Chapter 4: Careers
IV: Career Opportunities and Graduate School
Financier William Rice has worked as a securities analyst, a portfolio manager, an investment counselor, and a venture capitalist. His academic preparation for this work was a major in English and a broad liberal arts education. In speaking to LC English majors, he had the following to say about English and careers:
| In my professional life, I have to interview literally dozens of job candidates each year . . . . I have hired over a hundred people over the course of my career, and -- yes -- I have had the unhappy task of firing a few. Over time we have learned to look for certain personality traits and skill sets. The most important of these are: |
- The ability to analyze, understand, and formulate solutions to problems
- The ability to express an understanding of these solutions to clients and co-workers
- The ability to communicate in an articulate manner; to speak intelligently
- The ability to communicate in writing
- The ability to speak and write intelligently, with conviction, purpose, and poise
- The ability to negotiate
People who possess these skills, so long as they are tempered with a strong work ethic and determination, are virtually assured of success in the world of business, or, for that matter, in the world of academia. And these are precisely the skills which an English major acquires and hones in pursuit of a liberal arts degree.
It is commonly assumed that a major in English prepares one for a career in teaching and nothing else, but most English majors, at LC and around the country, go into other fields. Some of our alumni report careers in publishing, theater, human resources, sales, and management, as you might expect. Others are writers (both creative and technical), lawyers, college professors, and bookstore operators. One was the manager of the Ice Capades until recently, when he left to join a theater company in Chicago. One English major was a patent chemist at duPont for 26 years; another teaches veterinary science at Cornell University. English majors are flexible and versatile.
Don't wait until your last semester to take advantage of the services of the College's Career Development Center; it's never too early to pay them a visit and start thinking about career options.
And never lose sight of this fact: Besides providing good career preparation, English is a superb preparation for a lifetime of continued reading, learning, and enjoyment. Majors that narrowly focus on specific vocational goals are of limited value outside of work, and there is a great deal more to life than just work. English majors graduate with a foundation in literature and Western culture that will serve them constantly throughout their lives, regardless of job or other circumstances.
Some of our majors continue on to professional or graduate school. Professional schools (law school is particularly popular with English majors) are directly vocational, and the circumstances there differ from those you will find in English graduate programs. If you're interested in post-graduate study for a particular profession, pay a visit to the College faculty advisor for that field, identified in the College catalog.
Graduate studies in English can serve different purposes. Some students go to graduate school in order to qualify for jobs teaching at the college level or to better prepare themselves for secondary-school teaching. Others get a master's degree simply for the pleasure of enhancing their knowledge of literature or their skills as a writer. Whatever your goals, there are a few basic things you should know about graduate school:
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When applying to graduate programs, your overall GPA, your writing sample and personal statement, your letters of recommendation, and your GRE score will be most important for admissions decisions.
- If you plan to go to graduate school right after graduating from LC, you should take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in the fall of your senior year. If you are to have the best chance at getting financial support from your grad school, you must get your application in early in the spring semester (mid-February at the latest), and you should have your GRE scores ready to report by that time.
- If you are flexible about where you can go to grad school--that is, if you aren't limited to one or two specific geographic locations--you might be able to get into a program that offers you full financial support. While some schools provide fellowships for exceptionally strong students, most English grad students pay their way by serving as graduate teaching assistants: they teach lower-level English courses (often Freshman English) or else assist an established faculty member with one of his or her courses. There are also research assistants, who help a faculty member with his or her research. The amount of money that an assistantship pays varies from school to school, but you can reasonably expect that a good assistantship will cover tuition and living expenses (if you're not demanding too lavish a lifestyle!). Sometimes, graduate students have to wait until their second year in order to get full financial benefits. But the simple fact is that good students can get through the years of graduate school without parental support or loans.
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In considering where to apply, take the time to research graduate programs of interest, and be realistic in assessing what schools will be right for you.
Peterson's Guide To Graduate Schools
US News Rankings of Graduate Programs
Selecting a Graduate Program Based On Your Own Priorities
Lynchburg College has its own English graduate program which awards an M.A. In fact, some of the best undergraduate English majors chose to stay at Lynchburg for an M.A. in English before seeking employment or moving on to a Ph.D. or M.F.A. program.
Overview
The Lynchburg College M.A. in English focuses on literature and writing. Over the course of the program students are expected to demonstrate advanced specialized knowledge of literary and language studies; develop scholarly expertise through reading, writing, and researching literature and language effectively; conduct research independently and/or collaboratively with faculty; and expand their knowledge of literary criticism. An active and productive faculty works closely with students in cultivating their writing and research skills.
Graduate Conference
In 2009 graduate faculty conceived of and organized the first Graduate English Conference. This event offers students the opportunity to present their work in a format resembling that of a professional academic conference. Awards are given for the best creative and scholarly work. Future conferences promise to attract students from other graduate programs throughout Virginia and Mid-Atlantic.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of LC's MA in English program possess many options, including further graduate study in Ph.D. or M.F.A. programs and careers in:
Publishing
Editing
Public Relations
Business
Higher & Secondary Education
Free-Lance Writing
To learn about applying, financial aid, and assistantships, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies.
