Career Guide for English Majors

created by Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, Moravian College

The English Major at Moravian

When most people hear the words English major, they think of reading and writing. While these may be the predominant activities, an English major goes well beyond picking up a book, reading it, and writing a summary of its plot. The interdisciplinary complexity of literature offers opportunities to speak and write in such a way that students exercise their full ability to read critically and to solve problems as they wisely use language to take thoughtful, defensible positions. Writing to learn, the English major repeatedly explores personal relationships to literature, refining a distinctive voice while gaining a more integrated, though still evolving, identity.

Exploring the self as one member in a community of learners, the student collaborates well, understands and appreciates multiple cultural perspectives, and tolerates ambiguity and unanswered questions. Engagement with imaginative literature--with its appeal to the senses, the intellect, and the emotion--fosters creativity as majors accept challenges to explore their creative potential.

The English major at Moravian College offers three concentrations: the study of literature and language, drama and theatre, and writing. Each program requires ten courses: a four-course English core (required of all majors) and a six-course track. The English major, with its three track options or teaching certification, is excellent preparation for graduate study and for such careers as teaching, journalism, personnel management, advertising, publishing, and law.

The English department offers a variety of courses that will train you to apply learned analytical skills to real problems. Whether you are in a literature, theatre, education, or journalism track, you will consistently learn how to write clearly and pragmatically. Each class will serve to fine tune your oral communication skills as you progress from your freshman to your senior year. When you graduate, you will have acquired numerous skills that go hand in hand with what employers are looking for:

• Interpersonal skills
• Teamwork skills
• Analytic skills
• Oral communication skills
• Computer skills
• Leadership
• Work experience
• Self-confidence
• Ability to handle conflict
• Written communication skills

Let us take a closer look at several of the paths that may lie before you. The English major will provide you with the ability to enter different careers in which you may have an interest. Here are a few suggestions regarding careers that both Moravian College's graduates and graduates of other schools have entered upon graduation.

Education

When people find out that you are an English major, they usually assume that you are going into the field of education. Education is definitely one field that works well with an English major. After all, twenty-five percent of Moravian graduates who majored in English are now working as teachers.

The Moravian program for English majors who wish to teach is one of the best in the state. From your very entrance into the English/Education program (usually as a sophomore), you are assigned to local schools. You learn how to use literature as a form of communication with students and children. Written words and sounds help children to develop and explore; as an English major, you will master ways to foster your students' development.

As an English major, you can obtain certification to teach elementary or secondary education in both private and public schools. English majors work well as teachers because they have acquired the language skills necessary to instruct on all levels, ranging from kindergarten to adults. Teaching is a very rewarding and honorable profession. You may also obtain higher degrees and teach English on the college level as a professor. Teachers and professors often win the respect of the entire community because they have years of experience as well as intelligence and analytical skills. You can teach literature classes, journalism classes, or writing classes. The field is open wide to any sound form of pedagogy. Unfortunately, the field of college English teaching is exceedingly competitive. It could take years after you receive your Ph.D. to find a job teaching on the college level.

You don't have to be a teacher to be in education either. English majors are needed in school districts as admissions counselors, deans, recruiters, career counselors, and so forth. You can work in a human resources department or public relations department as well, interacting with people and using the skills learned as an English major. As an English/ Education major you will take educational psychology courses as well as public speaking, writing, and language courses which will contribute to your ability to work in an educational environment.

Publishing

When you think of publishing, you probably think of three relatively known fields (editing, promotions, and production) and three main publications (newspapers, books and magazines). Publishing itself is a challenging field to find work in, but once you do, you are prepared to advance in your job. The field covers much territory and takes hard work.

Editing:

Editing demands an eye for accuracy and clarity in writing. If you have this eye, it might mean that you are especially well suited for work as an editor. Editing comes in a variety of opportunities such as technical editors, copyeditors, copywriters, web page editors, and proofreaders. You can work as an editorial assistant for a magazine or a book publisher. Newspapers have editors for different sections of the paper such as features, news, sports, and so forth. Publishing companies need editors to work with authors on individual books. To be successful, though, you need to have a trained eye, which the English studies program will help you to develop.

Promotions:

Promotions involves advertising, sales, and marketing. Strong communication skills are needed for major publishing operations. You might work on campaigns for the media or backstage as a researcher, designing and implementing a new book division. Publications must be advertised, and if you have experience in graphic design or in general art studies, you might find work in a company's promotions department. If you have particularly strong communication skills, you might learn how to sell a product. You could work as a publicity writer or director of public relations for a publishing company.

Production:

Production involves overseeing the production of a book, magazine issue, or newspaper. Publications need department directors or supervisors/managers. If you have leadership skills and you like to oversee the production of projects, then you may find work in this field. Qualities that will serve you well include enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, persuasion, teamwork, integrity, and good judgment. Circulating the final product is also a part of the production. You can do market research to test where a product will best sell. The skills you learn by majoring in English will prepare you for jobs such as these.

Writing

Writers are involved with expressing, editing, and interpreting ideas and facts in written form for books, magazines, trade journals, newspapers, technical studies and reports, company newsletters, radio and television broadcasts, and advertisements. The English major at Moravian College will offer you a chance to write extensively. You will see progress with each piece of writing you produce. English majors learn how to master language and how to embellish mediocrity. With your talent as a writer, you can write about anything you set your mind to or anything that interests you. From a recent survey of graduates (of the previous ten years) who majored in English at Moravian College, the English department learned that approximately twenty-five percent of their graduates are working as professional writers.

Writing can mean working as a journalist for a newspaper or magazine. You can become a reporter and write news articles or feature articles for any form of media. As a freelance writer, you can work in the comfort of your home without having to commute to an office every day. You need to be trained extensively with research-skills, though. Using the resources at Reeves Library now will help you internalize sound research strategies.

Technical writing, a field that can be difficult to work in since you must familiarize yourself with so many subjects, is becoming a popular way to earn a living. Technical writing is heavily used in the sciences. Scientists who spend a lot of time in laboratories often lack the skills needed to explain formulas and theories to non-scientists. As a technical writer, it would be your job to translate technical material into terms that the general public understands. You may need to learn about automobiles, engineering, computers, or plant production.

The English major will offer you a chance to see other people's styles of writing. You may find a particular area of interest and decide to follow in someone else's footsteps. As a creative writer, you will have the ability to evoke people's emotions. It will take its toll on you when you receive rejection letters, but you build up confidence and character as you maintain your determination to be a creative writer. It is very hard to make a living from creative writing alone, though. If you do have a gift and use it, you can amuse, amaze, and educate others. Where would we be as English majors without creative writers such as Poe, Dickinson, Keats, Hardy, or Shakespeare?

Advanced Schooling

Let's face it, English majors aren't trained for a specific job like medical students, law students, education majors, art majors, or science majors. All of these people have a rather direct career path. English majors can do almost anything that they set their minds to, but going on to graduate school to get an advanced degree can help graduates narrow down their options.

English majors often make good lawyers and paralegals because they have a gift for writing and talking; however, they need the knowledge of the law. When they finish law school and pass the BAR exam, they can be employed in law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and public service agencies. English majors can study the semantics of the Constitution and transcripts of previous court cases or precedents to understand intricate complexities and to make sense of significant decisions.

English majors can also complete a Master's degree in literature, creative writing, journalism, or education. These fields are similar to tracks that have been discussed already, but with advanced degrees, English majors may have a better chance of finding work. There are several good graduate programs out there for English majors, who can go into many different fields by working their way up to a Ph.D. Sometimes, though, more degrees can be a detriment because you are over-qualified for entry-level positions.

Graduate schools seek students who have excellent English skills. These graduate programs can help guide you in a direction that interests you. Graduate programs often combine disciplines to create a specialization that might provide unique opportunities and places for you to find work.

Theatre

The Moravian College Theatre Company (MCTC) has been a tremendous asset to both the college and its students. If you have an interest in any aspect of the theatre, drop by the Arena Theatre on the bottom floor of the Haupert Union Building. You can work on stage by acting or behind stage as a lighting and sound technician, properties and costumes master/mistress, or stage manager. MCTC also needs help in the Box Office selling tickets and working on promotions for its productions.

Other Career Opportunites

What do you do if you are not interested in education, writing, publishing, law school, graduate degrees, advertising, public relations? It doesn't mean that your major in English is useless. There are still many other fields in which English majors can excel.

Businesses desperately need help from people who have good communication skills, who can write and speak effectively. They need grant writers and people to help solve complex problems. Maybe you can go on to obtain a Master's of Business Administration degree after your English major and become the President of a small company or the director of public relations of a major business.

Appreciating literature and conducting research are skills English majors have developed. Perhaps you are interested in becoming a librarian. There are schools that offer advanced degrees to prepare you for work in a library. You can become a translator (if you also study a foreign language) or a scholarly researcher for professors and literary journals. Your skills can be applied to any field that you find interesting.

The exciting, evolving world of banking needs people to work on capital campaigns. Credit lenders and commercial bankers often have the business acumen to keep their jobs, but they need assistance with putting their disorganized thoughts into a logical, convincing sequence. Develop your organizational skills, take some business courses, and learn about monetary and corporate finance. You can use your English skills in a field you find challenging.

Political campaigners need speechwriters and campaign managers. Take your skills and apply them to areas you find yourself thinking about often. Perhaps you have an interest in Not-for-Profit organizations or public service. Although you may not be paid handsomely, your talents will be appreciated in many other ways.

These are several suggestions as possible jobs for English majors, but it is all up to you. Decide what you are interested in and what you think you want to spend a good portion of your life doing. Then figure out how English fits into this field. Decide how you can best use the skills you learned as an English major to help advance your career. Good luck.

Moravian Graduate Achievements

The English Department recently surveyed English major graduates from the past ten years. The sixty or so responses gave the faculty a fresh understanding of career options available for our current students. English majors need to appreciate two matters:

1. Graduates can expect to change jobs often. An English major will serve them well because English can act as a base from which they can move into any field that interests them.
2. Obtaining an entry-level job upon graduation is definitely a positive and honorable achievement.

25 % of Moravian English graduates have gone on to some form of writing.
25 % of Moravian English graduates have gone into teaching of some sort.
50 % of Moravian English graduates have assorted jobs ranging from pre-law to advertising.

Graduate Schools Attended by English Majors

• American University
• Columbia University
• Emerson College
• James Madison University
• Lehigh University
• Oxford University
• State University of New York at Albany
• University of California at Irvine
• University of Delaware
• University of Michigan

Employment and Internship Positions Obtained by Graduates

• Associate Director of Marketing at Martha Graham Dance Company
• Promotions Department of Rodale Press
• Special Projects Division of Rodale Press
• The Morning Call
• Bethlehem Steel
• Seventeen Magazine
• WLVT-TV Channel 39 (Local PBS station)
• Local Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
• American Cancer Society

Strategies to Take On

Advertising
Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics, and ideas for creative development

Public Relations
Perfect public speaking abilities

Governmental
Get involved with student government and develop strong research, writing, and speaking skills

Paralegal
Obtain summer or part-time work in law firm or legal setting

Business-related
A business minor is very helpful, as are internships; join any business clubs on campus

Library Studies
Find a part-time job/volunteer work on campus, local, or home-town library

Technical Writing
Become a student assistant within the Computer Center where you can tutor and write user instructions

Radio/TV Job
Work for campus radio station, coordinate programs, and promote musical events on campus

Publishing
Work on campus publications, find a part-time or summer job with a newspaper, magazine, or print shop; work as book buyer in campus bookstore

Writing
Write for on-campus publications, select a wide variety of electives, tutor in the Writing Center

Educaton
Volunteer for Big Brothers-Big Sisters, start childen's literature group

--- For any field, GET AN INTERNSHIP or VOLUNTEER ---

Whom to Contact?

Now that you have a clearer sense of the English major at Moravian College and of the fields that you are most qualified to work in, it is time to find out more about these fields through resources all over Moravian's campus. There is a wealth of sources on the campus that can help you determine your future. Take some time out of your busy schedule to learn about your future. After all, you just may find your dream job!

Reeves Library:

The Reference Librarians at Reeves can help you research graduate schools in your junior year. Take the initiative early and start looking. In the Reference section of Reeves, there are catalogs and handbooks for hundreds of strong graduate school programs.

English Department:

If you have found that you want a career in writing or publishing, see Dr. Hinnefeld or Dr. Wingard in Zinzendorf Hall. They both have considerable experience in these fields. Visit Dr. Ramsey in the Arena Theatre if you want to get involved in drama. Learn about your professors, and find out about their specialties.

Career Center:

Moravian College's Career Development Center has a wealth of information for you if you are not sure where you want to go with your English major. You can learn all about internships, field studies, and entry-level positions after graduation. There is also information about graduate schools. You can put together your resume and cover letters with the help of Career Development.

English Majors:

Talk to your fellow students who are majoring or minoring in English studies. They have taken the courses, decided on their futures, and applied to graduate school or applied for jobs. Here are some quotes from our senior English majors:

"Every English course offered something new and interesting. I really learned a lot from open discussions in English classes and plan to use the same teaching style."

"Each course within the English curriculum promotes critical thinking and introduces various ways of communicating--qualities which are essential in any career."

"If you are offered the option of an Honors Project, grab it. It is a valuable opportunity to do independent research and to participate in the academic process of publishing papers."

"Tutoring in the Writing Center has given me the final push into a career decision."

"I highly recommend internships for any field. They provide valuable experience that cannot be acquired in the classroom."

English Department, Moravian College, 1999.
Developed by James J. Cudney IV