Top Careers after a Master’s in Literature

A Master’s in Literature is one of the most rich and sought-after programs in the realm of academia and education. This humanities master’s course spans over numerous historical periods, comprising of expansive literature in the English language and its analysis in relation to its literary and cultural contexts. But although there is a perpetual fascination towards the study of English literature, the conversation about the career prospects for literature students is a murky space.

So, let us dispel this notion and delve into which are the most lucrative careers for an MA in literature graduate:

Writer or Novelist
Having studied English literature extensively, especially as an MA humanities course, where the depth of analysis is profound, most literature graduates have a burning passion for narratives and storytelling along with a beautifully honed writing style. Thus, the most obvious career prospect for them would be writing fiction and non-fiction. With creativity, research skills, discipline, and mastery over the written word, literature students can churn out compelling stories of diverse genres such as crime, thriller, children’s fiction, romance, horror, adventure, etc.

Magazine or Newspaper Journalist
Magazine journalists are professionals who possess a knack for researching and amassing information, collecting facts, interviewing, and portraying diverse perspectives through their writing. They write on a number of topics from fashion, film, politics, economics, entertainment, global issues, etc. and spark a conversation among the masses.

Lexicographer
For literature graduates who have a fascination for words, grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, lexicographer is a great career choice. Lexicographers are basically responsible for writing, compiling, and editing dictionaries after abounding amounts of research from innumerable sources.

Publishing Copy-Editor or Proof-reader
A Copy-Editor’s job is to make sure that the written material for any media (publication houses, newspapers, magazines, digital media) is comprehensible, complete, well-structured, grammatically correct, and well-written from a literature perspective.

Digital Copywriter
Students who have done a master’s in English literature also have the profitable and dynamic career prospect of being a digital copywriter, who is essentially someone who curates content for webpages. These are professionals who are responsible for curating innovative, engaging content that directs people towards a certain brand, website, product, or service.

Web Content Manager
In today’s digital age, the web content manager’s job is extremely crucial. It involves designing the content on the website and ensuring that there is a well-defined, definite structure with accurate information in the right places. The idea is that the person who visits the website must instantly understand the flow of the webpage and be able to find the information they are looking for easily.

Social Media Manager
As a social media manager, literature students are the best fit because they are people who understand, recognize, and know how to churn out good content. Their role is to curate social media content that boosts their visibility, brand awareness, and customer engagement.

Thus, the career prospects for a master’s in English literature graduate are wide-ranging and immense. The key is to scour and choose a career which blends their interests, passion, expertise, and skill-set.

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