THE PROBLEM WITH A DEGREE IN ENGLISH is that you will not be given a predefined path into a predefined career and a predefined life. It's up to you to reflect on your own priorities, interests, and commitments in order to chart a path that is entirely your own. That's the hard part. But the rewards are infinite.
What will the world look like in ten, twenty, thirty years after you complete your BA? Your training in English--and the fact that you have had to think deeply about your intellectual and vocational priorities--will prepare you to be flexible in the face of an unpredictable future.
In the short-term, there are many pathways to a successful career that are completely independent of your major. Certainly, as an English Major, you can pursue a career in marketing or consulting or journalism or media and entertainment. But you can also just as readily pursue a career in finance or medicine, law or tech. Your English degree will help you stand out from the pack of other students trodding along on their well-trodden path. And it will help you to communicate to prospective employers that you are someone who knows how to think carefully, someone who knows how to interpret sharply, and above all someone who knows how to write clearly and persuasively.
The office of Career Advancement is a vital collaborator, helping our students gain experiences and take advantage of networking opportunities that are key to professional success. Our recent graduates have gone on to study in prestigious graduate programs and professional schools (law and medicine) and have landed jobs everywhere from Google to the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Career Advancement
Career Advancement (CA) is an university office that offers a variety of services, programs, and resources to help students prepare for entering the job market. The office strives to provide job and internship opportunities in a variety of fields and to promote University of Chicago talent to a wide range of employers and institutions. CA has also worked with students, alumni, parents, and employers to build, maintain, and access the University of Chicago's dynamic global employment network.
Grants and Career Advising
- PRISM Research Grants offer undergraduate students the funding to develop independent academic research projects. Students must develop a research proposal, which stresses not only the personal interest of the student, but how the project is linked to their academic and career interests.
- The Seidel Scholars PRISM Grant gives three students the opportunity to spend 8-10 weeks during the summer exploring how they can connect their academic passions with a professional occupation. The three students selected as Seidel Scholars will each receive a $4000 stipend for a career-related, individual project.