| What
can I do with a major in....?
English
Language
is at the heart of every human endeavor, and the ability to master written
and spoken language is a key to personal and professional competence.
With this in mind, the undergraduate Department of English works with
students to develop mature skills in thinking, reading, and writing, while
also further extending to them an invitation for self-enrichment, for
as S.I. Hayakawa notes: "In a real sense, people who have read good
literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. It
is true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live
as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish."
Because of the program’s emphasis on analysis and communication,
students that complete an undergraduate major in English will have a solid
foundation for graduate study in English and other professional fields
such as law and medicine, the teaching of English in secondary and middle
schools, and a variety of careers in libraries, publishing houses, corporations,
and the government.
Required
Courses for the English Major
Required
Courses for the English with Writing Emphasis Major
Transferable
Skills
Some information taken
from Miami University at Ohio Academic Advising website
| Writing
and Speaking |
Reading |
Sizing
up an audience
Influencing and persuading
Informing and explaining
Rewriting and editing
Simplifying jargon
Accuracy
Coherency
Clarity |
Reading
for ideas
Reading for tone and attitude
Interpreting confused language
Interpreting instructions |
| Organizational
Research |
Thinking
Critically |
Gathering
information
Analyzing complex ideas
Defining
Comparing and summarizing
Problem solving
Designing/directing projects
Working in groups |
Adapting
ideas
Seeing connections
Weighing values
Questioning conventions
Arguing logically
Generating new ideas
Working independently |
Career
Opportunities
Some
information taken from Miami University at Ohio Academic Advising website
| Advertising |
Banking |
Creative
media
Research
Account services
Project management
Public relations |
Credit
lending
Operations
Financial services
Systems
Trusts |
| Book
Publishing |
Human
Services |
Editorial
Manuscript reading
Sales and marketing
Publicity
Production
Subsidiary rights
Textbook publishing
Indexing |
Counseling
Education
Psychology
Paraprofessional work
Administration |
| Education |
Law |
Teaching
English as a Second Language
Tutoring |
Corporate
practice
Government services
Private practice |
| Magazine
Publishing |
Public
Relations |
Editorial
Circulation
Production |
Radio/TV
sales
Speech writing |
| Technical
Writing |
| Writing
and editing |
Graduate
School
The
English Department has a wealth of information on graduate school for
English on its webpage.
On
Campus Sources for More Information
Internet
Sources for More Information on English Careers
Modern
Language Association (MLA)
Public
Relations Society of America (PRSA)
Thoughts
on an English Major from Past Students
Wesley
Bradley
|
Becoming
an English major allowed me to not only strengthen my writing and
analytical skills, but to look at the world around me in a new way.
The opportunity at UST to open your mind through literature and reflection
will offer you life skills that are truly priceless. |
| Micki
Adams
|
I chose
to major in English with a Writing Emphasis because in any job I'll
encounter writing will be a necessity. With a major in English you
get history, art, culture, psychology, philosophy and other subjects
from every single book read and discussed for class. You get a background
in what has been written, is currently being read and is yet to be
seen from writers today. An English major broadens perspectives and
helps to put world events in to context. |
| Dan
Jones
|
After
graduating from the University of Saint Thomas with a degree in English,
I began working for a local financial firm. I think I was able to
succeed in the business world because of my background in English.
Employers are looking for people with good problem solving skills
who can think analytically and take a look at an issue from many different
angles. Employers are looking for people who think outside of the
box, who look at a possible problem as a challenge, and who can see
an issue through to resolution. I think a lot of the work I did as
an undergraduate and graduate English student gave me the skills that
employers were looking for. Through the analysis of difficult texts,
such as Joyce's Ulysses, I was forced to think on my feet, try to
come up with possible interpretations of the text, and present those
possibilities in a concise, well-written paper so that my point of
view could be understood. |
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