Is classical literature really that important/relevant to academic writing in the modern day?

I think classical literature is mostly important for people seeking degrees in language or sociology or history. For an engineering major, studying Beowulf is not going to benefit the type of technical writing he will need to do. For a medical student, studying Moby Dick is not going to help her with the scientific research reports she will need to do. However, for someone studying the English language in order to teach it, or for someone studying British history or the sociocultural structures of South African society, then studying literary classics from these backgrounds will give the student a broader perspective and a deeper understanding of their subject area, and this will be reflected in their writing.