programs, and it’s a huge advantage if you qualify.

History programs, meanwhile, often reserve their strongest funding for PhD students.

You might find assistantships or scholarships, but you’ll want to confirm whether tuition waivers or stipends are guaranteed.

Other things to keep in mind:

Language requirements: Classics will demand both ancient and modern languages. History usually requires just one modern research language.
Program length: Classics tends to take two years. History can vary from one and a half to two, depending on whether you write a thesis.
Career flexibility: A History M.A. can feed into museum work, public history, or education. A Classics M.A. is more niche, but highly respected in academia.

So if funding and flexibility are top priorities.

Look carefully at which departments support their M.A. students, and what that support looks like.