Latin

What is it?
The study of a dead language. There's no need for speaking and listening, so pupils concentrate on translation and – more rarely – writing. You'll study all the greats: poetry by Virgil and Ovid and the prose of Cicero, Caesar and Tacitus. The good news is that students no longer have to chant grammatical structures at their teachers and that Classical texts are racy, to say the least.

What is it? The study of a dead language. There's no need for speaking and listening, so pupils concentrate on translation and – more rarely – writing. You'll study all the greats: poetry by Virgil and Ovid and the prose of Cicero, Caesar and Tacitus. The good news is that students no longer have to chant grammatical structures at their teachers and that Classical texts are racy, to say the least.

Why do it? "Although it's a dead language, the study of Latin is still very much alive, because its importance for understanding Europe today is as great now as it ever has been," says Adrian Barlow, chair of examiners for classics subjects at OCR. Understanding Latin will also help you study all the European modern languages, including English.

What skills do you need? An orderly mind and a good memory are the most important attributes, but Latin GCSE will help a lot. It is possible to study for the A-level from scratch, but you should expect some hard work ahead. It's also vital that you are interested in the Classical world.

How much practical work is there? None.

Ratio of coursework to exams: It's 100 per cent exam.

Is it hard? "It's academically demanding," says Adrian Barlow of OCR. "You've got to enjoy the subject to do well, but the proportion of entrants who get grade A is high."

Who takes it? Although Latin is still overwhelmingly the preserve of the independent sector, it is becoming increasingly available in state schools.

How cool is it? To be fair, it isn't. But if you want to cultivate the image of an aspiring intellectual, then this is the subject for you.

Added value: An excuse to visit Rome and Pompeii. Many schools or colleges will organise trips, if not to Italy, then to the many Roman remains in Britain.

What subjects go with it? Ancient Greek, ancient history, history, Classical civilisation, English and law.

What degrees does it lead to? Classics, law, ancient history and history.

Will it set you up for a brilliant career? A mastery of Latin still commands a great deal of respect among employers, particularly in the civil and foreign service. But it's a completely non-vocational subject.

What do the students say? "We are studying Ovid's Metamorphoses at the moment. It's fascinating language-wise and we do a lot of literary criticism on it," says Robert Dickason, who is also studying ancient Greek, English literature, maths and general studies at Colchester Royal Grammar School. "It's a hard language to get to grips with, because everything has to be spot-on, but I enjoy it and I want to study classics at university."

Which awarding bodies offer it? AQA and OCR.

How widely available is it? Much less widely available than modern languages.

c.rudebeck@independent.co.uk