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So You Want to be an English MajorCommon Areas of Focus in a Broad FieldDeclaring yourself an English major doesn't mean that you'll be working in dead-end jobs for the rest of your life. English majors are open to a range of careers.
English majors often get a bad rap. Once you declare your major, one of the most common questions you can expect is “What are you going to do with that?” The great thing about English is that it is a very broad field that can be used in virtually every type of career. Business, education, law, nonprofit work—all of these fields and more have areas where the critical thinking skills and creativity of an English major can come in handy. Is the field a little too broad for you? Read on for a list of common concentrations, so you’re ready with an answer the next time someone asks about your future plans. Communications. Typically, you’ll find courses like advertising, journalism, editing, business writing, and public relations within this concentration. Expect to write press releases, learn about advertising campaigns, write news stories, and learn lots and lots about grammar and the mechanics of language. Students in this concentration can expect to find careers in a wide range of fields, including journalism, publishing, editing, advertising, marketing / public relations, nonprofit organizations, corporate communications, law, and more. On the upside, this is a diverse, creative focus with many career possibilities. On the downside, grammar isn’t too exciting. Digital Communications. This is a fairly new major at most colleges and focuses on writing for the Web by including courses from the English, business, and computer science programs into one concentration. Education. This is where you’ll be assigning Romeo & Juliet and Moby Dick and helping your junior and senior high school students understand and appreciate great literature, or developing funky creative writing assignments. Be comfortable with how to write a research paper—you’ll be showing your students how to do it! Literature. Expect to read and write. A lot. You’ll become very familiar with the great American and British authors of the last several centuries, with a few others thrown in. Depending on the career path you choose, the analytical thinking tools that you develop in this concentration can be helpful in business, marketing, education, or working for a nonprofit organization. Speech / Theater. This program varies from college to college. Most students with this concentration study basic acting and movement techniques, perform plays, and study the works of major playwrights. It would be helpful for business students to take a few speech or theater courses, particularly if the student plans to speak in front of large groups of people.
The copyright of the article So You Want to be an English Major in College Degrees/Programs is owned by Sara G. Hodon. Permission to republish So You Want to be an English Major in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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