To some people, the very idea of getting an English degree might seem dull and a little outdated. Why should you get an English degree unless you’re planning to become a college professor?
As it turns out, there are a lot of career paths you can take with an English degree, and not all of them involve teaching or working in academia. An English degree isn’t just about learning the language or the literature that’s helped shape our culture and consciousness since the beginning of language — although that’s a huge part of it. A degree in English can also help you think and write creatively, organize your thoughts, learn new perspectives, and critically evaluate the things you do read.
An English degree also often goes hand-in-hand with the arts. It’s not uncommon for those who achieve a degree in English lit to go on to work in either the performing arts or film / television. After all, where better to learn about the authors of the great plays than by majoring in English literature? That, and it isn’t uncommon for actors to attend a college or university before breaking into acting, often for a completely unrelated field.
Even beyond academia or the performing arts, however, there are a number of other paths a degree holder could take with an English degree. Students who get their English degree often go on to careers in journalism, editing, content writers, grant writers, researchers, librarians, and more.
With that in mind, here are a few famous faces you may recognize who majored in English in college.
1. Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters is one of the biggest names in journalism. Now retired, Walters began her career in the 1960s, getting her start on The Today Show before moving on to co-anchor the ABC Evening News in 1976. She was a co-host of the venerable news magazine show 20/20 from 1979 until 2004, and was the creator of daytime talk show The View, where she co-hosted until 2014. She received a BA in English from Sarah Lawrence College in 1951.
2. Joan Rivers
Considered a pioneer among women in comedy, Joan Rivers graduated from Barnard College in 1954 with a BA in English literature and anthropology. Starting out as a frequent guest on the Tonight Show, she went on to become the first woman to host a late-night TV talk show, then later won a Daytime Emmy in the 1990s for her work on the Joan Rivers Show. She went on to a long and successful career in a multitude of shows, eventually being inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
3. Stephen King
Undoubtedly one of the most famous writers of all time, Stephen King graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s in English. He briefly taught as a high school teacher at Hampden Academy before achieving his first major success with his novel Carrie.
4. Martin Scorsese
A student of NYU who graduated with a degree in English literature, Martin Scorsese has gone on to write and direct some of the most influential and highly-regarded films of all time, including Goodfellas, Casino, Kundun, Taxi Driver, and Silence. He has also dedicated his life to film preservation and restoration.
5. Sting
Best known as the frontman of The Police, Sting (born Gordon Sumner) has had a long and prestigious musical career, winning a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But before he was a musician, Sting qualified as a teacher after attending Northern Counties College of Education.
6. Steven Spielberg
Before he became one of the world’s most famous and prolific filmmakers, Steven Spielberg applied unsuccessfully to the film school at the University of Southern California, turned down because his grades weren’t good enough. He eventually attended California State University in Long Beach, where he studied English before dropping out to become a filmmaker when the first opportunity presented itself.
7. Paul Newman
A true jack of all trades — actor, filmmaker, race car driver, and entrepreneur — Paul Newman got his BA in English from Kenyon College, and later went on to attend the Yale School of Drama. The award-winning performer went on to establish the Newman’s Own brand, which donates all proceeds after taxes to charity.
8. Renee Zellweger
Before she became a notable actress, Renee attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with a BA in English. While attending college, Zellwegger happened to take an elective course in drama, which first sparked her interest in acting, eventually leading to an award-winning acting career.
9. David Duchovny
David Duchovny is best known for his decades-spanning role as Fox Mulder on the long-running show The X-Files, but before he got his start doing beer commercials in the late 1980s, Duchovny was a valedictorian of his high school and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English literature from Princeton.
10. Jodie Foster
Another actor with a prestigious education, Jodie Foster graduated from Yale University with a BA in English before getting her first big acting break in a Coppertone ad. Foster’s acting career is highly prestigious as well: two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.