Future English Majors

WHY BECOME AN ENGLISH MAJOR?

Though conventional wisdom might suggest that the English major is not as popular or relevant as it once was, the facts and statistics don’t suggest this to be true. Not only is the English major still a popular choice, the increasing diversity of options within the discipline are making English majors more skilled and well-rounded than ever before. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. At its core, the English major is about critical thinking, thoughtful analysis, and effective communication with others. These are skills that are valued in every aspect of daily life. Whether at home, at work, or in the community, the English major provides a solid skill-set to more effectively engage with texts and people.

Employers, educational institutions, and others seek English graduates because they are able to:

• Communicate clearly and logically
• Understand human relations in various contexts
• Read critically and analyze texts
• Interpret and make connections across texts and situations
• Think creatively and critically to understand and solve problems
• Comprehend how language influences and defines behavior
• Analyze audiences and cultures
• Write and present proficiently and persuasively
• Use current communication technologies
• Design and produce sophisticated documents

English graduates pursue careers in teaching, publishing, technical and creative writing, editing, public relations, advertising, journalism, and more. Many use English as a pre-professional degree to prepare for professions such as law, business, medicine, or government service.

Not all our students are English majors Students frequently select English as an interdisciplinary major, minor, emphasis, or just for an elective or two because it provides a solid foundation in writing and critical thinking skills.

The English major, however, is about much more than job training. The roots of studying English are based in receiving a well-rounded liberal arts education that enriches the entire person. Through literature, students encounter provocative ideas from across the centuries of human history and cultural contexts. These ideas lead to important questions about what it means to be human and how our values are formed in interactions with other people. The English major, then, opens the individual to personal growth and a greater ability to articulate his or her experience of the world.