Well rounded scholarship: Mason listed among top ten public R1 universities in graduating English majors

In a career outcomes study done by Steppingblocks, a data analytics company that specializes in workforce and education analytics, George Mason University ranked fifth among the public research universities in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in terms of English major graduates. Steppingblocks analyzed the career outcomes for literature majors throughout the US and identified the top industries employing English major graduates and their average salaries. The top industries employing literature majors are: education, information technology, healthcare, finance, and government. The skills these industries value most highly in their English major employees include:  

  • Education: higher education, curriculum development, teaching, tutoring, editing 
  • Information Technology: editing, writing, proofreading, technical writing, content management 
  • Healthcare: editing, writing, research, public speaking, hospital health services 
  • Finance: banking, financial services, investment management, credit analysis, editing 
  • Government: library science, information literacy, collection development, library instruction, readers’ advisory 

Tamara Harvey, associate professor and chair, Department of English, understands the value of the English major. “Students earning degrees in English develop valuable skills in writing, analysis, and research that employers value,” she said. “Perhaps more importantly, the kinds of texts we work with and the questions we ask in English departments get at fundamental questions about humanity, community, and the world that help develop the skills and cultural competencies that are crucial to success in many fields.   

“Add to that the unusual breadth of Mason’s English department, where students can do literary research at the Library of Congress and learn ethnographic methodologies through the Folklore Field School, meet with literary superstars at Fall for the Book and develop workplace writing skills through our robust offerings in professional and technical writing, and it is not at all surprising that our graduates are so successful in such a wide range of career paths.”