Education and Training

When pursuing an English degree, you can choose a specific area within the field that you would like to specialize, such as creative writing, non-fiction writing, or interpretation of specific authors or genres of books. Regardless of the area in which you choose to specialize your English degree, you can expect to take numerous courses in the areas of writing and reading various genres of work from different periods and authors.

Employment Opportunities

With your English degree, you can pursue a number of different career paths. The most common career choice for those with an English degree is teaching, though you will need to also take courses in education if you intend to teach English in the middle school or high school setting. You may also choose to pursue your master’s or doctoral level English degree in order to become a college professor.

Some individuals with an English degree also pursue writing careers. You may work in the area of business communications, work as an author, or start your own business as a freelance writer.

Job Outlook and Salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for teachers and writers are expected to grow about as quickly as the average occupation over the next several years. The Bureau reports that the median annual salary for those in the teaching profession in May 2004 ranged between $41,400 and $45,920. Post-secondary teachers earned a median annual salary of $51,800 that same year. Salaried authors and writers, on the other hand, earned a median annual salary of $44,350.
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