In some cases, you can teach English at the higher education level even if your undergraduate degree is in an unrelated field like fine art or engineering. However, you will need to able to demonstrate that you have a high level of expertise and writing ability in your applications to graduate English programs. In a bachelor’s English Literature program, you may cover subjects such as English literature, American literature, African American literature, Postcolonial literature, Shakespeare, nonfiction, global literature, and contemporary novels and short stories.
During your master’s degree, you should try to get more experience in the classroom as an instructor. If possible, you should apply for a teacher assistant (T. A. ) position, which will allow you to work closely with an experienced professor and gain first-hand experience in a college classroom. Your responsibilities as T. A. may include organizing class materials, instructing students on small tasks, grading assignments, preparing exams, and lecturing on topics to the class. Your professor will give you expectations around how many hours a week you are expected to put into your T. A. position.
To complete the application for most programs, you will need to provide a statement of purpose, a CV or resume, letters of recommendation (at least two for most programs), and a writing sample. A writing sample that showcases your best writing in essay or paper form is expected for the application. In a recent study done by an economist, data showed that getting a PhD from a top 10 ranked school can improve your chances of landing a position as an English Literature professor. Though you may be able to find a position if you go to a lower-ranked university for your PhD, you may end up working with undergraduates with weak academic backgrounds. Take this information into account when you are applying for PhD programs. [5] X Research source You should focus on coursework and expanding the scope of your reading during the first two years as a doctoral student. You should also try to secure a position as a teaching assistant or lecturer during the middle years of your doctoral program. Teaching experience is essential for becoming an English literature professor.
Ideally, you will publish papers early in your PhD career and often. You should try to gear your seminar papers towards topics that you are interested in or have specialized knowledge in the subject. You can then revise them and submit them for publication in journals. To submit papers for publication, you should look on the website of the publication for the submission guidelines. Each publication will have its own guidelines to follow in order to submit your article for consideration. You can find a database of current English literature journals for submission here.
The most desirable jobs are tenure-track positions at major universities; after those, look for lecturer positions or adjunct faculty posts. Teaching-intensive jobs at junior or community colleges are another option. You should also look for postdoctoral research positions, as they are a good stepping-stone to move from the completion of your PhD to a permanent position. These positions can allow you to pursue further research and, often, gain teaching experience, increasing your job prospects later. Often, you may find that many job offers are for part-time work as an adjunct professor. Even with a PhD, many masters graduates struggle to find full-time work, especially if they did not attend an Ivy League masters program. In fact, 58% of community college courses are taught by adjunct professors[8] X Research source and at least 50% of all university faculties are not tenure tracked. [9] X Research source It’s important that you keep an open mind and do not only search for tenure tracked or full time teaching positions, as these positions may not be available for a long time in the current state of the field. Keep in mind your salary may fluctuate based on what state you are teaching in. For example, post-secondary teachers in Vermont had an annual mean wage of $75,860 and the median annual wage for post-secondary English teachers in California was $82,290. In general, the median annual wage for post-secondary English teachers as of 2013 was $60,920. The upper 90% of these teachers can make $116,460 or more per year, and the lowest 10% of these teachers can make $32,610 or less.
It’s important to be open to work in other related fields once you graduate from your PhD program. You may find a position as an English literature professor at a university, or you may have to branch out to teaching reading composition and technical writing. Some PhD graduates have also found success teaching at high schools, especially elite high schools. These positions can pay well and offer a more secure teaching career.
