Majoring in English

1. Majoring in English .

2. Why Clayton State’s English Department • Highly supportive and lauded faculty • Personal touch • Small classes • Internships • Extra-curricular and cross-curricular activities: • Writers’ Studio • Cygnet • Visiting Writers’ Series and other speakers • Honors Society (Sigma Tau Delta) • Undergraduate Research Support and Accomplishments • Study Abroad Opportunities

3. Clayton State’s English Major’s Three Concentrations: Secondary Education (grades 6-12) Writing (Creative Writing; Professional and Technical Writing; Digital Rhetoric; Composition) Literature (Modern; Pre-modern; American; Multicultural; British; Comparative)

4. Delivery Systems • You can major in English and take your courses in a variety of manners: • Seated • Online • Hybrid • The English Major is 100% online—so you can complete your major in whatever format fits your needs

5. The Bachelor of Arts in English serves a diverse population of students through its three tracks: literature, writing and English education. These courses help students to develop their research skills and writing skills, as well as enhance their critical thinking skills through detailed and intensive analysis and synthesis. Note: These critical thinking and communication skills are the TOP SKILLS employers seek. Thus, the proficiencies and knowledge acquired through the English major offer students opportunities for success in a variety modes.

6. What can you do with an English major?

7. “Soft and Hard” Skills A US Department of Labor publication, Soft Skills to Pay the Bills — Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success (http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/), identifies six “soft skills”: communication, enthusiasm & attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving & critical thinking, and professionalism

8. Employers Support Liberal Arts, Diversity, and Civic Learning Source: Hart Research Associates, It Takes More Than A Major (2013).

9. Administrative Service Manager • Advertising Copywriter • Analyst • Attorney • Bank Officer • Book Critic • Business Manager • Communications Specialist • Congressional Aide • Copy Editor • Customer Service Representative • Desktop Publisher • Director • Editor • Executive Recruiter • Financial Services Representative • Film Editor • Human Resources Specialist • Insurance Agent • Interpreter and Translator • Legislator • Librarian • Literary Agent • Manuscript Reader • Marketing Specialist • Marketing Writer • Media Planner • Narrator • Newscaster • Newspaper Professional • Online Marketing Content Writer • Paralegal/Legal Assistant • Program Manager • Publication Editor • Public Relations Specialist • Publicity Assistant • Publisher • Reporter or Correspondent • Sales Representative • Speech-Language Pathologist • Speech Writer • Teacher • Underwriter • Writer

10. One Example: Science Writing Career • The median salary in these careers is $65,500 a year. Salaries in writing for the sciences and health care are quite competitive: • “Employment . . . is projected to grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will be driven by the continuing expansion of scientific and technical products and by growth in Web-based product support.” : http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm • “Employment opportunities for health care public relations specialists should grow faster than the average for all occupations though 2012. There is an expected increase of 21–35 percent in the number of jobs that will become available over this period of time.” http://www.prsa.org/Jobcenter/career_resources/resource_type/specialization_areas/healthcare_communications/

11. Graduate School Options A degree in English is an excellent foundation for many future choices—whether those choices involve graduate school or specific careers. Of course, sometimes a career requires graduate school. Indeed, many of you will consider or will need to go to graduate school, either for your career choice or to further your studies in English. Some of the graduate degrees you might consider with your Bachelor of Arts in English are: M.I.L.S. Master’s in Library Science Today with all the applications and use of technology Library Science is a cutting edge degree—and there are jobs in library science. J.D. Doctorate of Jurisprudence (law school) English, with its emphasis on written and oral communication, as well as critical thinking, is a top degree for law schools. Check the statistics—law school will teach you the law, but the expectation is you can already write and think (Go English). M.A. Masters of Arts Some options: Professional and/or Technical Writing (e.g. Science Writing) Creative Writing Rhetoric and Composition Literature