what is the difference between a degree in english and a degree in literature?

Question

what is the difference between a degree in english and a degree in literature? what are the differences in terms of what you study? what are the differences in terms of job opportunities?

Answer 1

Today, departments of English at the university level often have several sub-specializations.

At my university, for example, an English major must choose to specialize in one of these four fields:
Creative Writing
Linguistics
Literature
Technical and Scientific Communication.

A Creative Writing major focuses on learning the craft of producing original work in prose or poetry.
A Linguistics major studies the structure and evolution of the English language.
A Literature major studies the literary traditions of the English language (American, British, and other Anglophone literatures).
A Technical and Scientific Communication major learns the special skills required to compose technical and scientific texts of various sorts.

As to job opportunities, I think they're self-explanatory, although I should note that, with the exception of Tech/Sci Comm, most English majors (like most History or Philosophy or Political Science and other majors) tend to find careers that do not specifically draw upon their undergraduate area of study. Employers do, however, value the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills developed in the context of a major in English.

Answer 2

Well... English is more about writing your own stuff and literature is reading other people's work. Really the opportunities are very similar. Both majors are a door to teaching, grad school or law school.

Many people will tell you a degree like Lit, English or history is a waste of time if you don't teach or go to grad school, but this isn't entirely true. Many employers view these degrees in this light:
1. you finish what you start.
2. you have good communication skills.
3. you can handle research and know where to go to find information.
4. you have computer skills.
5. as a real asset! *** As per Newsweeks and Consumer Reports in the past 2-4 years in numerous articles.

I have a medieval history degree with the focus on religion and archeology. When I realized how much grad school was I decided NOT to go and ironically I now work at a bank as a loan officer and do pretty well.

I started off in basic bank customer service and was told by a jerk supervisor, "YOU graduated from college? Isn't it funny that you went to school and I didn't and I'm YOUR boss." Yeah well now my title is such that I am 3 bosses over him, and it's only because I graduated from college. He's been with the bank 10 years and I've been there only 6. I was promoted to my position after only 3 years.

So NEVER doubt the power of a good education. Sure my chemical engineering degree friend makes more money than I do but I am not unhappy.

God bless!

Answer 3

English is more broad, and you would study a lot of grammar and usage rules, and also a lot of writing. With Literature, the focus should be more on reading and studying the great authors.

Answer 4

English is grammar and writing and literature is great works of art/literature that has already been written.

Answer 5

English would be grammer side and lit would be more of life passion and shakespear sort of stuff...

Answer 6

isnt literature reading?

Answer 7

ITS NOT THE SAME LOL