bachelor of arts in english and literature

bachelor of arts in english and literature

The Importance of a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature

1. The Power of Language

The institution offers the Diploma for Media Studies (NQF Level 5) and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies (NQF Level 7). Aspirant journalists, the latter study at least 90 credits in their second year, the biggest study load in their third year of study. They enroll in all the undergraduate courses in journalism and media studies. ENN101M is the code for Academic Literacy, the minor version of the ALC201. The main course is a compulsory subject for the above two diplomas and other diplomas and degrees in the Faculty of Arts and Design. There is thus a huge student market for the Level 5 subject. The course is popular, and the related words on the course include multimodal, assessment, pass rates, and promotion. A key part of the course is the analysis of visual texts, such as film or TV ads, postcards, artwork, landscapes, landscape images, and other images.

Every semester, at the start of English and Literature courses, the aims and importance of the courses are presented by relaying information on the power of language and the beauty of English in the forms of poetry, novels, short stories, and films. It is the importance of English as a global language that makes the first-year subject Academic Literacy a core subject in the Diploma in Media Studies, an important subject. Currently, at the institution where we teach, the course earns more credits than any other first-year study unit. Arts and Culture, Logic, Sociology, History, and Psychology were among the four other most important first-year credit-weighted subjects.

2. Exploring Literary Masterpieces

One year after graduating from college, I picked up my senior paper I had written for my Romance in Medieval English Society class. The paper had been selected to be published for the university’s summer research project, but I found I didn’t recognize the person that had written it. The year previous, I had written about Geoffrey Chaucer, specifically ‘The Knight’s Tale’ from The Canterbury Tales, as a way to document the society in which he lived. I began seeing the poem from a feminist perspective. Suddenly, the men in the tale, who I described as heroic, were anything but. My mentor, Professor Solberg, had asked me why I thought of Chaucer as being a misogynist (women-hater). When I inquired about the definition, I quickly disregarded the question with a no. I saw Chaucer as a person of his time that treated women fairly, and went about my business with my original intention to document women’s roles in Middle English society.

Imagine a world without stories, or any sort of literature. It would make a boring world indeed. By studying literature, students are exposed to a way of living that was unique for each American in years past. Through exploring the masterpieces from Colonial times to the present, Hamm and Walling state that students are able to see cultural differences, yet drive and how these differences affected the way a person recognized their individual place in the world (518). Exploring these masterpieces teaches the student what has come before, and why we believe as we do today. Since education is always paired with cultural assumptions, students are able to gain a sense of their own culture, the differences in other cultures, and the comparison between the two. Students develop an awareness of life in general and grow, continuing to form educated individuals who can compete with other scholars in a world where reading has become a chore rather than a delight.

3. Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills

The development of critical thinking skills will pay off in both the short term and long term for English students. Companies, educators, and policy makers have cited the development of these skills as a major need for society. Students with a BA in English are job-ready for such a society. Employers across various fields seek potential employees with “the habits of mind and the broad capacity for independent and innovative thought.” In the long term, recent trends illustrate the importance of having strong critical thinking skills is just as important in the market as a specialized skillset. The study of literature is not just a complementary study—useful only to enhance performance in other areas. The study of English is both a focus and an end in itself.

Students of English study literary traditions and their relationships to culture. This kind of study develops critical thinking skills. In a typical English program, students focus on a variety of genres, periods, and subject matter. They also learn about various genres of criticism, including new historicism, psychoanalysis, and post-colonial analysis. An understanding of those genres also teaches students to consider different perspectives. A student who studies English learns not only how to analyze what a piece of literature says, but also what that piece doesn’t say—both states of mind can engage more complex critical thinking.

4. Effective Communication and Writing Abilities

A major benefit of the English degree is the impressive list of skill sets acquired by its graduates which meet or exceed the skills demanded by employers in any field and within any industry. Just a few vital skills expected of potential employees are fluent, skilled communication, technical knowledge of the particular industry and computer software as well as team working abilities and skills in problem solving. The listed skills demanded of an employee in 2015-2017 are only a handful of the many skills fostered and buffered by studying the subject of English. With a curriculum focusing on developing the ability to understand and use the English language effectively, students learn to write, speak and interpret text within its particular context in order to appreciate and manage the array of tones that the English language requires and reflects. With many disciplines within the field studying particular genres of language, it is through the array of literary works, both fiction and non-fiction, that undergraduates are exposed to technical writing skills and a heightened understanding of the nuances in communication to best address a project’s audience.

In a country still considered a global powerhouse, the U.S. comes in at a rather depressing eighth place for graduates with effective communication and writing abilities. There are so many benefits of an English degree: the world of work truly belts for people with solid communication skills, and it still seems there are those who wonder what to do with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. The truth is, a degree in English and Literature provides individuals with the skill sets desired and required by employers in any industry and career undertaken.

5. Career Opportunities in English and Literature

To begin with, graduates of an English program have the ability to teach. They can teach those wanting to learn English in a foreign country or those wanting to learn English in grades K-12 or in higher education. They can also teach English literature at universities, post-secondary schools, or secondary schools. Regardless of what or where you teach, the purpose is to help students obtain the skills necessary to enter the job market. What do all professional employers look for? They want the essentials: superior reading and writing skills, critical thinking skills, the ability to communicate in public settings and to think outside the box, plus creativity. Naturally, skills required in writing grant proposals, memos, reports, and speeches are necessary in helping students develop these skills.

The Library of Congress has noted that a person who enjoys reading and interpreting literature or who holds a B.A. can work in a wide variety of fields. They could become authors, editors, copywriters, technical writers, journalists, or librarians. They could also become administrators, curators, instructors, computer programmers, or executives. The following is a list of the numerous career options available in the study of English and literature. It shows how versatile and thus how marketable individuals are upon acquiring a B.A, an M.A, or a Ph.D, in English with an emphasis in literature, creative writing, or philosophy. Yet some individuals still question the importance of any degree.