Combining an English degree with a degree from one of KU's professional schools is a great way to get an edge in the job market. Consult with Bernard A. Hirsch, Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of English, about double majors and dual-degree programs. Traditional careers in English include writing, editing, publishing, working in libraries, and teaching on the primary or secondary level or, with advanced degrees, the university level. As an English major, you need not be limited to those careers. A degree in English is good preparation for advanced professional degrees in areas such as business and law.
Many employers seek out students with degrees in English for management jobs.
An English degree will help you develop these skills. The Department of English annually awards prizes for excellence in scholarship, for outstanding course papers, and for original poetry and prose fiction, including the Carruth Poetry Award, Edna Osborne Whitcomb Creative Writing Award, Edgar Wolfe Creative Writing Award, Harry and Jesse Jacobs Awards for poetry and fiction, and departmental achievement and writing awards. These prizes usually are announced at the end of each spring semester. For students planning careers in teaching English or writing, the department awards the Zarel and Ruth Spears Scholarship. For more information, contact the chair of the Awards Committee in the Department of English.