Careers in English

An English degree can prepare you for a wide variety of career opportunities. The curriculum for an English degree program is varied and focused on detailed methods of communication and research.

Most programs immerse the student in various historical texts and concepts, enhance critical thinking and teach invaluable skills in public speaking. While many students imagine a successful writing career coming from their English studies, this is not the only outlet for their talent for prose and rhetoric skills.

With an English degree as a foundation the student possessing an English degree is able to enter multiple fields without needing further formal education. Should you choose to enter higher education, there are even more opportunities that await you upon graduation.

Historian

The writing skills that come from attaining an English degree coupled with a significant knowledge of history make the job of a historian run smoothly. Historians often need to have a deep knowledge about a segment of history or the history of a particular area. They need to be able to complement that knowledge with written and verbal skills to present the information to people who are interested in it for various purposes.

Broadcasting

If you enjoy public speaking or writing for public speaking you can enter the broadcasting field as any of a number of contributors. There are positions for writing, editing, conceptualizing and speaking. All of these positions, and more, benefit from the rhetoric and writing based skills of an English major.

Technical Writing

English degree holders who have significant knowledge of other subjects -- such as programming and medical terminology – can become technical writers. This career path combines the knowledge of the field’s information with the skills of an English writer to produce well written, easy to understand books, article and website content.

Here are some other careers you can enter if you have an English degree:

  • Campaign Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Communications Specialist
  • Librarian
  • Research Assistant
  • Teacher
  • Critic
  • Editor
  • Writer
  • Fact Checker
  • Media Buyer
  • Curator