Why Online English Degrees?
Page content

Options for Online English Degrees

Have you considered going back to school to get your BA in English? Both traditional and online English degrees are held in high esteem by employers and grad schools alike. Both value an English major’s broad cultural exposure, critical thinking skills, and proficiency with the written word. English majors dominate the book publishing industry, toil side-by-side with their communications-degree cousins rolling out newspapers and magazines, and staff classrooms, bookstores, and libraries across the country. Many literary types pair their English degree with an education degree and teach, or continue their schooling to become a university professor.

If you’re a distance learner who wants to earn one of the online English degrees available, you’re in luck. English classes are particularly well-suited to distance learning, and many universities offer their English degrees entirely online. As an added bonus, hearing that you earned your degree in a non-traditional fashion is not at all off-putting to most folks in the literary community, who are quite used to people locking themselves away with books and emerging years later having accomplished something wonderful.

Since there are so many options available, it is particularly important for prospective English majors to think about what they want to get out of their education and what types of jobs with a bachelors degree in English they can obtain. Do they want to focus on literature, or writing? Are they interested in obtaining teacher certification, or continuing on to grad school? If you type “online English degrees” into a search engine it will pull up the usual suspects first: colleges such as the University of Phoenix that specialize in distance learning. Those are great options, but since English degrees are so easy to come by, research the distance learning division of a bricks-and-mortar college near you first. Having professors that are familiar with your region’s literary scene can be an invaluable resource in scoring internships and finding opportunities in your area. Attending a state school is also an advantage for people hoping to obtain teacher certification.

Your state university’s website is a good place to begin your search. Prices are reasonable, the colleges are well-recognized and respected, and residents usually get a break on tuition. If your state’s university doesn’t offer an online English degree program, write them a letter suggesting that they add it, and check out your neighboring state’s university. Many state colleges offer discounted tuition to students from neighboring states, and the professors are still close enough to offer helpful, relevant advice.

No matter what school you choose to enroll in, one thing is certain; you will finish your online BA in English well-read, well-educated, and well-prepared for whatever adventures you choose to embark on next. Best of luck!