Education

Jobs in education are a great way for majors to seek employment, and there is a broad range of opportunities.

Primary Education
Secondary Education
Private Schools
College Level
Teaching English as a Second Language
Tutoring
Educational Administration

Teaching public school at the primary and secondary levels requires certification. Since English majors are generally well-rounded students, many have gone on to teach at the primary level because most primary educators teach several subjects. Primary education generally includes both elementary and middle school, but it depends on the district.

As a secondary teacher, most English graduates teach within the subject of English or language arts. Since both areas require teaching certification, you should consider taking a track that culminates in both a degree in English and certification. Upon finishing undergraduate studies, you may decide that you want to pursue education, so going to graduate school in English Education or in Education may be the best option.

However, with just a bachelor’s degree, you can pursue alternative certification that generally consists of teaching while enrolling in a college’s accelerated certification program; organizations such as Teach Now help potential teachers get alternative certification. Teaching at a private school is also an option because private schools do not require that their teachers be certified. There are networks available to help place teachers at private schools such as The Education Group.

Teaching English at the college level as a career requires a PhD. With an MA in English, you can seek adjunct teaching positions. Most graduates can find jobs teaching composition, but with a background in literature and other areas, it is possible to teach other subjects. Looking for jobs at junior colleges may be the most practical option after your graduation. In order to get a tenure-track position, you need a terminal degree, which is a PhD in English or an MFA in Creative Writing. While the MFA is still considered the terminal degree in Creative Writing, there are PhD programs that allow you to pursue scholarly research while writing a creative dissertation. If you hope to both teach creative writing and literature, you should consider getting a PhD.

Teaching English as a Second Language is an exciting opportunity that can be done both domestically and abroad. Though the mastery of a second language certainly helps, it is not necessarily a requirement. If you are looking for a fulltime career, the best preparation for the job is to get a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. With such a degree and proper certification, you can teach at ESL students at universities, primary and secondary schools, and international schools. There are graduate, undergraduate, and professional certification programs if you hope to teach English abroad. Organizations like the American TESOL Institute offer certification and job placement and other advantages like room and board. There are jobs that do not require certification, but the majority of them are not as reputable.

Some English majors find work as professional tutors at national companies such as Sylvan, A to Z, and Academic Advantage. While some companies have specified requirements such as having a teaching background, many local programs exist throughout the United States that offer tutoring in SAT and GRE prep, writing, and English language. With a background in peer tutoring, you can go on to run Writing Centers, manage non-profit tutoring organizations like Upward Bound, tutor abroad, and even teach tutoring. Tutoring is often used by educators as a means for supplementary income and advancement in schools and universities.

Educational Administration, the coordination of the educational programs at every level of education, basically requires a lot of experience in education, but there are several graduate programs designed to prepare students for those leadership positions. Most positions require a master’s degree, but some students pursue doctoral degrees.