Versatility of an English Education

A common question when you are in college is, “What is your major?” Whenever I answer with, “English,” the response is the same. “Oh. That’s cool.” As a matter of fact, I believe being an English major can be cool. The common assumption with this course of study is that your goal in life is to teach or you will go through life with a useless degree. Many people do not realize how far-reaching English and writing skills actually are. In almost any field, writing is necessary. Some form of editing is necessary for the business, government, or individual to accurately convey their message. I find that I have to explain this to individuals and elaborate that my concentration is Nonfiction Writing and Rhetoric and that I had planned on being an editor in some capacity in the business world. Though recently my attention has shifted to civil servant jobs for their security and value to the nation, I still feel strongly that an English degree or line of study is not useless.

A major issue that I have found with my field of study is the question of the relevance of print forms of publication. There is a continuing debate over the livelihood of publishing houses with a poor economy and the growth of resources available online. Numbers are rising of college graduates not finding the kinds of jobs they had originally hoped for and the future of publishing houses and other print forms of media can cause worry for an English major.

My expectations of what I would learn as an English student are being met. I expected to read a lot of classics and write analytical essays about the texts being discussed in class. I’ve taken one Creative Writing course so far that also met my expectations. I have been well prepared by a four year program at my high school, the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts in the concentration of Creative Writing. The coursework I experienced there is consistent with the work expected of me as an English student at the college level. I have learned how to write better essays that deviate from the five-paragraph form. Reading critical literary articles have benefited my analytical skills.

I have “researched” my field outside of the classroom. I have been published in Broadside and in the spring 2009 issue of Volition as well as small publications in the past. I have worked at the Northern Virginia Writing Project for two years where I have observed the teaching of writing and have copy edited the annual Falling for the Story Anthology of Exemplary Student Writing. I have also worked as a copy editor for the Office of Student Media, editing the news section of Broadside each week for the past semester. This has helped me understand what my major can help me to achieve and understand the work environment an education in English can lead to. I enjoy the hustle and bustle of a newsroom. I enjoy listening to little kids read their short stories out loud, proud of their achievement.

Currently, I am looking into jobs and internships with the government, such as the Department of State. Being an English major allows me freedom to delve into different fields. It has a versatility that can be a lot of fun. And even cool.