STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

For anyone who has a BA in English...

blubirde · Chanel

I don't have a BA in english (although I am only one class short) but I have one in History. I went to law school. What else?

I have some friends with BA's in english who went to law school and some who went on to get an MFA in creative writing.

Is there a dilemma involved in this question? It seems liberal arts degrees are valued less and less in the work world, which is completely bizarre because no other degree focuses on critically thinking as much.

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: Irene
"What are you doing now as far as jobs? Also, do you have a Master's degree? If so, in what? Thanks."

My friend has a BA in English. She didn't get a Master's degree. She has worked in advertising sales, payroll sales, and as a recruiter in a job agency.

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

i do. i've always worked in entertainment, though--currently at a law firm. i am about halfway done with my Master's in psychology. i still have no real idea of what i want to do with my life.

Mia · Kate Spade

I've got an English BA and I think my opinion on the job market is that with an English bachelor's it's pretty wide open - there are a lot of fields you could go into. It's also a good degree for law school if you're thinking of that. I was going to start my English MA this fall but decided not to - I don't want to teach and I'm not too sure if the debt from grad school would have been worth it given that. Overall, though, I think an English degree is a very broad, useful degree.

Ally S · Kate Spade

I got my BA in English with a minor in English Lit, I got my MLS in Library Science and am presently about to conclude my Ph.D in Information Science.

News flash****

There is a shortage of Librarians right now and this does not mean just checking out books.

Library work is extensive as either CC or I can tell you. Plus it's a really cool field.

trixie · Kenneth Cole

My boyfriend has a BA in English and he is currently an editor at a small publishing company. He started as a copyeditor and has moved into being an acquisitions editor.

honey · Gucci

quote:
Originally posted by: blubirde
"I don't have a BA in english (although I am only one class short) but I have one in History. I went to law school. What else? I have some friends with BA's in english who went to law school and some who went on to get an MFA in creative writing. Is there a dilemma involved in this question? It seems liberal arts degrees are valued less and less in the work world, which is completely bizarre because no other degree focuses on critically thinking as much."

i have a liberal arts degree too (in government). most of the people i know with ba's in english or literature either went on to law school or pursued writing as a full time career. in this current economy i don't think liberal arts degrees are valued as much as they could (should) be. and most employers focus more on hard skill sets. if you eventually want to consider going to grad school it might be best to focus on what you ultimately want to do, and then pick a major or career plan that will help you reach that goal. i say career plan b/c you don't necessarily have to go to grad school for most careers. a lot of employers value actually value real world experience more than book learning. though i definitely think you should finish you ba for the sake of having a ba. i don't think it's going to make you a better/smarter person, but the nature of our society and the educational system makes it (and you) more valuable in the eyes of potential employers. and i *know* this from personal experience.

jacmckenna · Nine West

I have a BA in English and started work on a Master's but dropped out (decided I didn't want to be in school for another 6 or 7 years). I am the managing editor of a medical journal and while I don't think having the degree helps me with my actual job, it did help in getting it (and the jobs I had prior).

jestillman · Kenneth Cole

i went to law school and now work in non-profit. the only school i considered going back to was librarian school - Information Sciences i think it's called, to become a law librarian.

It is the only reason i would ever live w/homework again, EVER!

I am hyper organized so I figure it would be a good fit.

cc · Marc Jacobs

quote:
Originally posted by: Ally S
"
There is a shortage of Librarians right now and this does not mean just checking out books. Library work is extensive as either CC or I can tell you. Plus it's a really cool field."

yep, my job kicks my ass (well, more like my brain) every single day and i love it.

i wasn't an english major though i was art history/history.

i think of humanities majors are all inter-changable. you read a lot, you analyze, you research, you write, just on different topics. most people don't wind up in a field that directly relates to their degree anyway so you should just major in whatever subject you like. you've already got lots of work experience, irene, so you shouldn't have to worry about doing something really practical. i am really really pro-liberal arts degrees though.

in addition to law school, publishing and all the things that have been suggested you could also do: teaching, advertising (e.g. copywriter), broadcasting, pr (actually that's sort of what my dad does with his english degree).

cc · Marc Jacobs

quote:
Originally posted by: jestillman
"i went to law school and now work in non-profit. the only school i considered going back to was librarian school - Information Sciences i think it's called, to become a law librarian.
It is the only reason i would ever live w/homework again, EVER!
I am hyper organized so I figure it would be a good fit.
"

jestillman, i've thought about getting my jd (my parents really wanted me to) so that i could work in a law school library or get a raise (i'm currently a librarian at a large firm) but i don't know if it would really be worth the time, money and effort.

halleybird · Hermes

I have a BA in journalism and a minor in English. I actually had more than enough credits for an English major, but they weren't the "right" ones to equal an actual BA. I am now a high school teacher certified in both journalism and English (though I don't teach English anymore).

I am seriously considering getting a graduate degree in American Lit because a) I am a huge nerd and I would love it; and b) I want to teach English at a college level (probably community college). I adore teaching English, but this state's system is so f*d up it's not worth it.

jestillman · Kenneth Cole

quote:
Originally posted by: cc
" jestillman, i've thought about getting my jd (my parents really wanted me to) so that i could work in a law school library or get a raise (i'm currently a librarian at a large firm) but i don't know if it would really be worth the time, money and effort. "

CC,

WOW! A normal person who is also a librarian! I showed my mom the application to library school and she bascailly asid it looked really boring. umm, she's a former french professor so i'm not sure what that says about her career choice...anyway, I say GO GET YOUR JD! BUT, not bc your parents want you to. some of my friend's dropped out bc it wasn't for them. you'll know. i think it would be easier for you since you have the background already. May I ask which firm you work for and how you jot that job without a legal background?

I am also starting en event plannign company, events and shopping and dinners and fun girly stuff. Basically im' a lawyer with GREAT hours who hates her job and is unappricated and too smart to be sitting on the web all day, but loves planning and organziing and misses the academic side of learning, as opposed to homework, and i really think i'd be a good librarian. i already have the glasses and I want to channel parker posey in Party Girl.

cc · Marc Jacobs

RE: RE: RE: RE: For anyone who has a BA in English

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

RE: For anyone who has a BA in English...

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

quote:
Originally posted by: Mia
"I've got an English BA and I think my opinion on the job market is that with an English bachelor's it's pretty wide open - there are a lot of fields you could go into. It's also a good degree for law school if you're thinking of that. I was going to start my English MA this fall but decided not to - I don't want to teach and I'm not too sure if the debt from grad school would have been worth it given that. Overall, though, I think an English degree is a very broad, useful degree. "

ITA with this -- I have an English BA too and have found that it prepares you for work in a lot of fields. Learning to read and analyze, as well as write well, are highly useful skills that you can apply basically anywhere. As for me, I've worked as a research assistant, then a copywriter, and now in product safety, but want to go get a degree in journalism next year.