English vs Communications major, which is more valuable?

[Anonymous]

In another thread, many posters are singing the praises of how valuable an English major is because presumably it develops one’s oral and written communication skills. If that is the case, wouldn’t majoring in Communications hone these skills more, and be even more impressive to potential employers than an English degree?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In another thread, many posters are singing the praises of how valuable an English major is because presumably it develops one’s oral and written communication skills. If that is the case, wouldn’t majoring in Communications hone these skills more, and be even more impressive to potential employers than an English degree?

It's not. Useless major with no jobs.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Is she prettty

[Anonymous]

It depends. Did you graduate with a B- GPA from an open admissions school, where you spent most of your time partying? Then communications might be better. Or summa cum laude from a selective school where you read hundreds of pages of literature a day, wrote a 10-page essay weekly, worked 5 hours a week tutoring other undergrad students in writing, and wrote an award winning thesis that your professor is helping you get published in a leading journal? Then English.

Similarly, up to a point, it doesn't matter where you go to school. Just skating through at a top rated university is not as impressive as truly excelling at UMD.

[Anonymous]

English majors are generally serious students whilst communications majors are students looking for an easy major.....it’s a worthless degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:English majors are generally serious students whilst communications majors are students looking for an easy major.....it’s a worthless degree.

They are both worthless.

[Anonymous]

At my school all the athletes were communications majors. This should tell you everything you need to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends. Did you graduate with a B- GPA from an open admissions school, where you spent most of your time partying? Then communications might be better. Or summa cum laude from a selective school where you read hundreds of pages of literature a day, wrote a 10-page essay weekly, worked 5 hours a week tutoring other undergrad students in writing, and wrote an award winning thesis that your professor is helping you get published in a leading journal? Then English.

Similarly, up to a point, it doesn't matter where you go to school. Just skating through at a top rated university is not as impressive as truly excelling at UMD.

Your not comparing apples to apples here. Let’s say we’re talking about two equivalent students at equivalent universities - which major would be considered more attractive to employers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:English majors are generally serious students whilst communications majors are students looking for an easy major.....it’s a worthless degree.

They are both worthless.

Nah, but thanks.

[Anonymous]

I honestly don’t even know what a communications major studies. I hear it and immediately think “college bubble.” English major doesn’t necessarily signal intelligence, but communications major signals the lack.

[Anonymous]

They are most certainly not useless. If she wants to be a lawyer, an English major is the way to go. If she wants to be in PR, journalism or go on to almost any graduate program, communications is also really good.

They are both a stepping stone to a graduate degree IMO, but what undergrad program isn't these days.

[Anonymous]

If you are ugly these skills are good for creative name spelling on Starbucks cups

[Anonymous]

I'm an English major, and worked on my student newspaper as an undergrad. I got a newspaper fellowship the summer before my senior year in college.

This led to me getting a job as an assistant editor for a private university's alumni magazine as my first "real job." It definitely didn't pay a lot, but I was able to get a master's degree with the tuition benefit. (Also in English.)

That first job let to:
-Promotion to associate editor
-Assistant director of communications for a law school
-Associate director of communications at a nonprofit
-Director of communications at the same law school (they asked me to come back)

I am now senior director of communications of a large college at a public university.

I love my job. I get to write every day. I manage websites, publications, brand/messaging, and media relations requests. The larger team that I direct handles photography, videography, advertising and social media. We have fun. I've gotten to meet and interview some interesting celebrities and public figures. I've gotten to take tours and see rare artifacts and documents.

I have a husband, two children, and a great work-life balance. I rarely bring work home with me, or work on weekends. When I do, it's for a good cause.

I feel like I'm a part of an important community. I help professors translate their research into messages that inform the public and policymakers.

I love my job. I make six figures. I have great benefits.

Here's the important part: I didn't just get a degree and expect to get a job. I hustled. I developed great contacts and clips at the student newspaper and at my newspaper fellowship. I was getting paid to write AP wire stories at the age of 20.

I didn't just want to be a writer after I graduated; I WAS a writer when I graduated.

It's not about your degree. It's about building your resume the moment you set foot on a college campus.

[Anonymous]

OP - yes. You are correct. I was a journalism major (so not a communications major), and while I see the benefit of being an English major, it’s a very very narrow subject matter. Communications is much more targeted and useful. I was required to take English classes as well, and took even more as electives because it was my interest.