Career Options For English Majors

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In the Princeton Review's "Guide to College Majors" (2008), English language and literature was ranked among the top ten college majors in the US. A CNN.com feature on "10 most popular majors and what they pay", while not specifically listing English studies, indicates that "communications majors have some of the same skill sets as English majors and often compete for similar jobs." (Erwin, 2008); pegging the average starting salary for a communications graduate at USD 31,000 a year.

Often identified as a course meant only for literature enthusiasts, how does graduating with an English major help in opening up more employment opportunities and furthering professional advancement?

A major in English, as with other related fields, involves the study of the English language and literary works from varied perspectives. Literary analysis develops a student's comprehension, reasoning, and critical thinking. Interpreting any literary work requires careful understanding of a text and the ability to effectively communicate its historical, cultural, and societal significance. Tremendous research and writing are also necessary in successfully completing course requirements.

Graduating with an English major requires at least 120 credit hours worth of various courses such as literary history and theory, language development, english composition, speech studies, creative as well as business writing. Majors in English literature may also choose to focus on particular time periods or genres, depending on their interests.

For many students, choosing a college major means choosing one that will guarantee high-paying jobs immediately after graduation; limiting their sights on highly technical and specialized courses and staying away from humanities or literary studies. What an English language and literature degree does, however, is provide avenues to more possibilities in the realm of the workplace.

English majors are able to thrive in almost any field, whether it be in mass media, theater arts, public relations, and government service, among others. All the skills that English studies provide form a significant foundation for careers in teaching, writing, and research-based industries such as marketing and advertising. English majors are trained to be compelling communicators, in both written and spoken formats, making them indispensable to any business or organization.

A background in English language and literature adds credibility to almost any profession, especially for those in upper management and administrative levels. Continuing or combined studies in journalism, publishing, education, and business management have likewise proven to be successful endeavors for English majors. The basic coursework also prepares students who intend to go on to law school or pursue finance-related work.

In New York, a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine program at the Columbia University School for Continuing Education, aims to incorporate the study of literary theory and the use of literature in improving medical practices. Dr. Rita Charon, a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia, advocates the said program as she herself values the training she received in attaining a Ph.D. in English (Kolata, 2009).

From reading classic to postmodern literary works throughout English history, studying them closely and writing technical and creative analyses, English majors can continue to look forward to a wide array of career options and occasions to succeed.

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