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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 article on “The 10 Most Popular Majors and what they pay,” while not specifically listing English studies, it does state that “Communications majors have some of the same skills as English majors and often compete for similar jobs.” (Erwin, 2008); setting the average starting salary for a communications graduate at $31,000 a year.
Often identified as a course intended only for literature enthusiasts, how does graduating with a major in English help open up more employment opportunities and promote career advancement?
An English major, as with other related fields, involves the study of the English language and literary works from a variety of perspectives. Literary analysis develops student understanding, reasoning, and critical thinking. The interpretation of any literary work requires a careful understanding of a text and the ability to effectively communicate its historical, cultural, and social meaning. Extensive research and writing is also needed to successfully complete the course requirements.
Graduating with a major in English requires at least 120 credit hours in various courses, such as literary history and theory, language development, English composition, speech studies, creative and business writing. English literature students 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 guarantees high-paying jobs immediately after graduation; limiting their gaze to highly technical and specialized courses and moving away from the humanities or literary studies. However, what an English language and literature degree does is provide pathways to more possibilities in the workplace.
English learners can thrive in almost any field, be it media, theater arts, public relations, and government service, among others. All the skills provided by English studies form an important foundation for careers in teaching, writing, and research-based industries such as marketing and advertising. English learners are trained to be compelling communicators, both in written and spoken formats, making them indispensable to any company or organization.
A background in English language and literature adds credibility to almost any profession, especially for those at the administrative and senior management levels. Continuing or combined studies in journalism, publishing, education, and business administration have also proven to be successful endeavors for English learners. Core courses also prepare students who intend to go to law school or pursue finance-related work.
In New York, a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine program at Columbia University’s School of Continuing Education aims to incorporate the study of literary theory and the use of literature to improve medical practices. Dr. Rita Charon, a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia, advocates such a program as she herself values the training she received to earn 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, students of English can continue to look forward to a wide range of career options and opportunities to succeed.
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