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English

Why Study English?

...to develop your communication skills

Studying literature will refine your reading and writing skills. The authors you read provide models of powerful prose; working your way through essays that are edited and corrected by experienced professors ensures practice in techniques of effective writing. Class discussions and seminar presentations furnish ample opportunity to cultivate strategies for public speaking. Excellent communication skills are a necessity for success in any aspect of personal and professional life.

...to increase your employment opportunities

Major corporations hire BA graduates because of their ability to communicate well, to organize effectively, and to deal successfully with personnel. Degrees with strong English components also prepare students for jobs in software design and development, the media, education, publishing, and public service. As well, an English degree provides a superb background for advanced study in education and MBA programmes, as well as in graduate, journalism, and law schools.

...to cultivate your interest in the fine arts

At UNB, a Fine Arts Minor can be taken in three areas: film/video, creative writing, and theatre. The English Department is the home of film/video, creative writing, and theatre on the UNB campus. The Department offers academic courses, studio study, and extracurricular activity in all three areas. A university education should help you to become a well-rounded person with interests outside your job; the English Department allows you to cultivate such interests in Fine Arts while earning academic credit.

Potential Careers for English Graduates

Surveys done by a number of universities in Canada and the United States have found English graduates in all of the fields listed below. These are only some of the career options for students with a background in English. For many of these positions a BA in English is an entry-level qualification; for others, it is a useful background for the more specialized training required by the profession.

 

In the Media
In Business
In Public Service
editor
journalist
columnist
reviewer
proofreader
writer
scriptwriter
script reader
casting officer
research assistant
actor
news commentator
novelist
dramatist
poet
public relations
personnel officer
advertising copywriter
management trainee
consultant
accountant
travel agent
sales representative
bank officer
insurance agent
lawyer
financial investment counsellor
instructional designer for electronic courseware
elected representative
executive assistant
civil servant
teacher
librarian
archivist
curator
speech pathologist
social worker
researcher
professor
diplomat
minister