Career Options
A lot! A study by Penn State's Career Development and Placement Services found that about 22 percent of graduates with English degrees over the last 30 years found employment as writers and editors, as you might expect. Approximately 20 percent became teachers, 18 percent work in human resources, and about 19 percent apply their analytical and communication skills in business, public relations, or finance. Many English majors choose to enter graduate programs or law school after graduation.
But our graduates also turn up in unexpected careers: As librarians,
counselors, systems analysts, managers, advertising executives. musicians,
judges, actors, personnel directors, nurses, dentists, stockbrokers,
and enrepreneurs. In short, an English degree prepares you for a variety
of employment challenges.
Many students wonder what a degree in English prepares them to do. The answer is "almost anything." Is an English degree idealistic? Yes. Practical? Surprisingly, the answer is also "yes."
Jobs are not always extensions of degrees. According to the College Placement Council, most people work in careers unrelated to their majors. What this means is that your skills, talents, and insights are often much more important in securing a satisfying job than the major printed on your diploma.
The English major can provide you with highly marketable skills in critical thinking, writing, verbal communication, and research. Take a look at any list of job ads, and see how often "excellent written and verbal skills" are required. The wide range of texts that you study will help you understand our cultural and historical roots and the need for making humane decisions in a technical age. Finally, the English major strengthens your flexibility, an important asset in a world where the job market constantly changes.
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