# What can you do with a degree in English?



## iMarieish (Jun 5, 2011)

...asking for friend ^^

She's going off to college and really wants to major in English with a minor in Journalism (since she really loves literature and writing), but her mom is trying to veer her away from this because she doesn't think there is anything you can do with an English degree besides becoming a teacher. Is English really such a useless degree? Help enlighten us all! What can you do with this degree? :wink:


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## Khar (May 21, 2011)

When I first read your post it was a run-by, so after thinking on it, I was all ready to come in here and mention "teaching." The merits of reading slowly before walking off to think on it. Oops! I guess I could add on by saying she could try and get her Masters/PhD to teach at the University level, but that is way down the road. 

There are a few options, including journalism (which she is taking as her minor) and publishing, but they are not exactly the easiest fields to enter unless to have a decent amount of drive, from what I remember. My brother actually has his journalism degree, and he ended up not using it -- switched into Visual Design and wandered away from the degree, since he had become disenchated with the field. 

A decent amount of positions tend to be open in fields like technical writing or editing, especially in larger companies which require someone to rewrite extremely technical or dry reports into something which people can digest. You'd be surprised how many companies need people with writing skills in a plethora of informations. I won't lie, a decent amount of these jobs do include data entry and administrative work rather than actually putting the degree to use, but I will let you in on a secret -- a lot of jobs end up that way (my father is a geologist who used to grouse that he never got any geology done at the company he worked for, and my Mother avoided a doctorate so she could do science rather than write grants). 

When people hear Editor, they think "Magazine" or "Newspaper" and those are fairly exclusive positions. However, ad agencies (or in-company PR groups), PR, radio, TV, NGOs and not-for-profit organizations also make use of people to edit and keep their site/publications/information as up to date and as well written as possible. PR in and of itself is a field which takes in a decent amount of English majors, but keep in mind that you likely won't be playing a directing role in the process. If you are a speech writer, you get told what to write about, you don't get to decide what to write about, for example. Most press releases (and there are a LOT of press releases out there) usually go through someone with a similar degree or experience in writing-related fields. 

Another potential (although I am not sure about the amount of people hiring) is science. I have a friend who, after getting her Masters in Geology, transferred over to get her Masters in Journalism. Her idea was to be able to span the gap between largely uneducated science-related reporting and largely over-technical and obscure scientific nomenclature and lexicons, so that scientists could get their word out there. I also knew of a lady who worked with my aforementioned scientist mother who's job mostly involved writing grants or getting into contact with other people for the lab. 

Those who do a writing degree tend to have a good chance of getting into Law since they have experience in communications. Similar to why economists do well because they have experience with the logical components. These respective fields basically pre-train you for the school. Getting an English degree is a good way to continue your education in that fashion should it be considered a practical possibility. It depends on what exactly your friend wants to do with her writing degree -- although I do know lawyers spend an excessive amount of time writing, so having a background in it is likely a boon. 

... and of course, there's the broad range of jobs out there just requesting the generic university degree. 

I won't lie. Getting an English degree is not exactly the most sound and solid way of making sure you have a good job at the end of it. However! There are options available to someone who gets a degree in English, even besides being an English teacher/professor/lecturer. I wish your friend the best of luck in making her decision!


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## Red Rubber Ball (Jan 18, 2011)

I don't think an English degree is "useless" as some do. Having worked in Human Resources and recruited for a variety of positions, I will say that very rarely was a specific degree required, but rather having a bachelors degree was a requisite for many positions. Will getting an English degree necessarily land a specific job? Probably not. However, it is a good, solid, liberal arts degree and I know people who, yes, have taught with it (though they had to get a teaching certificate on top of the English degree), but others who have gone on to do many things. Some have worked for newspapers/magazines (as editors), some have worked in education, but on the administrative side. Heck, I even know one person who got an English degree and works in Information Technology. I think a lot of it has to do with individual interests, and part of going to college is finding out what those interests are, and how you'd like to use them down the line. I certainly don't think your friend should avoid an English degree by any means. Education is never a waste.


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## Scruffy (Aug 17, 2009)

Journalism is a cut-throat career path, make sure she's knows this. 

My sister recently finished her Masters in Creative Writing (a poet), and has already been hired as a part-time professor at a local college. Teaching is open for just about any degree as a stand-by, so there's always that. My sister was also seeking jobs in publishing and editing, although I'm not quite sure what those would actually entail.

Life is *not* easy if you are a writing/literature major (in terms of a lucrative career), but of the English majors that I know; they certainly are not in this for the money. Their worlds exist purely through language, a beautiful syntax. It's a field for passion, if she has this passion; go for it.


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## Jem11899 (Jan 4, 2011)

I personally haven't even thought seriously about majoring in English. However, My INTJ roommate earned a double major in English: Technical Writing and History. She said that if you want to major in English and you want job security you give up some of the creative aspects of English and become used to using it in a practical way. Engineers and other writing-impaired professionals love these people because they can't write clearly to save their life. So they hire someone to do it for them. She's had a job with many companies, each have paid well. She says they were secure and reliable jobs. Right now, she's getting her master degree. So, I suppose you could suggest that to your friend. My other roommate, who is an INFJ, majored in English: Creative Writing. She works at a pizza place in the city and she doesn't know what she wants to with her life. I would suggest just based on my personal experience to your friend that she decides what she wants to do with the English major BEFORE she earns it. I would also suggest that if she's going to major in English to take it with an emphasis in technical writing. That way when she wants a serious job in the workplace, she has real and applicable experience and education. Hope your friend figures it out!


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## hello317 (Apr 16, 2010)

Teach! :happy:


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## elixare (Aug 26, 2010)

Excellent question! 

Here's your answer:


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## Gray Skies (Dec 27, 2010)

Next semester I'm going to be a sophomore Creative Writing major. I'm still very early into the program so I'm probably not the best source as opposed to someone who has already graduated, but I can pass along some advise given to me by my academic adviser, which is to be highly involved. Write for the school newspaper and literary magazine(s) and get editing jobs on campus. Publish articles, essays and stories to gain experience, make connections with the right people and get your name out there. Get an internship. Getting a good job in publishing or in journalism out of college, the two non-teaching areas that English majors tend to gravitate towards, is very difficult. The effort put forward and the practical experience gained in college will be much more appealing to potential employers than the degree at the end of the day.


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## lylyness (Jul 31, 2010)

If you can get a certificate in Professional Writing, Technical Writing, Grant Writing or something like that, there are actually a decent number of opportunities. I would say there's not much you can do with Creative Writing or Lit beyond teaching... I study Drama but I have a second major in Communication because it has way more job opportunities. I'm taking some courses in Professional Writing trying to get my certificate and it's relatively painless if you're good at writing, if not particularly exciting.


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## jd_ (Feb 5, 2011)

English is a great degree...plenty of things you can do with it. It will make your writing substantially better than your peers and teach you to deeply analyze text. Plus if you actually enjoy the subject, you'll have much less sense of burn out. What is the point of doing something you HATE? Even if you do good in it, you'll eventually burn out. Studying subjects such as English, Philosophy etc are an end in itself, it has intrinsic value that will last the rest of your life, and possibly change you as a person, vs a more vocational oriented degree such as Accounting. No offense, but there are tons of extremely linear thinking, non well rounded people in the Accounting/Finance type professions that might be great at their specific job but are cultural and unsophisticated rubes.

However, I will offer a bit of critique as to that combo. I would take out the journalism minor, it is really unnecessary especially if you are already majoring in English. If she wants to do Journalism, you would be better off keeping the English major and investing the rest of the time getting pieces of stuff out there. The English degree in itself is far more skillful for teaching writing skills than Journalism. 

Most people say to Major in something practical, then minor in something you love. I actually give the opposite advice, Major in something you love and give it your all and minor in something else in case it doesn't work out... I think minors like Econ/Business/Computer Science/Math etc would be a good practical compliment, you can also double minor.

Do you want an education? Or do you want a vocational / technical degree... You will probably change your career many times anyhow, and you can always go back for another bachelors/masters/phd/certificate/professional degree/law or whatever it is you feel like you need to do.


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## Codger (Aug 7, 2010)

childofprodigy said:


> Excellent question!
> 
> Here's your answer:


That's what I came in to post

*shakes fist*


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## La Belle Dame Sans Merci (Jun 20, 2011)

iMarieish said:


> ...asking for friend ^^
> 
> She's going off to college and really wants to major in English with a minor in Journalism (since she really loves literature and writing), but her mom is trying to veer her away from this because she doesn't think there is anything you can do with an English degree besides becoming a teacher. Is English really such a useless degree? Help enlighten us all! What can you do with this degree? :wink:


 
In my experience, yes, this is a useless degree. I love English and writing as well but pursuing a degree I had no natural talent for is the best decision I ever made. Mine is in Biology but I'm a paleontologist--I just love dinosaurs. When I was a freshman I was pursuing journalism and psychology but it takes a really gifted individual to make something of a degree like that. Not to mention they're just plain easy. And I tend to feel like anything easy like that is not worth my time. A lot of the classes will be boring and it will just be one more way of jumping through hoops for a degree--not something terribly fun most of the time--except at the end instead of feeling proud that you made it through it I'd imagine you'd feel kind of bland about the whole thing and wonder if you should've pursued something more difficult. It isn't like you need an English degree to get a journalism job. You just need to write, constantly, and get as many things published as possible. So I really feel like the degree is just a waste of money and time for the most part.


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## TechnoViking (Mar 9, 2011)

That's a pretty useless degree unless you wanna become a teacher.


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## timeless (Mar 20, 2010)

You could go to law school. A good chunk of people in my class went to college for English.


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## onefootinthegrave (Feb 4, 2011)

Here an idea, the certificate can also be....









A hat!

But on a serious note, I applaud your friend in following her love of literature, something I did not do. I've chosen Nursing for flexibility and security. Tell her to ask herself these questions...

1) What are my talents?

2) What do I enjoy doing or could stand doing on a daily basis, over and over, even when tired. The actual ins and outs of a job prospect may not relate to the degree.

3) Am I an extrovert?, for journalism I'd imagine you'd have to be. 

4) What do I want from life? or even better if I was on my deathbed what achievement would I be most proud of or what would have made my life worthwhile?

When I considered this I thought having a family would be what I really wanted, if I poured my efforts into academia I wouldn't be able to achieve that. 

5)What side goals does she have, could she achieve them if she has difficulty finding employment or little money?

6) Could she realistically handle being poor, searching for months for a job or even having to move back in with her parents while searching? 

7)Does she care about English to such an extent she is willing to fight for it, even in a recession?

I hope everything turns out well for her! :happy::happy: 

Good luck and God bless!


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## johnfernandis (Jul 4, 2011)

I do not think that becoming major in english is useless degree.But if you have enough interest and craze for some degree and want to pursue in that only then you should do it.By this you can give your best performance and achieve more than in any other field.Because in that particular field though there is less money but interest is there.And otherwise you choose not your interest but as per other then it become such huge responsibility for you and your performance not as good as in your interest field.And major English degree is very helpful like becoming teacher and also for job as a guide and also to start your own class for teaching aside.


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## Figure (Jun 22, 2011)

English is not a useless degree. It is a generic one. You can become a professor/teacher, like many. Or you can do management consulting or investment banking like I am (not that you really want to). I think English works best as a supplementary major to one that is more technical. I'm doing finance and English together, and I love the interdisciplinary balance between the two. When reading gets sappy and emotional, I study derivatives, hedging and the like. When that gets boring and static I read and analyze critical theory to better understand whatever it is that I'm reading. When I get tired of both, I go to bed.


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## Fleetfoot (May 9, 2011)

Go to graduate school?


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## Deja Vu (Dec 26, 2009)

timeless said:


> You could go to law school. A good chunk of people in my class went to college for English.


Thread closed.


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## AJ2011 (Jun 2, 2011)

I've seen English majors in fields like investment banking and sudden career switches to medicine. If you do well in school as an English major, then you have shown excellent critical thinking skills. If you don't do well or don't develop your critical thinking skills, the English degree is a paperweight and will absolutely get you nowhere. I do think it's an all or nothing type of degree, whereas an engineering degree, even if you're average, you're more likely to get a job.

BTW, part of critical thinking is the realistic assessment of your value in the marketplace. The sooner you do it, obviously the more prepared you are.


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