Literature Qualifications
Literature qualifications may be studied in various forms including as part of a certificate, associate/diploma or degree qualification. Further specialization may include may include studying a Masters or PHD in a highly focused area. In many universities, literature is studied as part of the Bachelor of Arts degree, with other aspects of humanities subjects involved with a major in literature.
What you will learn
Students who study literature courses receive training in many areas including critical writing and analysis and close reading. They will particularly study famous authors and different periods of literary development and leave the course with skills in literary expression and appreciation. The Humanities part of the Arts Course (including philosophy and sociology) assists students to develop these skills with reflective critical examination in human thought and expression.
Examples of Types of Literature you will study
To begin your study in Literature you will analyze various types of writing techniques and styles, these may include either one or more of the following areas.
Note that an emphasis in English Literature opens up many career opportunities such as those in Humanities, Media, Arts, and Communications. Additionally, many people working in economic, technology, or scientific industries find that they benefit from having a degree in English Literature in that it broadens their range of reference, as well as helps facilitate ideas and language.
Literature Job Opportunities
With an earned degree in Literature, an individual has numerous career options. For writers and editors, approximately 50% start out in the information sector to include book, newspaper, periodical, and directory publishers. Following that is television and radio broadcasting, motion picture and screenplays, software publishers, internet service providers, web search portals, data processing services, and other related online services.
The advertising and other like service industries are also popular choices for people with degrees in Literature. Other options would include writing and editing in the public and private educational sectors, government agencies, religious organizations, business and political organizations, and any other industry where publishing or written communication is needed.
However traditional forms of literature occupations include working for publishing companies, production of novels, both fiction and nonfiction, and other writers preferring to work as freelancers, meaning they write on a contract basis for companies or individuals. Also opportunities exist for some higher qualified literature specialists to work for universities and in research.
The advertising and other like service industries are also popular choices for people with degrees in Literature. Other options would include writing and editing in the public and private educational sectors, government agencies, religious organizations, business and political organizations, and any other industry where publishing or written communication is needed.
However traditional forms of literature occupations include working for publishing companies, production of novels, both fiction and nonfiction, and other writers preferring to work as freelancers, meaning they write on a contract basis for companies or individuals. Also opportunities exist for some higher qualified literature specialists to work for universities and in research.
Various examples of types of literature jobs
- Writers
- Creative Writer (develops novels, both fiction and nonfiction, screenplays, playwrights, creative articles for online publication, magazines, television and radio broadcasting, and advertisements – this type of writer can work for an organization or as a freelancer)
- Poets (creates poetry and prose for greeting cards, articles, weddings, and so on
- Lyricist (writing that consists of putting words that will be put to music)
- Copywriter (prepares advertising copy to be used in publication for the sale of goods and services
- Newsletter Writer (produces information for distribution for corporate employees, organizational clients, association memberships, along with the public)
- Technical Writer (develops technical materials to include appendices, operating and maintenance instructions, and equipment, appliance, and computer manuals)
- Science / Medical Writer (prepares formal documentation to be presented to both physical and medical sciences)
- Editors
- Assistant Editor (reviews and analyzes data relating to local news, international news, sporting events, and feature stories written by writers to ensure accuracy for publication)
- Executive Editor (oversees Assistant Editors, rewrites when necessary, plans book content or other publication genre, and determines final material to be used according to audience appeal)
- Managing Editor (oversees the daily operation of the news department
- Assignment Editor (determines the reporters that will cover a specific story)
- Copy Editor (reviews and edits a reporter’s copy to ensure accuracy, grammar, style, and content)
In addition to the above opportunities, a degree in Literature will open other doors that include some of the following. Remember that depending on the alternative career choice, some additional courses of study may be necessary.
- Teaching (generally, the focus would be on areas such as:
- English Literature (study of writing relating to specific types of literature or eras such as medieval literature, renaissance literature, William Shakespeare, drama, Victorian period, Romantic Era, Poetry, Modern Literature, Canadian Literature, and American Literature)
- Comparative Literature (study of literary works from different cultures, often in translation)
