LEC052025. Julia Mathew. "Essay on Job Opportunities after MA (English)"

Job Opportunities after MA (English)

    Contrary to popular belief, an MA English graduate has multitudinous job opportunities. An MA English education is not limited to non-monetisable, intangible benefits like personal enrichment, development of wide thinking, social sensitivity and responsibility etc. It also arms graduates with skills that are among the most in-demand competencies across virtually every job market: communication, analysis and decision making. A wide array of options including teaching, journalism, editing, copywriting, creative writing, and technical writing are open to MA English graduates, with these skills in hand.

As they analyse literary texts critically through the lens of critical theory, form opinions and write extensively, academically and non-academically, MA English students imbibe the qualities of critical thinking, persuasive writing, and creative problem solution. As Professor David D. Esselstrom, puts it, “In our world of rapid change, job-specific skills have an ever-shorter shelf life… What doesn’t become old or dated is the ability to face new challenges and analyze them, to respond thoughtfully and finally to evaluate and skillfully articulate one’s findings.” Critical thinking with a humanitarian lens is critical to science and tech fields in invention and marketing of products–according to a Forbes report: “Throughout the major U.S. tech hubs … software companies are discovering that liberal arts thinking make them stronger.” With English language emerging as the global language, proficiency in this language will earn jobs across the world. Academia, however, is what first comes to mind when we think about jobs for an MA English graduate.

MA English graduates in India are eligible to teach at schools after doing a B. Ed. (Bachelor in Education) course; and colleges after qualifying the NET (National Eligibility Test). If they qualify for the JRF (Junior Research Fellowship), they can do research/ Ph.D. with financial aid from the government within three years. Journalism is another field that makes good use of MA English graduates. Matthew Arnold said that “Journalism is literature in a hurry” – that is why media houses use literature graduates to report, write and edit news. Love for reading is a given for any literature graduate – and what if you can make reading and editing stories a full time job?–become an editor or proof reader in a publishing house.

The world will never have too many good writers – if you have an exceptional flair for writing, and have stories to tell, you can become a full time writer. If you enjoy creative writing, you can become a content writer for corporate institutions, or do technical writing, if that is your strong point. You can also do copywriting for advertisements – perhaps, that is a job that will never bore you. You can even do academic writing if you are a scholar and will never stop learning. Script writing is also in vogue, and unique stories and unique story-telling will always be appreciated.

The skills you develop as an MA English student will be useful in various fields, so it is possible to channelise into other fields, post your MA–A translation course can earn you a job in translation, if you have good command over two or more languages. Linguistics is also a field that has much scope for research. An MA English graduate can also work in Public Relations, as it is a job that requires effective communication, and good use of rhetoric. Post MA in English, you can even become a public servant after clearing exams like UPSC, or study law, business, etc. The job possibilities of an MA English graduate are limitless.

An MA English degree coupled with a passion for literary studies, scholarly pursuits or writing can lead you towards a very successful career. Lack of job prospects should never pull you down from choosing this course. The world may change, but a powerful use of words will always be in vogue.