I'm about to become a graduate of college, the first out of my immediate family to do so. My degree is in English, with a Biology minor. Somewhere between the analysis of Marlowe and the essays on DeLillo the English department forgot to mention one crucial point:
No one gets an English degree for anything other than teaching or (miscellaneous job here, ex. copy editing). Or if they do, it requires some specific minor that is never detailed or mentioned in any of my career advisory visits until my last semester. To be clear: I am not a literature fanatic. Unlike many of my peers, I hate children and I would never in a million years desire to teach.
So why did I become an English major?
Well, I started out as a Biology major at another school. I got kicked out after three years, because although I did very well in high-level courses (ex. BIO400) I had an absenteeism issue with lower courses like the all-important Organic Chemistry series.
I moved to my present school and attempted another year of Biology, but got put on probation again because of the fact that I didn't attend classes. It's not that I hate biology, but I have trouble sitting/focusing for longer than 5 minutes when I'm in a class of 80+ and the entire lesson is a lecture. All those high-level BIO courses I did well in? 15 students or less and highly interactive.
So to satisfy my parents and avoid becoming drop-out loser of the century, I switched to English. I have always been a decent writer and that gets you A's from English teachers. To date I have only ever had ONE English teacher who seriously challenged the writing in my essays, even though I wrote most of them the day the assignment was due. I figured I could complete my degree and find my way into journalism, advertising, or even business.
I took one truly excellent course called "Writing for Business Communication," very practical and very useful. I even kept the textbook to reference whenever I need to write an official e-mail or a request. However, this was the only course of its type. The rest were "18th Century Literature," "Survey of Postcolonial American Poetry," "Frontiers in Literature" and the like. I have nothing against these courses except that the lessons were better for literature hobbyists than someone trying to prepare for the workforce.
When I started doing career counseling appointments, I was unable to get job forecasts in different markets, resources to connect with other English majors, or even something as simple as a listing of likely jobs in my target areas. Instead I was given personality tests, one-sheets on the college's employment statistics, and very general concepts of what you can do with an English major.
What's amazing about this lack of helpfulness is that the professors themselves have been FAR more interactive and enthusiastic about their work. My low-level class Biology teachers never gave two shits about whether I was passing or failing, and tended to regard questions like expositions on my stupidity. By contrast, the moment I started displaying absentee behavior or missed an assignment, my English teachers actually contacted me. They were extremely easy to communicate with, and tried to the best of their abilities to be informative. The classes are all fun-sized rather than cramming the students into an auditorium for an hour and a half of Powerpoint presentations, and rely on discussion rather than straight lecturing.
Anyway, I've taken my job search on myself entirely as I should. I've scoured international, national, and local job listings and the best options that don't seem to involve higher levels of education or extensive workfield experience are copy editing and telemarketing positions. Most of these are through temp agencies or possible scam-sites; not exactly career-founding material!
So my present plan is to take Crappy Copy Editing Job #34639 and bite the bullet to finish my Biology degree-- I'm about 6 courses short of completion. I will be attending college part-time, working, and living with my parents (which I'm sure they love).
POST A COMMENTCK(04/27/2008)
Sounds like you went to a large university. Yup - you were herded into one of them classes. Been there - done that! That happens during an undergrad degree. It is during the undergrad program that they try to weed some students out, so I am not supprized by your reaction. Just dig in and do it!
A graduate degree is different and the classes better - of course a Ph.D. is tough and again more filtering.
Dumber than a Catbox full of sh*t(04/27/2008)
Jobs that my friends and relatives have had--all of them have a B.A. in English:
concierge
assistant to a cartologist
working at the Newberry library in Chicago(prestigious, awesome library)as a reference person--answered questions that people would call about
Assistant Deputy (a higher-up) for a major international public relations firm
So an English degree and be used in some pretty unique ways. I am a high school English teacher--but I've had all kinds of jobs that are not English related. The important thing is that you have a degree.
I have always wondered, though, the point in getting a degree in Liberal Arts--no direction in that one!
My Two Cents(04/28/2008)
I look back and think what a total waste high school and college was. You play by their rules, hand over a heap of money and then you get your golden degree and find that jobs are hard to come by and you are literally at the bottom of shit pile climbing your way up. College doesn't bother to prepare you for the real world job market out there. I was even forced to take a Wyoming Government class. WTF? How does this help me again when I am leaving the state as soon as I get my degree? I was also forced to take 3 Math classes that had me so stressed out it took all of my creative juices away. Interesting that my Math classes never taught me how to file my taxes myself, how to finance a house or business or even how credit cards and student loans will keep you in the poor house forever. Hell, college never even taught me how to write a cover letter or resume, how to take temp job exams, or how to network! Or why not guest speakers from the real working world? My advice is go to a cheap community college with small classes and major in business. You will probably get the most bang for your buck right there.
CK(04/28/2008)
Undergrad classes are a bummer anyway. You have no say what to take. I know around here an undergrad has to take Spanish. Excuse ME! When my folk came to this country they had to learn English. When I went to France I tried to speak French! How come some get a free-ride but not others?
thelma(04/28/2008)
Having an education is not the same as having common sense.
Bookwoman(04/29/2008)
Another on-line forum I participate in has had a recent topic along the same lines.
As an "older" person, who has been in the workforce for 30 years, I can tell you from my "experience" that a college degree is worth something in the real world, although it may not have the exact value you might think. My husband has a degree in elementary education and has never worked in that field, but has gotten every job he's had BECAUSE he has that piece of paper. Many of these jobs have been things I could have easily done myself, but could not even get in the door for an interview because I do not have that piece of paper.
A college education - at least an undergrad degree - is not necessarily about the area of study. It's about the process. A prospective employee who has a (verifiable) degree is someone who is identified as someone who has learned at least some measure of discipline, and method of reasoning. Which apparently cannot be said of prospective employees who have years of experience in an area, an opinion I base on the numerous times I have seen non-degreed employees passed over for promotions and opportunities based on their lack of degree. Who doesn't know of someone who is more than capable of handling a higher level of responsibility and authority than a brand-new college grad, but has been passed over in favor of the college grad? Not in all fields, by any means, but there are many, many, many experienced employees who are being supervised by 24 year old idiots.
Which is why, DTACB, I'd have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of a liberal arts degree. That liberal arts degree represents a foot in the door in a variety of areas. I once worked in a highly specialized area where I had years of experience but was "managed" by a woman whose degree was in phys. ed. She had the right to tell me what to do, when to do it, HOW to do it....and she did. not. have. one. single. clue. But she got to be the boss because of that piece of paper and make a WHOLE lot more money than me.
All of which is why my three children are earning their undergrad degrees, no matter what. My middle child graduates in two weeks. My oldest child may graduate in December (he's what I delicately call my late bloomer - but HE WILL BLOOM). My youngest is a trial and may be a perpetual student. This is the only thing I have absolutely demanded of all of them. Good thing I didn't have demands of area of study - both older kids have majored in Philosophy....which may be directly even less "valuable" than a liberal arts degree...and even though a college education costs the moon, and jobs are scare, they are even MORE scare without a degree. Having been shut out of opportunity after opportunity for 30 years due to lack of formal education, I have come to believe whole-heartedly in the value of a college degree, even if it's just a basic 4 year degree.
Catwoman(05/02/2008)
Go to law school or go and work for the federal government. You would be amazed at how many, undeducated, ignorant people are making decent salaries with great benefits. Try the outstanding scholar or student intern programs.
comments (7)
digg | 
del.icio.us | 
e-mail it
POST A COMMENT
