English majors communicate like pros and their thoughtful analysis leads to successful careers in education, law, arts, business, media, finance, entertainment, sales, sports, and health care, among other fields. The Department of English is deeply committed to the career success of its students by providing a robust curriculum that emphasizes real-world skills and support that equips students with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen careers.
Career Support
Our in-house career services include:
- One-on-one coaching with faculty
- Resume and cover letter assistance
- Internships for pay and academic credit
- A dedicated Director of Careers and Internships
- Mentorship with UT alumni
- Grad school application help
- ENGL 499: Careers for English Majors
47%
of English degree holders have an advanced degree, compared to 38% across all fields
84%
of humanities graduates are satisfied with their jobs
78%
of humanities graduates believe they are living their best possible life, according to Humanities Indicators
155.05
is the average LSAT score of English majors, compared to the average score of 153.24 for all majors
507.6
is the average MCAT score for English majors, compared to the average score of 505.6 for all majors.
63%
of of English degree holders are employed in occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree, higher than the 62% average for all fields.
English Prepares You
For Professional Success
There are many career paths for English majors! English majors are found in a wide range of fields including law, medicine, publishing, advertising, education, nonprofit management, public relations, government, and more.
Erin Elizabeth Smith
Director of Career Development
Office Hours- Mondays 3-4 and Wednesdays 10-11 in McClung 312
Law & Government Alumni
Jasmine Johnson (’16), Corporate Attorney
Everyone wants someone who can analyze well and connect with multiple audiences. As a part of connecting with multiple audiences, you learn emotional intelligence and how to practice empathy. These are skills that are universally desired, and they aren’t just career skills, they are life skills.”
J. Scott Rose (‘84), Partner, Jackson Walker, LLP
Business & Nonprofit Management Alumni
Amanda Henneghan (’08), Senior Manager at Amazon
Kara Orellana (‘13), Head of Strategy and Planning, Global Marketing Services at Visa
Dylan Platz (‘14), Lead IT Consultant and Salesforce Product Manager, Vanderbilt University
Health & Science Alumni
Dr. Leigh Ball (’12), Internal Medicine Physician
Erik Schiller (‘13), Marketing Specialist, American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics
Nicole Matis (‘20), Medical Student in Psychiatry
Ashley Barker (‘96), Operations Section Head at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing
I think communication is a key aspect in any position. If you can communicate well, people want you on their team and want you to be part of their project.”
Writing & Publishing Alumni
Monica Brashears (’19), Novelist
I love the English department. They helped support me, whether through feedback, writing recommendation letters, or still being willing to talk after graduation and provide advice and real mentorship.”
Claire Dodson (’15), Editor at Teen Vogue
Rodney Thompson (‘04), Video and Tabletop Game Designer
[In screenwriting classes], you had to communicate everything you could through dialogue and a little bit of stage direction. It’s very much like minimalist storytelling. And I think that taught me to distill a narrative down to its most essential elements.”
Sierra Swanson (‘20), Associate Publicist, Atria Books
Amien Essif, Special Correspondent for Deutsche Welle
Education Alumni
John Luke Bell (‘14), Professional Learning Content Design Manager at HMH, Co.
Will White (‘20), Health Sciences Librarian, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
