High School English teachers do so much more than assign spelling words and give students a weekly vocabulary quiz. Quality educators 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 offers many opportunities for those with an English degree. Editors can be responsible for anything from spell checking to proofing, to selecting content. Editors are often hired in a variety of work environments. Some of the most common places of employment have traditionally been newspapers and publishers.
6. Researcher: Researchers use their skills to gather information from a variety of sources. They have the ability to interpret their findings and deliver them to the appropriate people with clarity and brevity.
7. Librarian: A librarian, who will also most likely be asked to study Library Science will often have an undergraduate degree in English. Librarians can be a combination researcher-teacher as they assist students and lifelong learners with finding and gathering information from a variety of sources. Librarians find work in communities 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 is not always the easiest choice for the college graduate. For those with the very broad English major it can sometimes be all the more difficult to find a particular niche. 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 pursue a variety of options in one of the many jobs requiring excellent communication skills.
Author Resource:
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.