Study Guide: English Language and Literature

Do you look for linguistic errors in your favourite songs? Do you compare Shakespeare’s English with your day-to-day English? Do you love reading books? Do you try and fit your own versions of prose and verse of books? Are you captivated with middle century poems? If yes, then a degree in English Language and Literature is the right step for you.

The courses in the degree make you think creatively and analytically about the use of English language in various forms of writings: poems, stories, etc. You study literary texts from different points in history and look at the writing styles analytically to understand how the language has grown. These readings also help you understand the cultural, historical, political, and social contexts of those times. You will not only analyse written work but also analyse the spoken conversations, advertisements, language used in legal discourse, or language used in medical discourse. 

The course gets you to think and develop your independent and analytical thought skills. You work on independent assignments, essays, and papers often. Hence, the degree is popular among students who want to make a career in Journalism, Teaching, Publishing, or Advertising. 

Most Lucrative Jobs after an English Major

Here is a list of highest paying jobs for students with this major:

1. Freelance Writer
2. News Reporter
3. Announcer
4. Advertising Manager
5. Public Relations Manager
6. Technical Writer
7. Writer and Author
8. School Teacher
9. Public Relations Specialist
10. Librarian
11. Editor
12. Interpreter and Translator

Top Ranked Universities for English Language and Literature Programs

39 of the top 50 English Language and Literature Programs are located in the major English speaking nations with the US and UK sharing the top positions with 16 universities each. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand share 10 programs between them. Germany is the only non-English speaking country which has 2 programs ranked among the top 50. China, Japan, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Ireland, and Singapore each have one program ranked among the top 50 of the world. University of Delhi from India is ranked among between 151-200. 

Here is a list of the Top 10 Universities

1. University of Oxford (UK)
2. University of Cambridge (UK)
3. Harvard University (US)
4. University of California, Berkeley (US)
5. Stanford University (US)
6. Yale University (US)
7. Princeton University (US)
8. University of California, Los Angeles (US)
9. University of Edinburgh (UK)
10. University of Toronto (Canada)

Top 10 Universities for English Language and Literature in UK

University of Oxford
University of Cambridge
University of Edinburgh
UCL
King’s College London
University of York
University of Warwick
University of Manchester
University of Glasgow
University of Leeds

Top 10 Universities for English Language and Literature in the USA

Harvard University
UCB
Stanford University
Yale University
Princeton University
UCLA
Columbia University
University of Chicago
New York University
Duke University

Top 10 Universities for English Language and Literature in Canada

University of Toronto
UBC
McGill University
Université de Montréal
University of Alberta
Queen’s University
Simon Fraser University
University of Ottawa
York University
Concordia University

Top 10 Universities for English Language and Literature in Australia

University of Melbourne
University of Sydney
ANU
UNSW Sydney
Monash University
University of Queensland
University of Western Australia
Macquarie University
The University of Adelaide
Griffith University

Possible Specialisations in the field

1. Creative Writing 
   Creativity is the calling of these times. Hence, this is a popular choice among undergraduates. The tasks are generally creative requiring analytical skills to research around a reading that you are doing. 

2. Linguistics
   Want to know how languages work, then this is the specialisation you are looking for. You will study language in the context of sociology and psychology. 

3. Postcolonial Literature
   This specialisation focuses on postcolonial writing. You get to read important postcolonial literary texts, and explore postcolonial narratives and interpretations of contemporary culture.

Now, you have all the information you need to select where to study and what to study if you are interested in studying English Language and Literature. For any further information or any detail, you can connect with an admission/subject expert from the Wizius Team. 

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