What Can You Do With an English Degree?

What Can You Do With an English Degree?

With students so worried about getting jobs after college, pursuing a degree in a subject that appears, at first, to have no market value can seem like a waste of time. However, English majors have a lot of strong skills to offer employers. The skills acquired from an undergraduate English program also translate well for students who want to work for themselves as freelancers or consultants. There is no need to worry about what can you do with an English degree, the choices are limitless.

Required Skills

Successful professionals need excellent writing skills, great analytical skills and outstanding communication skills. Upon completion of their four-year English degrees, undergraduates are ready for a variety of top careers that require excellent verbal and written communication skills. Furthermore, a lot of students enjoy the challenge of a four-year degree in a generalized subject area so they can specialize in graduate school. Many English majors go back to college for graduate degrees in subjects such as law, teaching and journalism. The skills they developed in their undergraduate English program prepare them for a specialized course of study. So for students wondering “what can you do with an English degree?” The answer is to dream big.

The English degree requires a great deal of analytical thinking. Students are asked in literature courses to study important literature and then discuss and analyze a novel by comparing and contrasting with other great literature, or doing an author study. These analytical skills translate well into career skills. A common complaint from employers is the lack of good writing and thinking skills in the pool of job applicants. English majors have a head start on other graduates because their entire college career is centered on practicing and perfecting their written and verbal communication skills.

English Majors Enjoy Career Success

What can you do with an English degree? Apply for jobs in any sector that requires outstanding communication skills. Legions of journalists got their start as English majors and then went back to college to perfect their craft with journalism courses. Many public relations, publishing, and marketing experts entered the job market with an English degree.

The best colleges in the country now offer online degree programs. With the advancing technology, increasing numbers of college courses are available with the click of a mouse. Most colleges have developed online databases and resources for students to complete most of their research and assignments over the Internet.

Smart English majors take the time to do their homework and network during their undergraduate program. An internship at a reputable company can help students make career connections for potential jobs after college. For people who want to work immediately after or during college, it’s important to get a feel for the career choices that are available to English degree holders. Talking to employment agencies and headhunters, researching online job markets and interviewing professionals who are established in their field are all excellent ways to prepare for a successful career. An English degree can lead to many rewarding, top careers in a multitude of industries. So what can you do with an english degree?

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