Is English Lit with Creative writing a decent degree?

YellowAsteroid · 03/07/2024 16:13

An English Literature degree at a "good" (ie very high academic standard ) university will make a graduate employable in all sorts of ways.

However, there is no clear career that EngLit grads go into. But the transferable skills are very good, and if it's combined with, say, a year studying abroad, or a year in industry, the EngLit graduate will be likely very employable.

There will be posters who will jump in and rubbish this, but the graduate with a standard liberal Humanities degree, such as English, History, Modern Languages, or Classics studied at excellent universities in the company of other bright and energetic, hard-working young people, will always do well.

The trick is to make the most of internships, placements within the degree, and go all out for extra-curricular stuff such as writing for/editing the student newspaper, making programmes for student radio, writing for theatre groups ... that sort of thing.

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Changingplace · 03/07/2024 16:17

Yes, I did English lit and now work in Communications/PR/Events, I kind of fell into this but I wish a careers advisor had directed me this way sooner!

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Seeline · 03/07/2024 16:20

What are your DDs predicted grades? That will determine the range of unis that she can look at.

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mansplainingsincethe90s · 03/07/2024 16:43

Sounds like a cool degree. Lot of reading and writing. Great if that's your thing.

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TizerorFizz · 03/07/2024 17:13

Essentially most writing at work is not creative. Well not intentionally so! If DC does an English Lit degree it’s a launchpad. If DC wants creative writing, do it afterwards. Or even a journalism post grad? During the degree do as much work as possible. Sample what might be of interest. Few employers will care what books you have read but they will care about the skills you have acquired as a result of analysing texts.

As for uni, I strongly recommend as high as possible. English isn’t a degree where grads are universally well paid afterwards but it’s possible to do a whole range of jobs with it, so making the effort to gear up for a career whilst at uni pays off.

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clary · 03/07/2024 17:23

My dd took Eng lit and it was great. Has always been her passion. Agree that a good Eng lit degree will open many graduate doors, as with other hums degrees.

Specific jobs related to it are limited (teaching, PR, library work, publishing).

Creatuve writing tho…does your dd do this now? Write novels, stories, poetry? Bc creative writing students will do this already big time. I’m not sure it adds anything if it’s not a career you plan to take.

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YellowAsteroid · 03/07/2024 18:43

Not all the work done in the Creative Writing portion of an EngLit/CW programme is 'creative.' I've just done a stint as an External Examiner for a very highly ranked English/CW degree (AAA to get in) and they work on a range of different genres, including non-fiction, journalist-type reflective pieces, as well as poetry, drama, and fiction. Their year in industry sends them all over the place & the graduates tend to be snapped up to write for websites, magazines, and more widely in the creative industries.

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clary · 03/07/2024 21:03

That's great @YellowAsteroid - I think it must be a pretty prestigious uni then. I wouldn't bank on getting a writing job on a magazine or website on the strength of a degree in creative writing tho. Jobs like that are very sought after and in reality it's about the work done outside the degree - self published stuff, work experience, blog, SM posts.

Would that sort of thing interest your DD @YellowToothbrush ? If so I would advise her to start working on it now. If not that's fine of course. Lots of other routes with an Eng degree. Civil service, NHS admin, HR...

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HowIrresponsible · 03/07/2024 21:04

Eng Lit is a solid degree. Creative writing not so much.

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Chaosx3x · 03/07/2024 21:06

HowIrresponsible · 03/07/2024 21:04

Eng Lit is a solid degree. Creative writing not so much.

This. Pure Eng Lit will be more appealing to graduate employers etc.

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bellocchild · 03/07/2024 21:33

The research skills you acquire from a Eng Lit degree are very transferable. I used mine for marketing, banking, teaching to A-level, and back to financial marketing.

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YellowAsteroid · 03/07/2024 21:44

clary · 03/07/2024 21:03

That's great @YellowAsteroid - I think it must be a pretty prestigious uni then. I wouldn't bank on getting a writing job on a magazine or website on the strength of a degree in creative writing tho. Jobs like that are very sought after and in reality it's about the work done outside the degree - self published stuff, work experience, blog, SM posts.

Would that sort of thing interest your DD @YellowToothbrush ? If so I would advise her to start working on it now. If not that's fine of course. Lots of other routes with an Eng degree. Civil service, NHS admin, HR...

Yes, absolutely @clary - these generalist degrees in arts and science really do need students to be engaged and entrepreneurial There’s no way a degree in English or Biology will lead straight to a plum job.

But no degree leads to a plum job, and actually never has (except in exceptional circumstances). Even medicos have to do a long post-degree apprenticeship!

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Is English Lit with Creative writing a decent degree?