Why English?

English represents a practical course of study as well as a fulfilling one.

Major in English at CofC!

Play video

If you’re reading this page, you probably already know why you want to study English. You already feel the pull of the word and the image. You already know the pleasure afforded by language shaped into stories, poems, memoirs, and essays. You already experience the thrill of entering other worlds, adopting other perspectives, and grappling with big questions. You already experience the satisfaction of getting a sentence just right, expressing your idea, articulating your vision.

Better question. What can’t you do with an English major? The skills you learn in your English courses will prepare you for jobs in so many professions. You’ll learn skills like:  

  • How to recognize and create engaging narratives.  
  • Analyze and critique text.  
  • Research thoroughly.  
  • Communicate clearly and persuasively.  
  • Understand other points of view.  
  • Build effective arguments. 

English represents a pragmatic course of study as well as a fulfilling one. English courses require you to investigate complex questions with no single right answer. It asks you to analyze problems from many different points of view. This work will help you develop skills in writing, research, and critical thinking. Employers in every field look for these skills. That’s why English majors find success in such a wide variety of pursuits after graduation, including:  

  • Graduate school in composition, creative writing, education and literature.  
  • Professional school in business, law, information science and medicine.  
  • Careers in education, journalism, marketing, publishing and technical writing.  
  • Research and grant-writing.  

But you don’t have to take our word for it. Employers themselves acknowledge the value that English majors bring to their organizations. 

Every technology company, and certainly every startup trying to make its imprint on the world, needs English majors.

Matt Asay of Business Insider

I love English majors. I love how smart they are. I love their intellectual curiosity. And I love their bold choice for a major. Most of all, I love to hire them.

Entrepreneur Steve Strauss

According to a 2022 survey of English majors conducted by W. W. Norton & Co., 96% of graduates who majored or minored in English would do it again. Their testimony makes it easy to understand why.

Best decision of my life. I am an excellent writer, editor, and critical thinker. I am a lawyer now and English has served me extremely well.

English grad

I like the flexibility my English major provides. I initially planned to be a teacher, and discovered it wasn’t for me. I was able to shift to journalism, and later to marketing.

English grad