This page provides basic library information and also links to job information and prospects for those holding degrees in English or the humanities. This LibGuide is complemented by the following LibGuides:
EH -- Electronic Databases by Subject
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowBelow is a list (with live hyperlinks provided) of LibGuides from other campuses, which deal with career opportunities for English majors. Because these guides originate from places other than jacksonville state University it must be kept in mind that some of the content is applicable only for the communities of those campuses. However, much of the content is more general in scope and therefore useful to broader populations.
From the JSU English Department website:
English majors choose a major that not only challenges them intellectually but gives them pleasure. They love to read and think that reading matters. Or they hope to be writers and have taken courses in creative writing to test their potential as poets, fiction writers, and dramatists. They may have taken courses in expository writing to polish their skills or to see if the essay and other non-fictional forms were their best genres for a writing career.
English majors believe in education as an end, not merely as a stepping-stone in the path to a career, but they are not necessarily impractical. They are idealists, but unless they have large trust funds or they expect an imminent inheritance or have immediate prospects for marrying into wealth, they need a career.
What an English major brings to career possibilities is the ability to think critically, speak articulately, write lucidly and precisely, and to read powerfully, deftly, and with understanding of subtleties and nuances. They know how language works and have the written and oral skills to communicate effectively.
Doing English by 
Starting an English Literature Degree by 
Teaching and Learning English Literature by 
You Can Do Anything by Need more help? Ask a librarian!
Reference hours:
Basic search in the Houston Cole Library catalog.
Below are some JaxCat subject headings useful for finding books which address literature as a career.
Bachelor of arts degree -- United States
College graduates -- Employment -- United Sates
Education, Humanistic -- United States
English literature -- Study and Teaching
Vocational guidance -- United States
These websites offer information on careers for college English majors, from job possibilities to career options, sometimes with salary ranges included. In addition, some address the skills and talents needed for the position -- skills and talents which a degree course in English provides.
