Purposeful and rewarding work

English is more than a major, it's your future. Literary studies, research, and critical and creative writing will prepare you for a range of careers.

English


As an English major at Jewell, you'll learn high-level thinking, reading and writing. Through a study of critical theory, creative writing, and U.S., British and World literatures, you will also cultivate a deep awareness of human issues: historical, political and cultural.

What can I do with an English degree?

The opportunity for discovering and pursuing work that is purposeful and rewarding is facilitated by the study you’ll do as an English major. With requirements in literary studies, research, and critical and creative writing, the Jewell English major prepares you for a wide range of careers. While some graduates go on to grad school, others move into the private sector, working as editors of newspapers, magazines, textbooks, commercial books, greeting cards and trade publications. Many go into marketing, teaching or various kinds of nonprofit work, including recently, the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, Teach for America and the Peace Corps. Some pursue grant writing, technical writing, financial advising, political advocacy, law enforcement or corporate management. One of our recent graduates works on human rights issues for the federal government in Washington, D.C.; another has been a researcher and writer for National Geographic Magazine; and yet another is a child-welfare lobbyist in West Virginia. The opportunities are practically endless.

Inscape Magazine

English majors have the opportunity to work on Inscape, Jewell's online student arts magazine, which publishes creative writing, art, music and digital genres. While Inscape is edited by students from across the artistic disciplines, preference is given to English majors in filling the chief and managing editor positions. Similarly, English majors who have taken creative writing courses are invited to serve on the poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction editorial teams. As Inscape editors, students not only gain experience soliciting, assessing, and selecting work for publication, they also work collaboratively on organizational tasks such as publicity, design, and event planning. Periodically, Inscape also hosts events to showcase student art, providing an opportunity for interested English majors to read their creative writing alongside other student performances.

View the magazine

Tavarus Pennington


Blue Springs South High School

Learn how English at Jewell was a perfect-fit major for this nationally ranked debater.

Beyond Jewell

A number of Jewell English alumni pursue graduate programs in English, creative writing, journalism and law.

  • Graduate Schools

    • Notre Dame University
    • UCLA
    • Johns Hopkins University
    • Purdue University
    • Washington University (St. Louis)
    • University of Arizona
    • University of Colorado
    • University of Wisconsin
    • University of Illinois
    • University of Montana
    • Ohio University
    • Duke University
    • Brandeis University
    • Baylor University
    • University of Rochester
    • University of Toronto
    • University of London
    • Cambridge University
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