What Can I Do with an English Major?
More than you might think.
Everyone knows the English major is the place for future English teachers, but what else can you do with an English major? Here are just some of the positions held by alumni of the EIU English major: writer, editor, lawyer, librarian, social media manager, web developer, gaming journalist, mortgage banker, financial services representative, career counselor, recruiter, wedding and event planner, internet marketing specialist, student financial aid coordinator, legislative staffer, lobbyist, advertising executive, screenwriter.
(Still wondering what to say when people make bad jokes about English majors and jobs? Here's a handy list of answers to consider -- and check out the bottom of this page.)
At EIU, the English Department supports career planning by helping you explore options as soon as you join the major, bringing career-related speakers to campus regularly, and offering a career development course for seniors.
Information and career advice from EIU English alumni
What to say when people make bad jokes about English majors and jobs
If you want just one easy statistic, try this one: "Statistically, English majors are 3 times more likely to end up working with computers than working in food service." That's according to national data on career outcomes for college graduates that shows that only 1% of English majors nation-wide end up in food service, while 3% of English majors find their way to careers in the areas designated "computer and mathematical." Of course, nationally English majors are even more likely to go into areas like those listed above (and if you're interested, you can see the full national data in a nifty chart compiled by an Prof. Robert Matz from George Mason University, based on statistics from the American Community Survey).