Career Options for English Literature Graduates

Studying literature can bring many benefits, including improving critical thinking and exercising our interpretation skills. There is a wide range of career possibilities when you have a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature. In this article, we will explore some of the potential job opportunities for graduates who have earned an English literature degree.

1. Journalism: Journalism requires exceptional communication skills along with great analytical, thinking, and adapting skills. A degree in English literature provides you with all these parameters and skills, which will help you become a successful journalist. Journalists report on news, like national politics and local events, and play an important role in helping the public stay informed. These tasks require research and investigation, along with good writing skills to present them to the public in a way they can easily understand. Having a background in English literature can help you perform the key responsibilities, including writing and presenting stories in a cohesive format.
2. Teaching: One of the most coveted and lucrative career options after an English literature degree is teaching and academia. Being an educator is one of the most noble professions. Teachers and professors are responsible for planning lessons, developing curriculum, instructing students, grading work, communicating with students and parents, providing support and interventions to all students of all levels, and advising and mentoring, which will be great with a background in English literature. Besides this, teachers can also share their passion for reading, writing, and critical thinking with the students.
3. Freelance Writer: The job of a freelance writer is to produce copy for magazines, newspapers, broadcast news, journals, and books. They have the freedom to work in multiple fields and explore their creativity and writing skills. This role is very lucrative for English Literature graduates who have plenty of experience in writing captivating narratives and successful informational texts. No one can do all the research, gather the information, and bring everything together with top-notch creativity better than a literature student. And you also have the freedom to start your own blog with a suitable niche and earn a decent income for yourself.
4. Lawyer: Law might not be the first option for a literature graduate, but it is a very lucrative career option for them. Lawyers are certified professionals who advise and represent others in legal matters. They work in a variety of legal fields, including criminal and civil law. They are required to be great argumentative writers with strategic critical thinking skills, and because English literature majors learn to read reflexively, think critically, and write arguments creatively, they often make great lawyers.
5. Content Writer: One of the most common job options, especially in today’s time, for English literature graduates is content writing. In this, they have to write and curate good-quality content for magazines, newspapers, and/or blogs. This requires research, editing, and proofreading skills along with writing. And literature majors have great experience in all these areas, which makes them great content writers.

Along with these fields, there are a lot of other job options for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in English literature and language. They can become interpreters, public relations managers, copywriters, and even librarians. It’s important to note that the skills learned in an English literature degree are transferable and can be applied to various careers. With a little research and some creativity, the possibilities are endless for English literature graduates.