Okay, So How Many Here are English Majors?

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This came to mind because of the "Librarian" thread, followed by several conversations with ILXors who admit to having at least one degree in English. So 'fess-up, if this is you. What degrees and what concentrations and are you actually working in your field or close to your field or what?

Me: BA in English, concentration in Technical Writing; Graduate Writing Certificate in Professional Writing; MA in Technical Writing in progress but likely to be abandoned. And I have spent many years working as a tech. writer, but am now moving away from that field, but still sticking with writing. I'd like to spend my days reading, though.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Monday, 24 February 2003 06:07 (twenty-three years ago)

BA right here, concentrated in 20th century lit. And I hope to get into grad school in the same thing so that I can become one of those whom I admire so: critics!

― Leee (Leee), Monday, 24 February 2003 06:14 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English/Political Science. Went to law school because English is a useless degree.

― Tad (llamasfur), Monday, 24 February 2003 06:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I was a creative writing major. Yup, that was a brilliant chioce. My school didn't even really have a creative writing major... just an extra class or two that you could take along with your normal English major. Bleh.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 24 February 2003 07:28 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English with foci: Romantic English Poetry & 20th Century Literature.
Although I have held editing and technical writing positions, I am currently... unemployed (ha! do you hear them? surely you can hear them now. i hate them, with their question which is always the same - 'how are you possibly going to secure a job with an English degree?').
*slowly drifts off into a mumbled tirade as eyes glass over and stare into vacant space.

― j.a.e., Monday, 24 February 2003 07:48 (twenty-three years ago)

English was my minor, I majored in Philosophy. Liked Trinity College so much I stayed for five years.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 08:35 (twenty-three years ago)

I have three degrees in English Lit. (One joint with Scottish Lit, one specialised in Critical Theory, and one not very much to do with English Lit at all.)

― alext (alext), Monday, 24 February 2003 08:48 (twenty-three years ago)

MEng Mechnical Engineering and Italian (almost)

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 08:49 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English Lit, but concentrating mostly on American Literature. Now trying to shake myself out of a lazy mental fug by actually reading something again for the first time in months.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 24 February 2003 08:59 (twenty-three years ago)

When I finished my degree I found it really difficuk to read without dissecting the book. A friend suggested I read some Jully Cooper to get back into the swing of reading for enjoyment and it's been down hill ever since.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:01 (twenty-three years ago)

the answer to this question is always "too many"

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:10 (twenty-three years ago)

difficuk = difficult

Jully Cooper = less well-known sister of the writer of popular fiction Jilly Cooper.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:14 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought this thread was going to be about military men.

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:16 (twenty-three years ago)

So this thread could be a way of identifying them so that we could send them care packages when they're sent off to the Gulf?

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Nope. In fact, It's only thanks to me not reading the university prospectus properly that I ended up doing the degree I did (Italian with Film Studies). The faculty required an English A-Level, and I, uh, didn't have one. Still, my charm and wit must've carried me through, so I did end up studying a Latin-based, western European language and literature, so I almost count.

― Mark C (Mark C), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Baby, you count. Don't ever let anyone tell you different.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:28 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English & Related Literature. ('Related' in fact meant 'European' and I made heroic attempts to read Dante and Silone and Calvino with no previous knowledge of Italian.) I also submitted an 'original work' portfolio and got a higher mark on the strength of it. None of my jobs have been remotely related to my degree. Though my writing has earned me a grand total of £70 so far...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:30 (twenty-three years ago)

A-Level English lit and Lang. Ph34r.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:38 (twenty-three years ago)

English Language and Linguistics BA (Hons)

― dog latin, Monday, 24 February 2003 09:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I AM STARING INTO THE ABYSS

― zemko (bob), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Is it staring back?

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:40 (twenty-three years ago)

To answer the question properly ;) , no, I studied science subjects (Biology & Geography) tho many ppl seem to *think* I studied English for some reason...

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Geography breeds normal people unlike a number of the other sciences.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:45 (twenty-three years ago)

grrr

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:47 (twenty-three years ago)

It's the medical students you ought to watch out for, Lara!

Physics students were mostly into heavy metal when I was a student...maybe the modern ones like nu-metal.

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:49 (twenty-three years ago)

The Engineers were always the strangest at Trinity. They wore anoraks before they were cool again. And they always looked so hairy.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Engineering students in Bristol = students most likely to say "Work hard, play hard!"

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I have to admit, though, that I provoke a feeling of unease and terror in engineers.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Or they don't like me and I couldn't care less.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Engineering students in Bristol = students most likely to say "Work hard, play hard!"

They are talking about DOOM of course?

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Quake 3 Arena, keep up with the times, oh and go-karting.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Sorry. I graduated in 1998. I haven't kept up with the engineers since leaving.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 09:59 (twenty-three years ago)

hmm, funny that.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 10:05 (twenty-three years ago)

BA, MA English lit.
Represent!

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 24 February 2003 10:22 (twenty-three years ago)

GCSE English Language C, English Lit B.

BA: Business Admin, MA: Mass Communications. Thinking of doing another MA in Psychology.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 24 February 2003 10:49 (twenty-three years ago)

GCSE: English Literature A*, English Language A
A-Level: English Literature A
S-Level: 2nd in English literature.

Currently studying English Literature/Creative writing at BA.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 24 February 2003 11:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I did a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing. This was after years of work that I got bored with. Its no uni degree but was way more practical.

I'm still making zip money out of writing though :(

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 24 February 2003 11:40 (twenty-three years ago)

If we're going back to bloody GCSEs then A* for Lit and B for Language. (I thank Shamus Heaney)

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:04 (twenty-three years ago)

(GCSE = ?)

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:05 (twenty-three years ago)

A for Lit, A* for lang (if we're doing GCSEs).

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:06 (twenty-three years ago)

SEAMUS Heaney.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:07 (twenty-three years ago)

mary- General Certificate Secondary Education

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:11 (twenty-three years ago)

I got 20/20 in a spelling test in Senior Infants.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I was in the year-group which was the last to do 'O' levels (in 1987) and I got As in English Language & Literature.

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Did everyone in the whole of Britain end up doing Seamus Heaney at GCSE English? I swear I know more people who have read him than Shakespeare.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:27 (twenty-three years ago)

heaney not yet born when i did o-levels

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:28 (twenty-three years ago)

You can do a whole A-level on Heaney?!

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:29 (twenty-three years ago)

I think a generation of English students have been forever scarred by the HeaneyHughesHegemony and the 'Rattle Bag' anthology. After studying American & English Lit at college I worked as an editor and designer for The Poetry Society for 4 years - which is one of the few practical applications of Lit outside academia I can think of. But I now have very mixed feelings about arts administration.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I made a wise decision and took 11 lit classes without majoring in English.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:35 (twenty-three years ago)

And my friend Frank is doing your old job!

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 9 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

BA English, MA Writing

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 24 February 2003 13:35 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm 9 months away from an eng lit BA (but 21 away from a fine arts BA). somehow, english is my 'backup' degree.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Monday, 24 February 2003 13:37 (twenty-three years ago)

BA in English w/ a minor in writing. Wish I would have done something else.

― Mandee, Monday, 24 February 2003 14:04 (twenty-three years ago)

as I said above, I didn't do English 'A' level but for my 'O' level Literature I studied the following:

poems of Wordsworth, Hardy and Wilfred Owen

Julius Caesar

Lord of the Flies

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 14:06 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English— concentration in creative writing— studied much psycho-analytic literary theory.

― No One (SiggyBaby), Monday, 24 February 2003 14:55 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm a creative writing major, too.

― kirsten (kirsten), Monday, 24 February 2003 14:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a GOVERNMENT degree in International RElations Theory which I'm not using at all now (I'm in real estate) but I really enjoyed at the time.

But check this out - I didn't have to take ANY English classes in college. Actually, I really wanted to take some, but they would fill up too fast during registration and then towards the end there I had to fill up my schedule with required econ classes instead. In sum, I never took any English classes AT ALL in college. Soon after I graduated, they changed the requirements.

― Sarah McLUsky (coco), Monday, 24 February 2003 14:58 (twenty-three years ago)

if there was ever a time where we needed ppl with degrees in International Relations Theory to be using their degrees, it has to be now.

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, I'm sorry. I know. I simply decided I wanted to live in Richmond instead of DC, so there you go.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, BA in English started at Kenyon College (OH) and finished at Wayne State (MI).

I'm go to law school next year... English don't pay da bills yo.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Jeez, I've come into this late. BA, English Lit, UCLA 1992, MA, English Lit, UCI 1994.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Haha my first job after graduating (with a FIRST, mind) was opening bloody ENVELOPES for the P0etry S0ciety as the Nipper will verify. And that is still the most relevant job I've had. English degree, I spit on you.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

I second the spitting.

― g.cannon (gcannon), Monday, 24 February 2003 15:40 (twenty-three years ago)

English major with concentrations in Feminist & Gender Studies & Post-Colonial Studies and a bit of African-American Lit

work in music - its your call if that has any connection to my major or not

― H (Heruy), Monday, 24 February 2003 16:08 (twenty-three years ago)

What's with the phenomenon of English majors who don't read for pleasure? The world is crawling with these people, but--why?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:09 (twenty-three years ago)

English and genetics. Didn't do much with the former.

― Kris (aqueduct), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Amateurist, I'm a computer major who doesn't programme for fun! Exactly the same thing!

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:45 (twenty-three years ago)

but why would you be an english major if you didn't read for fun? at least if you're a computer major, programming is a marketable skill. does the hobby of reading die out while you're studying literature because you become so accustomed to analyzation and compulsory assignments?

― Maria (Maria), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:47 (twenty-three years ago)

What's with the phenomenon of English majors who don't read for pleasure?

Because by the time your exams and thesis approaches, you are so overwhelmed by all the stuff you have to read that even reading something quick and simple for pleasure guilt trips you into the fact that you are not READING FOR YOUR DEGREE AND YOU ARE WASTING YOUR NAME GET BACK TO WORK NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!!!!!

This among other reasons was why I left grad school.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Wasting your name? ;-) 'Time'

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I was never an English major, but I've reviewed hundreds of books, to deadlines. It never put me off reading for a moment.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 24 February 2003 20:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, I would think if school exhausts your interest in a subject you should move on to another subject or drop out.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:03 (twenty-three years ago)

I'll have a BA in English in a couple month. My 'prospects' are terrifyingly lacking I think, I'll probably make more money playing drums.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:26 (twenty-three years ago)

I'll have an AB in English in a couple month. (bloody ivy league schools, call it a BA for christ's sake). I have been offered a one-year position teaching Music Production and Rock History at a polytechnic in Singapore for next year. you figure it out, i can't.

― Dave M. (rotten03), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I did get my B.A. in English, though if you read ILX you would never guess.

― Nicole (Nicole), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:38 (twenty-three years ago)

english b.a. in the house

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I did an English degree for fun, as a semi-mature student (early 20s). I had (and have) no interest in careers type stuff. I simply wanted to be forced to read stuff that I thought I might never quite get round to (Milton, all of Shakespeare, etc). The exercise failed because of my own laziness - I got a First having done much less serious reading than if I was still on the dole. Now I'm back on the dole, but I haven't managed to get back to reading in the same way I did before all the academic stuff. Studying English fucked up my reading. If I were to another degree I'd choose something less central to my life, like Art or Physics.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 24 February 2003 21:51 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm doing an English Lit. degree now, with an emphasis on modern and women's fiction. I chose it because I like reading for pleasure, but as Ned says, the pressure to READ READ READ is depressing me. I don't have time to read books for pleasure anymore (I have a stack of about 13 waiting for the day I finish the course and can curl up and read without having to take notes) as I have so many books to read for university.
I'm not thinking I'll get any career as a direct result of the degree, but I'm pretty crap at anything else, so my options were limited.
Best thing about doing an English degree: reading books you wouldn't normally even pick up. Even if you hate them. I will miss that when I finish studying.

― Madeleine (Madeleine), Monday, 24 February 2003 22:11 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English Language as my major, minors were in English Literature and Information Technology. I was the only one in my year to major in Eng Lang. I love reading, but hated being marked on my ideas regarding literature, mainly because they never agreed with anyone elses. I used to pick holes in the plot of Shakespeare plays.

― celeste (Celeste), Monday, 24 February 2003 22:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Major: MA Hons (1st class) Eng Lit
Minors: Sociology, Psychology

Never used my major. The word rapidly came to mean 'the opposite of indie'.

― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 00:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually what collegiate English courses have taught me to do is to have genuine fun at analyzing novels. Yes, I am a litbitch.

― Leee (Leee), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 00:12 (twenty-three years ago)

english ba, good god y'all what is it good for absolutely nothin, say it agin

― jeanne picot (jeanne picot), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 00:14 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm not really an English major, but I play one @ school.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 02:00 (twenty-three years ago)

English BA, concentrated on Medieval and Renaissance Lit. Very popular with employers. ("This one can read Middle English*.")

*True, but only with extensive marginal glosses.

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 03:01 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah me too

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 03:34 (twenty-three years ago)

BA English Language & Literature, which after four years was converted into one of those gloriously unfair Oxbridge MAs which you don’t actually have to do any work for, just stay alive, pay your bills and cough up some nugatory fee. Ah, sweet scent of corruption!

― Rex (Rex), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 06:29 (twenty-three years ago)

five months pass...

Damn...add 'nuther one to the never-ending list.

One year away from finishing a double B.A. in English/Spanish- Concentration in Creative Writing-Poetry. Yup...
I know, I know.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Sunday, 10 August 2003 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow. Lookit all you creative peoples.

B.B.A. in Economics (foci: the public sector and banking) with a minor in Mathematics. Thought the local branch of the Federal Reserve was larger than it actually is and more wanting of employees. Hah.

Currently going for a B.S. in Computer Science. Actually feel better here. Now, instead of thinking of deregulation or monetary supply, I get to think in terms of parameters or storage stacks. Oh, and people seem to be generally more interesting in the school of sciences than they are in the school of business.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Sunday, 10 August 2003 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Been there, done it.

― Calz (Calz), Sunday, 10 August 2003 21:48 (twenty-two years ago)

LLB reprazent.

― David. (Cozen), Sunday, 10 August 2003 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Yet another English Lit BA, who then realized that I can't teach. I'm now working (so to speak) as an editor, so in some amount I'm using that degree. Still, I now wish that I had done computer science.

And I read for diversion, but sometimes I get fed up with automatically analyzing and deconstructing and otherwise processing the books I read and the movies I see.

― j.lu (j.lu), Sunday, 10 August 2003 21:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I've got an English B.A. too. I was worried that it wouldn't be very useful in the job market, right, so I double majored & have a B.A. in philosophy as well.

― daria g (daria g), Monday, 11 August 2003 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Might as well join the crowd. I have a BA in English with Creative Writing thesis concentration, MFA in Writing from the Art Institute of Chicago, MA in 20th C. Lit from King's College London. I just abandoned a PhD in Writing (which wasn't really about writing) after realizing (like j.lu says above) that I am not meant to teach, and am about to begin a PhD in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths where I will have no such things as comps and distribution requirements and they will let me write about what I want to write about, which involves subjects outside the scope of US English departments. Many of my jobs to date (at least the ones I liked) have combined research and photography though, and I have yet to really use any of my degrees to make money. I don't really expect to.

― sgs, Monday, 11 August 2003 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

What is (or was) your program like? What about it did you find stifling or frustrating? What do you think about stereotypes / perceptions of English majors?

What was your chief interest or concentration? Do you seek an advanced degree, and if not, what do you plan to do with your degree?

― I DIED (u s steel), Saturday, 20 June 2009 12:56 (seventeen years ago)

I found my program constantly stimulating - I was constantly pushed on to new, exciting vistas. I feel it taught me a lot about how to be a better and less annoying person. I feel that I was pretty much exactly the type of person that the course was aimed at - I know other people were not so lucky, and found the course less wonderful than I did. I think perceptions of English majors are pretty much accurate.

My chief concentration was on Tennyson, although I did another thesis on Caroline Dinshaw's idea of 'Eunuch Hermeneutics' which was more cross-period. I did not seek an advanced degree. My degree was helpful in attaining my current job as a maths teacher.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Saturday, 20 June 2009 13:21 (seventeen years ago)

My program was fine, if not great. I did my undergraduate degree at McGill, and there was always the sense there, amongst English majors at least, that the school's priorities--and money--were heavily weighted towards the sciences. The courses that were great were the ones with great teachers, of which there definitely were a few.

I never felt, for whatever reason, that there was an overarching program in place for the English degree. Becoming an English major was merely the product of taking a bunch of English classes, enough to reach a certain threshold of credits. So I often wished there was more unity. When I came to the U.K. to do my masters, I was pretty jealous of the Oxford and Cambridge grads, who (it seemed) had a much firmer grasp of the canon (because there was just a block of texts that every English student has to study there), whereas I had read a little bit of this, a little of that, had huge gaps in my sense of literary history, etc.

My chief interest was, and is 20th century American, and I've gone on to get a MA and PhD in English, with the latter tackling the work of Philip Roth. I suppose I'm an academic now, though I'd feel a lot more comfortable calling myself that if someone was paying me for the pleasure.

― still counting on porcupine racetrack (G00blar), Saturday, 20 June 2009 13:34 (seventeen years ago)

I'm one but I work in IT now.

― calstars, Saturday, 20 June 2009 13:35 (seventeen years ago)

I was a journalism major. My elderly relatives keep thinking I was an English major, or is this just their passive-aggressive way of communicating their disappointment with me?

― I DIED (u s steel), Saturday, 20 June 2009 15:11 (seventeen years ago)

I'm one but I work in IT now.

― calstars, Saturday, June 20, 2009 9:35 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

loved my program though, it was awes for the most part.

― call all destroyer, Saturday, 20 June 2009 15:13 (seventeen years ago)

I mean, journalism programs are tough, right? You spend a lot of time writing and re-writing and your composition is never perfect. Journalism is really competitive. How rigorous is the writing side of an English program? Did I miss something here? (I am not knocking English majors here by any means, I am just saying, should I feel bad about my choice?)

― I DIED (u s steel), Saturday, 20 June 2009 15:17 (seventeen years ago)

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