What Can I Do With a Degree in English?
Posted: December 13, 2022 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 3 minutes
There’s certainly more to an English degree than reading books from a hundred years ago. English students at Southern Utah University have several options of study that they can specialize in while pursuing their degree. The university offers several minors and certificates along with the department. Here’s what you can do with an English degree from SUU.
Career Opportunities with an English Degree
Many jobs associated with an English degree are experiencing high demand as of recent statistics–writers in particular are becoming increasingly more necessary. These jobs and many others like them are in particularly high demand:
- Research writers
- Media writers
- Technical writers
- Editors
- Freelance writers
- Publishers
- Teachers
You may not need to know the Pythagorean Theorem in many places, but in any job you have, you’ll most likely write everyday. From writers to editors to publishers and beyond, there are tons of professional careers linked back to an English degree.
English Degree Specializations
SUU has four main emphasis options for English majors; Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Writing, English Education, and English Literature. Choosing an emphasis or specialization for your English major can create opportunities for other potential careers.
- Creative Writing centers around writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction and provides classes at varying difficulty levels. This outlet is for students with dreams of writing a bestselling fantasy novel or have ideas to bring an original story to life.
- Rhetoric and Writing is more technical, and focuses on publishing and professional techniques. This is more for the students who plan to become editors or perhaps own a publishing company of their own.
- English Education is relatively self-explanatory; offering a myriad of classes to help teachers-to-be become the best teachers they can be.
- English Literature gives students an opportunity to not only study, but gain a higher appreciation for literature. Students will analyze text samples from different eras, learn about different cultures, and become proficient in understanding the complexities of the spoken and written language.
Skills Gained from an English Degree
English degrees are very versatile and can fit lots of different jobs beyond the writing desk. Whereas some programs like law and nursing imply that students will be entering those exact fields and only supply them with physically laborious tasks, English programs offer a way to stretch a different educational muscle. You learn to critically analyze or think analytically about different ideas, and adjust your perspectives to see the world in a new light. Language is what keeps people connected and allows them to inspire change, build worlds, and express themselves with just words. Learning the technicality of writing is the starting point to learning what it is to be human. And that all starts with an English degree.
If an English major is not for you, consider an English minor or a writing certificate. SUU offers four minors in the English field; Creative Writing, Secondary Education, Literature, and Film and Screen Studies. A technical writing certificate is also an option.
Consult your advisor about which English emphasis is best for you! To learn more about what classes are required for each respective emphasis, visit the SUU Course Catalog.
English graduates go on to forge successful careers in a vast selection of fields such as library sciences, communication, publishing or editing, pursuing a higher education or teaching, financial consulting, politics and law, nonprofit organizations, technology and web development, journalism and broadcasting, and many others.
Learn more about the Department of English at SUU.
