About the field of English Language and Literature: English language and literature programs help students to develop critical thinking and communication skills. Through reading, discussing and writing, students are exposed to a broad spectrum of ideas and concepts, and in turn, learn to translate that information into useful conclusions and communicate that knowledge to others. English degrees can be a good foundation for pursuing careers in Law or business ( MBA Programs ). Many people choose to use their English degrees to teach, either at a secondary level ( Education - Secondary ) or teaching English to speakers of other languages ( TESOL/TESL ). English can also be taught at the college or university level although this often requires a Ph.D. Another common field for English majors to pursue is that of Communication . Frequently English language and literature degrees are broken down with concentrations in either American or British literature and may have further specializations in particular periods, literary criticism, history of the language, or modern Linguistics . Many programs also feature writing concentrations that allow students freedom to pursue individual writing interests within the context of their English degree. If the student is interested in pursuing a particular type of writing, perhaps a specialized degree would be better such as Creative Writing , Children's Literature Writing , or Professional Writing .