Careers in English

Many of our English graduates elect to continue their education by either enrolling in an M.A. program or a Ph.D. program. In addition to preparing students for advanced graduate work, our B.A. and/or M.A. degrees prepare students to enter a wide variety of careers.

Community College Teaching

Many students who pursue an M.A. in English wish to teach in the community colleges. In addition to a completed M.A. in English, The English Council of California Two-Year Colleges lists the following desirable qualifications for prospective community college teachers:

  1. Emphasis in English or Composition/Rhetoric
  2. Experience in teaching developmental and transfer level composition
  3. Recent experience in teaching composition in a computer classroom
  4. Experience in teaching hybrid/online composition courses
  5. Tutoring/teaching experience in a Writing Center
  6. Demonstrated involvement and leadership in professional organizations (e.g., ECCTYC, CCCC, etc.)
  7. Experience with Student Learning Outcome (SLO) models.
  8. Demonstrated experience in teaching critical thinking at all levels
  9. Divers pedagogical delivery methodologies

High School Teaching

Some students may wish to go on to obtain a teaching credential. Students who wish to teach English at the middle or high school level usually pursue a Single Subject Teaching Credential Program. At SF State, this program is overseen by the College of Education.

While the Department of English does not itself offer secondary school teaching credentials, it does offer a Concentration in English Education as part of its B.A. program which is designed to prepare undergraduate students for a Single Subject Teaching Credential program.

Non-Academic Careers

Surveys of students who have graduated with any one of SF State’s Department of English degrees indicate that our graduates go into a number of diverse careers including:

  • Technical Writing
  • Website Design
  • Government and Research
  • Translation
  • Lexicography
  • Advertising
  • Law
  • Business
  • Forensics
  • Web Programming
  • Non-Profit
  • Fundraising
  • Publishing
  • Public Relations

Career Planning Resources