You may assume that a degree in English is simply aimed at budding writers, authors and English teachers. However, of those who invest in English courses, many go onto successfully working in a vast range of jobs as well-rounded individuals.

From university professors to journalists, event managers to essay writer, and accountants to television producers – a degree in English offers an enormous range of skills that are applicable to many career choices.

Far from spending three years with your head glued to the inside of a boring book, students learn many valuable lessons, such as: how to read between the lines, analyse text, empathise with others, argue a point succinctly, think independently, and self-express effectively.

Probably one of the most valuable lessons that an English degree can teach you is the ability to successfully communicate through speech and writing, whilst being articulate and tolerant of ambiguity – perfect for any job.

The learning curve of an English course lies not only with what you explicitly learn through reading, absorbing and remembering, but with learning different and new ways of questioning and perceiving the world around you. You will be able to project the approaches learnt towards analysing literature onto many other aspects of your life and work.

Throughout history literature has shaped culture, influenced discourse and given insight into otherwise unfamiliar times and historical events. To hold a depth of knowledge about the influence of literature and how it has shaped the world we live in today is a very valuable asset to both yourself and future employers.

Reading a book is a rich experience that offers the reader the opportunity to empathize with characters far-removed from every day life. It’s a unique opportunity to become fully immersed in another way of thinking, perceiving and understanding. Therefore, you can only imagine what is waiting to be gained from spending three years reading, analyzing and interpreting various texts, voices and accounts.