Career questions tagged english-literature


What should I study if I can’t choose between History, English, or anthropology. Convince me why one speciality is best suited for my interests.
I am current student at community college, I will be transferring in 2026 to Purdue’s college of liberal arts. I love writing, more specifically trying out poetry techniques, but I also love research, specifically into the history of science and technology, learning about how advances in science in the renaissance have influenced the world as we know it. I’m also interested in the intersection of science and art during the renaissance. My goal is to be a college professor, help me make the right choice.

#Spring25 What is the best advice you could give to someone who wants to pursue a career in Writing?
I want to major in English and minor in Christian studies and Communications. Eventually I want to work for LifeWay to write curriculum for churches.

How do I grapple with the fear that AI might take over my intended career field by the time I graduate?
I'm an English major, hoping to go into copyediting or technical writing. With AI steadily rising and getting much more common wherever I go, how do I overcome the fear that those databases will be trained and near unmistakable from human work by the time I've graduated? #Spring25

What kind of careers can be pursued with an English Literature degree?
I am graduating from a Community College in a few weeks and am going on to a 4-year university to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, but I am trying to compile a list of realistic career options to seriously research and look into in the next several months. I have so far gathered Education, Editing, and Proofreading. Any further ideas?

What are the challenges of being a teacher?
I am a sophomore in high school and am interested in pursuing a job in teaching once I graduate. I plan on being an English teacher or an extra curricular teacher for things such as art or theatre.

What should I do for my future?? #Spring2025
I don't know what to pursue, and I am about to graduate high school. I want a higher paying career, and I am interested in animals and psychology. I also excel in E.L.A, and enjoy it as well. I just don't quite know where I would fit in or what career I should try for/what to major in. I would also like to go for the least amount of schooling possible, 4-6 years being ideal.

How can students maximize their abliltiy to contribute positively to both themselves and their community/society?
I will soon graduate high school and move into upper education, and I'd like to know how my learning can be helpful to not only myself but the people around me. I am passionate about writing and want to use my skills and new skills I will learn to be able to positively influence society while also benefitting my future, so that I may continue to contribute to society in positive ways. I would like to learn the steps I can take down this path and expand my options for the future and my potential to be successful with my goals.

How do I go about getting internships at potential schools I would like to teach at?
Interviewing and applying

What should I watch/read/listen to in the world of absurdism/existentialism literature or the two theories themselves?
After reading Camus' The Stranger and learning a little about Kafka, I've become fascinated with the ideas of absurdism and existentialism. If anyone can recommended me any YouTube videos, similar novels to Stranger, or any podcasts or audiobooks on said topics, I'd really appreciate it. I'm studying to become an English teacher, or film history professor on said topics.

How do I get into existentialism/absurdism in film?
Earlier I was asking how to sink myself into the world of film history. As time went on, I became interested in the world of absurdism/existentialism after reading Albert Camus' The Stranger and Franz Kafka. How do I learn more about these theories specifically in film?

Which job opportunities does have a person who studies to be an english philologist?
Hello, I'm on my last year of high school and I need to choose which major I want to study next year at university. I have been thinking about studying linguistics, but sometimes it looks like the only thing you can do with that degree is to become a teacher, and I do not want to work at a school. Which other jobs could I get with an English degree other than teaching?

What can I do to bridge my current level of education, as a high school student, to the standards of international universities for English literature and history ?
I live in a country where most matriculation certificates are bought and therefore are not accepted in international institutions. Is there any way that I can bridge the gap between my current level of education and the required qualifications of international schools?

ENGLISH LITERATURE MAJOR
"Hello, I am a first-year student pursuing a major in English and Literature. However, I am unsure if teaching alone would be a suitable career path for me. I am interested in exploring other well-paying job options. Additionally, as a student, I am also looking for part-time jobs that I can do online and earn from. Can you suggest any such opportunities?"

How can I improve my writing skills??
I really want to improve my writing skills but I'm not sure how. Is there any websites or practices I could do?

How do I become more noticeable for editorial publishing internships?
What is important for a resume to get accepted to editorial internships at a publishing company?

what colleges are best for majoring in english/journalism and politcal science?
i want to become a writer for websites are write about real world problems so finding a college that is strong in oth english adn politcal sciences.

How do you get a publisher to look at your book?
I would love to become a published author (think fiction novels), but I do not know what is the right way to get a company to look at my work without hiring an agent. Is the key in your cover letter? If so, how do you write one? Thanks! #writer #books #english-literature #writing

What influence have the classics had on your understanding of literature?
Interested in further pursuing ancient Greek or Latin, curious as to how deeper study in those areas influences literary perceptions. #english-literature #classical-studies #literature #college-major

Tips for surviving bad classes and/or horrible teachers?
I'm open to answers from both fellow students and former students for this question! I'm currently taking a literature class, and I absolutely love it, but that's in regards to all the novels on our reading syllabus being outstanding reads and my own innate passion for literature. When it comes to the actual class, I almost dread going to school every morning since it's my first period (I'm a high school student). I find that my own desires and expectations for the class are incompatible with the reality of it. My teacher provides shallow commentary on the content of our novels, but then expects high-quality analysis and understanding from us students when she can't even provide that level of analysis herself. In fact, students often ask questions for clarification and she either beats around the bush or manages to avoid the question entirely by redirecting their attention to some other topic she brings up. She also expects everyone to improve in their writing and reading analysis skills, but provides no coursework or feedback for improvement, instead repeatedly assuring us that "our skills will improve during our time in the class" - something unlikely to happen if she just expects us to become better "naturally." She never returns or allows students to see past quizzes and tests, and on essays, she only writes vague, criticizing remarks of what we did wrong rather than offering advice on how to improve our writing for higher scores. Confronting her directly/privately for advice and further feedback results in more vague comments. There seems to be no way to coax constructive criticism or explanations of the "high-level analysis" she expects out of her, so the result is a class full of disillusioned and tired students who don't want to try anymore and don't want to improve. Not to mention her behavior makes her lack any sort of credibility so I really can't take anything she says seriously anymore. I'm doing relatively well in the class, but this is thanks to the foundation of literature-based skills I've acquired prior to entering this class, not the result of anything she's taught us. With that being said, are there any tips to trudge through a pointless and unfulfilling class? There are a number of problems here, but my primary concern is preventing a terrible teacher from damaging my love of literature, because this has happened in the past where I had an English teacher so awful that I started to hate literature despite it always being one of my greatest passions. On a personal level, it's also difficult not to let her interpretation of the novels we read ruin my reading experience and my feelings toward said books - for example, she makes a lot of misogynistic comments reinforcing gender roles and completely missing the point that I think the author was actually trying to make when we discuss feminist novels. I need tips on how to survive teachers like her so I can get through the rest of this year and also put them to use if I end up having professors like her in college. (Sorry for writing a novel for my own here!) #student #advice #student-advice #class #high-school-classes #classes #survival #surviving-high-school #tips #bad-classes #bad-teachers #literature #english-literature #english #english-literature #academic-english #writing #reading #books #book #novels #novel #essay #essays #help

Can Journalism really be a "lead-way" major into publishing?
My counselor knows that I wanted to be a book editor as my final career. However instead of majoring in English, she told me to major in Journalism because English is more for Education? I just wanted to know if I should put English or Journalism or if it matters. #journalism #english-literature #english

How do I know if there is a demand for high school English teachers?
I am interested in this field of study, but I'm unsure if I can find a job once I graduate.#education #english-literature #jobdemand #teaching

What career options are available for linguistics?
I'm interested in linguistics, writing, and literature. What sorts of work could I get into? #english-literature

What opportunities are there available for those interested in linguistics?
I'm interested in language and literature. What sorts of work could I get involved in? #english-literature #linguistics #language #literature #career-counseling

What is consider an English class in college?
#english-literature #requirement #english

Is there any suggestions if I hope to become a writer?
What can I do to improve my writing skill? I understand that I would need to read and write more but is there any other methods which would help me to become a better writer? #writer #writing #author #english #english-literature #books #personal-development #career-details

What's the difference between IB Literature SL and IB Language and Literature SL? Which one do colleges value higher?
I'm a sophomore in high school and I want to pursue the IB diploma. I was wondering to what is the main difference between IB Literature SL and IB Language and Literature SL, which one do colleges value higher, and is one harder than the other? #college #english #language #courses #literature #english-literature #ib-diploma

Is it easier to get your own book published or to become a journalist for a newspaper/magazine?
I'm really conflicted about what I want to do in regards to my career. Like, the broad idea is pursue an occupation in the writing field, but I just wanted some advice over which one is considered easier. #journalism #writing #english #literature #english-literature

How does a PhD program work as opposed to a Masters program? What does it entail?
Hi, I'm an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and Spanish Translation & Interpretation and I'm interested in pursuing a Doctorate after I graduate. However, I've heard a number of different explanations of what a PhD program entails and I am honestly so confused. Do I pay tuition to be in the program, or do I receive a stipend as a PhD student? Is there an application fee? Will part of the program require me to teach at the university where I am receiving my education, or is that just a rumor I've heard? Will I have a regular, five-class schedule like in undergraduate school? Will I have classes at all? What are the answers to all these questions for a Masters program? I apologize if this is long-winded, haha! #college #professor #graduate-school #masters #phd #english-literature

Do you feel that we as graduates fit your qualifications upon completion of college? Is there areas you see that needs to improve.?
I am currently working on an essay for my english 101 and wonder what your feelings on todays liberal education in our school system and seeing if we are not reaching your qualifications. #career-counseling #school-counseling #english-literature

Would it be irresponsible to double major In two fields that are completely opposite?
I'm a senior in High School and I was interested in Double Majoring in British Literature and Theatre. #double-major