Job Opportunities For Those With An Undergraduate Degree In English
Posted By on November 8, 2009
High School English teachers do so much more than assign spelling words and give students a weekly vocabulary quiz. Good teachers have the ability to inspire their students to develop knowledge, as well as a love of the English language, both in written and spoken form. Becoming an English teacher or professor is a popular choice for those college students majoring in English. For many, teaching is a passion and they would consider doing nothing else with their degree. But even for those who wish to teach English, there are several different areas where they could focus. For instance, their focus could be to teach literature classes, grammar classes, or even English as a second language. But what about those English majors who have no inclination to be in the field of education? For those English majors who do not wish to pursue teaching as a career, there are several other wonderful career paths for these students to follow. If you are an undergraduate student currently majoring in English and wondering how you will use your degree, consider the following popular career choices:
1. Editor: The field of editing is a wide open option for those with an English degree. Editors find they are involved with anything from spell checking to proofing, to selecting content. Editors can find employment in a variety of work environments. Some of the most popular employers have traditionally been newspapers and publishers.
6. Researcher: Researchers use their skills to gather information from a all kinds of genres. They have the ability to analyze information and communicate it to the appropriate people with clarity and brevity.
7. Librarian: A librarian, who is often required to study Library Science will often have an undergraduate degree in English. Librarians can be a combination researcher-teacher as they are willing to help anyone and everyone with finding and gathering information from a variety of sources. Librarians are often employed in neighborhood libraries and in school and college settings, etc.
8. Writer: Writers are requested for a variety of positions within many different business areas. Technical writers can find employment virtually anywhere as documentation is essential for many businesses. Grant writers, copywriters, and publication writers also earn very respectable salaries. Creative writing interests like song writing, poetry, or story writing are often not very lucrative but can often be enjoyed on a freelance basis.
9. Journalist: Journalism positions involve the ability to write and speak well, as journalists are called upon to use top notch writing skills and public speaking skills as well. Journalism can be a very diverse and exciting career option for an English major.
Choosing what career path to follow can sometimes be a very difficult decision. For those with the very broad English major it can sometimes be all the more difficult to find just the right area of expertise. English majors are fortunate in that they have been given the tools to succeed in a variety of positions and environments. Studying English gives most any graduate a solid basis to find success in one of the many jobs requiring excellent communication skills.
Connor Sullivan recently signed up for a practice vocabulary quiz to help his son prepare for the SAT test. His wife signed up for quizzes online for words her daughter is learning for the SAT test.