What Can You Do With an English Major?

By Melanie Mock

Almost anything!

First, you need to know this about me: After teaching for nearly 25 years at George Fox University, I continue to believe that the Department of Language and Literature has the smartest, most creative and talented students on campus, and that everyone should want to be an English major, for that reason alone.

OK, so I might be a bit biased. But still: Students who major in English are pretty special.

Perhaps because the quality of students who choose an English major is so strong, I’m astounded by the question I consistently receive, from parents and students, from colleagues and community members: Other than teaching and writing, what can you really do with an English major, anyway?

A Major with Versatility

My answer is always this: You can do almost anything with an English major. Over the course of 25 years, my very talented, very smart, very creative students have proven this to be true, and graduates of our program have become lawyers, doctors, editors, community activists, real estate agents, content developers, marketers, pastors, and so much more. 

Here’s the truth. Just about every field needs employees who can communicate clearly, in written and spoken word. Jobs require that people think critically, analyze particular situations, and respond according to their analyses. And good workers also need to possess qualities like empathy and resilience, values that come with reading and discussing good literature.

Debunking the ‘Low Wages’ Myth

Still, a persistent belief remains that choosing an English major is impractical, and that it will lead to a life of low wages and insecure employment. New data suggests this belief is not based in any kind of reality. A study from the Association of Departments of English (ADE) analyzed salaries and employment rates for graduates from 2018-2021, finding that English literature and language majors had “comparable peak median earnings compared to many other majors, including business management and public policy. Those who earned a bachelor’s degree in English earned $76,000, while non-English majors earned $78,000.”

The same study found that the unemployment rate for English and non-English majors was comparable (2.3% for English majors, near that of all other college graduates). This definitely undermines the myth of the unemployable English major. Even more compelling, English major graduates reported a high level of life satisfaction – almost 90% affirmed that they are fulfilled in their lives and in their vocations.

Choose from Three Vocational Tracks

In the George Fox University Department of Language and Literature, we are committed to helping students discover joy in the work to which God calls them. Students can choose from three vocational tracks: Literary Arts, Teaching and Travel, and Public Storytelling. Each track requires coursework in literature and writing, as well as internships that allow students to explore a number of different career options, from doing translation work, to nonprofit advocacy, to teaching in local schools, and so much more!

What makes our department truly distinctive, though, is the close relationships students can forge with their peers, and with faculty, as we together explore what it means to be called by God to live well in the world. Small class sizes, professors committed to the university’s Be Known promise, and students invested in exploring truth together mean that our graduates leave George Fox ready to pursue joy, no matter what they do. And fundamentally, we believe that this is our purpose as people of faith – not to have a particular career necessarily, but to do that which God calls us. Certainly having a sustainable job is important, but the George Fox Department of Language and Literature believes that we are called to so much more than a paycheck.

We are called to create in the image of the Creator.

We are called to do justice, love mercy, and walk with humility (Micah 6.8).

We are called to love God by loving others.

If you choose to become an English major, our promise to you is that you will graduate knowing that the world – and everything in it – awaits, and that you will be equipped to do just about anything you want, too.