Careers

With an emphasis on written expression and creative writing, the UVM Department of English, located in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), provides English majors with the skills for using language to make a difference for themselves and their communities. You will become an expert in close analysis of texts and critical thinking plus a broad range of other transferable skills, enabling you to succeed in any profession.

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Two people speaking into a microphone during an interview.

What Can You Do with a Liberal Arts Degree/English Major?

UVM English majors develop strong skills in critical reading, analytical thinking, and effective communication, preparing them to succeed across industries and apply their expertise in a wide range of professional settings.

Past UVM English majors have gone on to work in careers such as:

Marketing director
University professor
Sports journalist
Lawyer
Communications director
Social media manager
Non-profit grant writer
Special education teacher
Lobbyist
Editor
Research analyst
Freelance writer
Journalist
Business development executive
Diplomat
Social worker
Country music manager

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What You’ll Learn

When you graduate with an English major from UVM, you’ll have gained the tools you need to be successful in your career, including the top five skills employers are looking for, according to the National Association of College and Employers Job Outlook 2025.

What You’ll Learn

When you graduate with an English major from UVM, you’ll have gained the tools you need to be successful in your career, including the top five skills employers are looking for, according to the National Association of College and Employers Job Outlook 2025.

UVM English Majors Learn the Top Skills Employers Want

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

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Much more than simply conveying information, our classes foster critical thinking by asking students to identify the multiple possible meanings of complex texts, whether those are poems, novels, or works of critical theory. Through researching and debating on a variety of topics, students learn to view controversial issues from multiple perspectives, seeking out the best solution to local, regional, national, and global problems.

Teamwork and Collaboration

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Class discussions frequently operate in small groups, and group projects are part of some English classes, requiring you to work with others and understand yourself as part of a team.

Written and Oral Communication Skills

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Almost all our classes are discussion-based, encouraging students to speak clearly and persuasively. In addition, most of our classes also not only require writing, whether creative or analytical, but actively teach writing skills.

Professionalism and a Strong Work Ethic

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Our courses are intellectually demanding and require you to engage with difficult writers and thinkers. This kind of dedication to rigorous thinking is excellent preparation for your future work.

Initiative

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We encourage each of our students to do an internship and/or write a senior thesis so they can showcase their ability to work on their own and establish their own schedule.

Alumni Spotlights: How the Liberal Arts Shaped Their Careers

Samantha Watson ’23

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A person in a winter coat kneeling in a snowy landscape while holding a microphone out to capture field audio.

Lives in: Bethel, AK

Major: English (with a creative writing focus)

Why English? “I’ve always loved to write. At 18, I couldn't really see how I was going to make a career out of it but didn’t know where else to start. My love for English and creative writing only grew through my courses at UVM—I loved every second of time spent in my English classes and began to see that my writing skillset could lend itself to a number of different careers.”

Current position: News reporter for KYUK

What her day looks like: “I work at a public radio station where I often talk to strangers with a microphone and then craft a news story informed by their words. I’ve rushed to the news on bush planes, snow machines, and boats, covering everything from the salmon fishing season to the region’s first-ever drag show and how permafrost erasure is forcing whole villages to relocate. I also help host a morning talk show and, during the sled dog race season, provide live coverage of the events in a kind of sports reporting.”

What she loves about it: “My job has brought me to places and into meaningful conversations I wouldn’t have otherwise had access to. It forces me to be a little bit braver than I ordinarily am and has rewarded my best human attributes — openness, empathy, and patience. I don’t think every job reminds you why it's important to be good to people. And…I get to write in a way that I feel honors my creativity and voice! But most of all, writing for a public media outlet has allowed me to give back through my skills by contributing to my community and reflecting its own uniqueness. Working with our Yup’ik translators to make radio content in many listeners’ first language has added a new level of meaning to news writing.”

What she gained from a liberal arts education: “Being able to deepen my writing craft and voice gave me many skills related to the writing process, including how to give and receive feedback as well as how to look at my work critically and edit my own writing. My involvement with the Community New Service gave me the hard skills of the work I do now, particularly the audio journalism class that taught me how to mix audio and write for the ear. Language skills also play a huge role in my professional life today. At UVM, I studied French and linguistics, which taught me theory concepts and comprehension skills I use today learning Yup’ik.

“I think a well-rounded education can show you what you’re interested in and where your strengths are. Oftentimes, those things aren’t contained within just one discipline. My current job has braided my interests across subjects. It has echoes of things that caught my attention in a number of departments, my interest in Indigenous languages, hard audio editing and mixing skills, and a deep love of storytelling. Even my time as a TREK leader and backpacking through the Outing Club has shown up in my work now, as I often handle the same gear when I travel for work. Knowing wilderness first aid brings great peace when traveling across stretches of wilderness on reporting trips. I liked all these things across my education though they didn’t feel connected. Today, they each hold meaning in the way they show up in my career and life in Alaska.” 

Sunny Nagpaul ’20

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Lives in: Boston, MA

Major: English

Why choose to major in English? “I chose to major in English because I could not stop reading. The degree covers literature that reveals perspectives and histories from people in countries around the world, and as a liberal arts student, it's integral to intimately understanding global experiences and how they are shaped by politics, ideologies, wars, and psychology.” 

Current position: Journalism fellow at FRONTLINE PBS

What her day looks like: “I research and fact check several of FRONTLINE's investigative documentaries on all things politics, humanitarian crises, wars, and geopolitical issues. I work full-time on an upcoming documentary about global scams.”

What she loves about it: “I love spending my time looking closely at complex situations around the world! It's empowering to have a job that encourages me to pay close attention to the details of global issues and identify areas that could prompt accountability.”

What she gained from a liberal arts education: “A balanced education in classic literature and writing, crafting arguments and essays, and a global perspective on politics and conflicts. The best class I took was a course on Global Literature, where we studied novels and perspectives of people around the world, from Iran to Haiti. This course, and others included in a liberal arts education, are crucial to understanding the world beyond an American perspective—which is needed in a field like journalism, where objectivity is a Day One lesson.”

Lilly Oates ’20

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Lives in: Washington, DC

Majors: English and political science

Why those majors? “I have always been passionate about advocating for human rights and economic justice, and my experience in the Amnesty International and debate clubs in high school and at UVM really amplified that for me.”

Current position: Policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders

What her day looks like: “I work on labor policy for Senator Sanders on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member. I also cover housing, telecom, and postal policy for the Senator in his personal office. As a policy advisor, I advise and represent the Senator on these issues and work to advance his priorities. Working on the HELP Committee, I also support and advise the staff of the Democratic caucus members on the committee. My day-to-day includes meetings with Vermont and national stakeholders, other congressional offices, and federal agencies; drafting memos, recommendations, letters, legislation, and social media posts for the Senator; and following current events closely.”

What she loves about it: “As someone who had only ever lived in Vermont before moving to DC to work for Senator Sanders, I love that making the federal government work for Vermonters is a central part of my job.”

What she gained from a liberal arts education: “Writing clearly, concisely, and persuasively, reading comprehension, effective verbal communication, and critical thinking are all skills my courses and my time in the Lawrence Debate Union helped instill in me. These skills have all been critical to my work now and helped me get to where I am today.”