5 Career Opportunities with a Master’s in English Literature

Obtaining an advanced degree with a Master’s in English literature opens the door to an array of possibilities. Individuals who want to learn about five career opportunities with this graduate degree will likely be excited to see that an assortment of  possibilities are available.

Teacher

One of the most popular jobs of the five career opportunities with a Master’s in English literature is a teacher. You may decide to act as a reading specialist at an elementary school or to apply for a job as an English teacher at a high school. Before you decide to embark upon this career path, make sure you check into the requirements of the state. You may, for example, be required to have at least an undergraduate degree in education. If you find that you are unqualified to teach in the public school setting, look into private schools. Some may have their own requirements that exempt you.

Professor

If elementary and high school settings are not for you, consider the possibility of working as a professor. That falls onto the list of five career opportunities with a Master’s in English degree because you generally do not need a higher degree to adjunct. Working as an adjunct is both fulfilling and demanding. Depending upon the demand in your area, you may also land a full-time job as an English or writing instructor. In most cases, if you want to pursue a full-time career as a professor, you will need to return to school to earn a doctoral degree in your desired field.

Lawyer

The ability to clearly articulate concepts in both written and spoken words is a characteristic that lawyers must have. Also, lawyers need to know how to argue. A great deal of your education probably involved writing essays that articulate coherent arguments. If so, you have a skill set that is valuable to the law field. In the event that you decide to pursue law school, you will likely find yourself in a classroom with plenty of other students who have a degree in English. You can put your advanced reading skills to use when you review legal documents.

Writing and Editing

If you love to read literature, then you likely have an appreciation for the written word. This item on the list of five career opportunities with a Master’s in English literature speaks directly to your abilities. And you can pursue such jobs at different levels. You may decide that you want to work as a freelance writer or editor, or you may opt to apply with newspapers and magazines. If you decide to work for one of those entities, you may find that a degree in journalism or a knowledge of the Associated Press style is required.

Library Positions

Your knowledge of and appreciation for books makes you a suitable candidate for a job at the library. You may want to spend your time leading reading groups for people of different ages or guiding visitors to books that they may enjoy. However, you may also find that you want to pursue a higher degree in the library field so that you can have a leadership position. The library at which you work may pay you to earn a second Master’s degree in a field such as library science.

Related Resource: 10 Best Deals: Online Master’s in English Literature

When you have this degree, many different career opportunities are available. You have the ability to procure positions in fields that require you to use both your logic and creativity. That is one of the major benefits of looking at five career opportunities with a Master’s in English literature.

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