Related to Major
English
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
For more information, visit the Department of English website.
Explore Your Possibilities
According to Workopolis, almost one third of Canadians have 5 to 10 different jobs in one career, and one in every four has more than 10 different jobs in one career (Workopolis, 2015).
Explore the list of job titles below for ideas about what you could do with your major. Remember your choice of major is not all there is to you, and organizations hire people, not majors.
Some of the occupational titles reflect jobs of SFU Alumni, and others are occupations commonly associated with each major. Jobs that typically require further education are also listed.
Make a list of options you are most curious about, then start exploring the possibilities.
Options commonly associated with the major
- Writer
- Copywriter
- Grant Coordinator
- Public Relations Specialist
- Communications Officer
- ESL Teacher
- Translator
- Technical Writer
Other Possibilities
Job titles beyond the typical options
- Insurance Underwriter
- E-Learning Course Designer
- Data Processing Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Interview Transcriber
- Market Researcher
- Advertising Production Manager
- Brand Strategist
Further Education
Possibilities with additional education or training
- Lawyer
- Journalist
- Policy Analyst
- Financial Services Representative
- Web Content Manager
- Event Planner
- Real Estate Agent
- Human Resources Specialist
Fields of Work
There are myriad fields where you could find yourself following your undergraduate degree. For example:
- Arts and Culture
- Environment
- Health
- Manufacturing
- Scientific and Technical
- Telecommunications
What fields interest you? If you are uncertain, take the initiative and start exploring different fields. If your preferred fields turn out to not be what you expected, pause. Technology, climate change, automation, globalization and other factors may impact these fields and offer new or different opportunities.
The North American Industry Classification System gives you an overview of all industries and their subsectors.
WorkBC lets you browse careers, the education expectation, salary ranges, descriptions, and specific information about each job.
Core Skills (Major-Specific)
In the course of your undergraduate degree you’ll develop a wide array of skills. While many of these skills encompass essential skills and 21st-Century skills, you’ll also develop job specific skills. These are the specialized knowledge and skills you’ll gain through your courses and are unique to your discipline.
Content knowledge and technical skills vary widely between occupations and are generally only used in one line of work. The type of skills that you’ll need depend on the scope of the work.
You want to understand what skills you developed and the one’s you want to use, so when someone asks you about your discipline content knowledge and skills you can speak clearly and confidently about them.
+ MAJOR Specific Skills
- Critical thinking skills, developed by reading and evaluating literature across a range of genres and media, with respect to the relationships between text and context (historical, social, cultural, political, literary).
- Communication skills developed by understanding and addressing particular audiences and specific rhetorical situations to persuade and influence readers and auditors.
- Advanced reading and writing skills, from presenting, supporting, and justifying complex ideas in both critical and creative work.
- Creative thinking skills, developed through a sustained engagement with imaginative literature and through the consideration of how such literature addresses critical social, cultural, and intellectual issues.
- Comprehensive research skills, from studying and applying a wide variety of research methods—including the use of critical theory—to solve problems conclusively, ethically, and with a high degree of nuance.
- Problem solving skills, developed through seeking to understand the challenges and points of view of others, as well as the contexts that animate them.
- Editing skills, developed from close attention to writing and the judicious use of primary and secondary sources to generate new ideas and to defend critical positions.
- Analytical skills, developed through reading and studying texts, evaluating complex ideas, and formulating relevant questions to clarify problems, topics, and critical issues.
Foundational Skills
You’ll need these skills to perform different tasks and at varying levels of complexity in education and work environments depending on the what further education you pursue and on the nature of the work. The Government of Canada and other organizations such as the World Economic Forum report that these skills are increasing in importance and are highly valued and sought after by employers.
Through each of the different events and experiences in your life (education, work, travel, hobbies and extra-curricular activities) you have developed a diverse range of these skills, probably more than you realize.
Useful Sites
Through extensive research, the Government of Canada along with other agencies have identified and validated key literacy, essential and employability skills. These skills are used in nearly every career and throughout daily life and are instrumental in helping you enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work.
Get involved
There are plenty of opportunities and different ways to get involved in activities, programs and services outside of the classroom to learn and grow. By engaging in student leadership programs, volunteering, paid work, and student clubs and groups, you’ll develop new skills, make connections, and gain experience.
Explore a diverse range of inclusive events, services, and community outreach opportunities for students, staff, alumni and friends of SFU.
Explore on-campus opportunities like workshops and events, as well as volunteer and paid positions.
Want to gain experience and earn money while studying? Consider applying to the co-op program
Apply for on-campus volunteer and paid positions, participate in career and leadership development programs and workshops, and access your Co-Curricular Record.
Not-for-profit network by students for students. Find student unions, clubs and other resources and services.
Related Professional Associations
Professional associations are a valuable resource for occupational research, work search and building connections. They may offer career information, job boards, networking, mentorship, volunteer opportunities and additional resources.
Resources
Take your career exploration one step further by doing your own research. Here are some organizations and resources to get started.