Career Paths
English & languages can take you (almost) anywhere!
Our alumni go on to a wide variety of interesting and fulfilling careers, from teaching to translation to public administration to developing characters and narratives for video games to libraries, and more. (Check out our ALUMNI PAGE for additional details!)
No matter what your career goals are, you should develop a career plan through research, career counseling, volunteering, and internships. The Cal Poly Pomona is an excellent resource for doing this. Faculty in your major are also great sources of information on jobs directly related to your coursework.
Additional information
Career information & advice
- Payscale’s most recent College Salary Report: (including English)
- George Mason University:
- NC State:
Books
Planning carefully for your post-graduation life can give you more options, and the best aid in doing that may be a book. Some titles include:
- George Anders, You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education
- Katharine Brooks, You Majored in What?: Designing Your Path from College to Career (2017 ed)
- Alyssa W. Christensen, From Graduation to Career Ready in 21 Days: A Guide for English Majors
- Sheila J. Curran & Suzanne Greenwald, Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Graduates: Finding a Path to Your Perfect Career
- Julie DeGalan & Stephen Lambert, Great Jobs for English Majors (3rd ed)
- Timothy Lemire, I'm an English Major Now What? How English Majors Can Find Happiness, Success, and a Real Job
- Shelley O’Hara, What Can You Do with a Major in English: Real People, Real Jobs, Real Rewards
- Mark William Roche, Why Choose the Liberal Arts?
Job opportunities from corporations and non-profits
Fields in which a Language major can be the primary degree
- Translation/interpretation
- Secondary education (i.e. high school language teacher).
- International development work (Peace Corps and NGOs)
- National defense (i.e. CIA, FBI, NSA)
- Graduate study in Languages and Literatures, Linguistics, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, Latin American or Chicano Studies (to teach at the college or university levels)
Fields in which a Language major or minor is often a required secondary degree
- International business
- Law enforcement
- Spanish language media
- New media
- Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations and sales management
- Non-profit, political or community work
- Library science and museum work
- Social work
- Speech pathology
- Court reporting
- International freight, logistics and supply stream management
Fields in which a Language major or minor gives you a significant competitive edge in the job market
- K-12 education
- Medicine
- Construction management
- Hospitality management and tourism
- Human resources