Editor
Helps writing become clearer, more accurate, organized, and appropriate for its audience.
Humanities & Writing
English major, explained.
Use language to interpret experience and make ideas matter.
English majors study literature, language, rhetoric, culture, and writing. Students learn to read closely, develop interpretations, research contexts, build arguments, revise prose, and understand how language shapes what people notice and believe.
You might enjoy this if
Notice what feels familiar.
You like reading beneath the surface of a text.
You care about precise and memorable language.
You enjoy developing an idea through discussion and revision.
The study experience
What the work may feel like.
Programs differ by college. These labels describe common areas of emphasis, not a score or universal rating.
Reading
Central
Writing
Central
Quantitative work
Limited
Labs or hands-on work
Limited
Design and making
Some
People and collaboration
Regular
Questions you may keep asking
How does the language create meaning?
What interpretation can the text support?
How can this idea be expressed more clearly and powerfully?
Literary analysisCreative writingRhetoricCultural studiesResearch and criticism
What can you do with this major?
One major. More than one direction.
These are example connections, not guaranteed outcomes. Many careers welcome more than one major, and some require additional education or licensure.
Content Designer
Creates and organizes language that helps people use products or services.
Technical Writer
Explains complex information through clear documentation and instructional content.
Teacher
Helps students develop reading, writing, interpretation, and communication skills after completing required preparation.
English develops portable skills, but students benefit from pairing the major with internships, publications, technical knowledge, teaching preparation, or a strong portfolio.
Try it before college
Projects that make English more real.
Reading helps you understand a field. A Compass project helps you discover whether you enjoy doing the work.
Each project includes a step-by-step plan, custom AI prompts, reflection guidance, and a finished creation for the student’s portfolio.
See how Compass works
Compass project
20–42 hours
Make a Zine People Keep
Create a small publication with a strong enough point of view to survive beyond one scroll.
- You will create
- printed or digital zine edition
Compass project
30–56 hours
Archive a Story Before It Disappears
Preserve a living memory, tradition, place, or experience before time changes what can still be recorded.
- You will create
- oral history archive and public story
Compass project
25–50 hours
Build a Story That Changes Minds
Create a multimedia campaign that helps people care about an issue that deserves more attention.
- You will create
- Multimedia Campaign & Communication Case Study
Keep exploring
Related majors worth comparing.
Sources and important context
Compass presents a curated collection of 100 widely studied and commonly searched undergraduate majors. The collection is not a statistical ranking. Major names and CIP connections follow common US college usage and the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs. Study patterns are editorial summaries of common program structures and vary by college. Career directions are examples, not guaranteed outcomes. Students should compare actual curricula, admission rules, accreditation, and licensing requirements at colleges they are considering.
NCES CIP codes: 23.0101
- NCES Classification of Instructional ProgramsNational Center for Education Statistics. Official US taxonomy for fields of study and instructional programs.
- Field of DegreeUS Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal career exploration resources organized around broad college fields.
- O*NET OnLineUS Department of Labor. Detailed descriptions of occupations, tasks, knowledge, skills, and work activities.
Turn this interest into something real.
Explore Compass projects