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The Department of English & Modern Languages Shepherd University
Careers in English
Law: The English major is the preferred pre-law degree because of the training received in effective writing, in logical thinking, and in creative problem solving. Journalism: The Newspaper, TV, and radio reporters and writers have a decided advantage when they carry into their professions the writing and research skills received in the English major or minor as well as in the Journalism and Technical Communication minors. Publishing and Editing: English is a valuable degree for all areas of publishing, including fiction, nonfiction, newspaper, textbook, commercial, and multimedia editorial work. Additional preparation can be gained through the Journalism and Technical Communication minors. Public Relations and Advertising: The English major or minor will provide students with creative and effective composition skills invaluable for this segment of the commercial world. Journalism and Technical Communication courses can also provide experience in this area. Creative and Commercial Writing: The student who majors or minors in English has both the composition experience and the literary background for successful professional writing, as do students who minor in Journalism or Technical Communication. Technical Communication: Technical communicators are currently in extraordinary demand with more than 120,000 new jobs in the field of technical writing and web development remaining unfilled in recent years. Multimedia Communications: An English major or minor is an excellent choice for the student wishing to pursue TV and radio broadcasting, as well as other multimedia areas of communication which require the confidence with language the study of English provides. Students may also find courses in Journalism and Technical Communication helpful in this area. Business and Business Administration: Businesses, industry, and corporations continually seek to hire graduates with an English or Technical Communication minor in combination with a business degree because of the training in writing, research, and organization that students receive.
Government and the Foreign
Service:
The English major or minor paired with appropriate studies in history or
political science is the preferred combination for government service, and
Shepherd's close proximity to Washington, D.C., makes it the ideal location from
which to launch a successful career in government. Availability of internships
through the Washington Semester Program at Shepherd increases job opportunities. Teaching: Communication is at the heart of all human endeavors: thus the English teaching degree is extraordinarily marketable. The national shortage of qualified English teachers in the public sector is an established fact with the greatest shortage among middle and high school English staff. However, all areas of literature and language have been increasingly in need of English teachers; since 1983, there has been a 123 percent increase in positions advertised in the MLA Job Information Lists. Those fields which have seen the most remarkable increase are rhetoric and composition, creative and technical writing, medieval and Renaissance British literature, and minorities literature (third world, ethnic American, and women's literature). |
