Many people are still under the assumption that all English Literature graduates will do is teach. However, this isn’t the case.
Of course, teaching is a very viable option. There are many ways that a literature degree can be used to pursue a teaching career: primary, secondary, further or higher education. Utilising and sharing your passion for the subject is the goal, right?
Having said this, with a literature degree, it’s less about what the ‘literature’ part can do for you, and more about how the skills you’ve acquired during your degree can help.
Referencing
As a literature student, you will be no stranger to the hell that is referencing. Although you were dragged through the last part of every assignment kicking and screaming, you might not realise how useful referencing can be in future employment. From organisational skills to IT skills to an unnerving perfectionism, all those late nights spent referencing might not have been fruitless, after all!
- Archiving
- Museum Curator
- Project Administration/Management
- Library Assistant
See also: How To Balance An Internship With Your Studies
Research
As opposed to a creative writing degree, in which most of your time would be spent writing, as a literature student you will have spent three years researching others’ work. This will provide you with a skill set that sees you drawing connection from different points for business gain, or being able to apply research from niche subject matters.
- Legal sector
- Historian (English and History degrees are often heavily associated with each other! Here’s why a History degree can be useful)
- TV research
- Communications/Marketing
Reading/Writing
Although there is a lot of reading in a literature degree, it is undeniable how much writing there is. With an increasing number of careers emerging from social media, brands are searching for content creators all of the time, so this might be the perfect position for you. Other reading/writing-heavy jobs include:
- Author
- Blogger
- Journalist
- Publishing
Read next: How To Turn That 2:2 Into A 2:1