Career Opportunities with a Major in English
Many jobs require a college educated individual. College graduates can use their education in a wide variety of occupations.
English is a major branch of the language arts and its main focus is on the written word. The appropriate use and understanding of English is considered basic to the American way of life and reflects a person's level of educational achievement. Students who elect either the elementary or secondary emphasis of the English major will be prepared for teaching at those levels. English majors and minors in any emphasis are valued because of their communication skills and their knowledge of the language. Possible career paths include writing, editing, and publishing; teaching; advertising and public relations; and business administration and management. The discipline also prepares students for graduate study in English and a variety of other fields, including law and business administration.
SKILLS RELATED TO ENGLISH
- Ability to read and write articulately and analytically
- Comprehensive command of grammar and vocabulary
- Good listening, clarifying, questioning, and responding skills
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to conduct and clearly explain research results
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time
- Ability to make critical observations
- Good at organizing ideas, material, and people
The following list is a representative sample of job titles for individuals with an English major. The list represents some, but certainly not all, careers which English majors may consider.
Some of these jobs also require education beyond a bachelor's degree.
| Advertising | Announcer, TV/radio | Author |
| Bibliographer | Biographer | Bookstore Manager/Owner |
| Public Relations | Consumer Public Relations | Editor/Writer |
| Freelance Writer | Interpreter/Translator | News Analyst/Reporter/Correspondent |
| Lawyer | Librarian | Linguist |
| Marketing | Media Specialist | Promotions |
| Playwright | Proofreader | Desktop Publisher |
| Researcher | Sales Manager | Speech Writer |
| Teacher | Technical Writer | Textbook Writer |
| Travel Agent | University Administrator |
EMPLOYERS IN ENGLISH
- Advertising Agencies
- Bookstores
- Colleges/Universities
- Communication Firms
- Film Companies
- Fund-Raising Firms
- Government Agencies
- Insurance Companies
- Internet Companies
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Personnel Departments
- Professional Journals
- Public Relations Firms
- Publishing Firms
- Radio/TV Industry
- Research/Development Firms
- Travel Agencies
WEB SITES RELATED TO ENGLISH
Metro State English Department Website
- Bookwire
- Copy Editor Job
- The English Server
- Journalism-Related Job Openings
- Literary Resources on the Net
- Publishers Weekly
- The Write Jobs from the Writers Write
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS FIELD
- American Society of Journalists and Authors
www.asja.org
-
American Society of Magazine Editors
www.magazine.org -
Association of American Publishers
www.publishers.org -
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
www.aejmc.org -
Association of Literary Scholars and Critics
www.bu.edu/literary -
Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, Inc.
djnewspaperfund.dowjones.com -
Modern Language Association
www.mla.org -
National Council of Teachers of English
www.ncte.org -
National Newspaper Publishers Association
www.nnpa.org -
National Writers Association
www.nationalwriters.com -
Newspaper Association of America
www.naa.org -
Society of Professional Journalists
www.spj.org -
Society for Technical Communications
www.stc.org -
Writers Guild of America
www.wga.org
The above information is collected from alumni surveys of numerous colleges, professional associations, and multiple print and online resources.