Career Opportunities

English Degree

A bachelor's degree in English provides you with skills for a variety of positions in business, research organizations, educational settings, publishing companies, financial institutions, and in the cultural, entertainment, communications and health care industries.

English majors very often seek out careers in publishing, public relations, advertising, media or teaching. Occupations to be considered are copywriter, columnist, commentator, critic, editor, production assistant, public relations representative, reporter, correspondent, technical writer or writer/author.

English as a major, however, is versatile and helps develop skills useful anywhere. Your major is only one of many variables to be considered. Many careers do not require a specific major, but rather a wide range of demonstrated skills and accomplishments. Effective career decision making is based on the thorough assessment of one's skills, interests, values and experiences.

Regardless of your career choice, increase your marketability to employers through internships, work experience, good grades and college activities.

Foreign Language Degree

Why Study a Foreign Language?
The following are just a few of many sites devoted to showing you how
your new language can be useful in your education and career, or otherwise
improve your life:

http://www.eleaston.com/why.html

http://www.cas.usf.edu/languages/whystudy

http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed276305.html

Famous English Majors

The English Department at Mississippi State University has compiled a list of famous English majors who pursued "non-traditional" careers for English majors. See anyone you know?

•	Alan Alda--actor, writer
•	Russell Baker--journalist
•	Dave Barry--humorist,writer, actor
•	Linda Bloodworth-Thomason--television writer/producer (Designing Women, Evening Shade)
•	Carol Browner--Head of the Environmental Protection Agency
•	Chevy Chase--comedian, actor, writer
•	Mario Cuomo--Governor of New York
•	Michael Eisner--Walt Disney CEO
•	Donald Regan--former president of Merrill Lynch, Secretary of the Treasury
•	Jodi Foster--actress, filmmaker
•	Kathryn Fuller--World Wildlife Fund CEO
•	A. Bartlett Giamatti--President, Yale University and Commissioner of Baseball
•	Cathy Guisewite--cartoonist (Cathy)
•	Chris Isaak--songwriter, singer
•	Stephen King--novelist
•	Paul Newman--actor, food entrepreneur
•	Joe Paterno--football coach (Penn State)
•	Sally Ride--astronaut
•	Joan Rivers--comedienne
•	Diane Sawyer--broadcast journalist
•	Paul Simon--songwriter, singer
•	Steven Spielberg--filmmaker
•	Marty Shottenheimer--Coach of Kansas City Chiefs
•	Christopher Reeve--journalist, lobbyist for disabled rights, superhero (Superhero)
•	Brandon Tartikoff--television executive
•	Clarence Thomas--U.S. Supreme Court Justice
•	Grant Tinker--TV Executive and Producer
•	Harold Varmus--Nobel laureate in medicine, Director of National Institutes of Health
•	Barbara Walters--broadcast journalist
•	Sigourney Weaver--actress
•	Pete Wilson--Governor of California
•	Bob Woodward--journalist (All the President's Men)