黑料门

We鈥檙e here to help! This guide should help you navigate some of the exciting鈥攁nd extremely varied鈥攐pportunities in front of you with the English Department, Loyola, Chicago, and Beyond. We鈥檒l give you a timeline through the major, as well as suggest plans for future success after graduation.

English is flexible: in the structure of the major, in the kind of knowledge we make, in the skills we practice. We think resiliency and diversity are our greatest strengths. Our English majors go on to an astonishingly broad range of careers. Better, English majors report higher satisfaction with their careers than almost any other major. Your time with us will be transformative, and after, you鈥檒l get a good job鈥攁nd more importantly, a job you鈥檒l like, because you chose it, and sometimes, you made it. The world is all before you, and while we know that鈥檚 exhilarating for creative people like you, we also know it can be a little daunting, especially early in your studies! So let鈥檚 talk.

First Year

In the Major:

• Start with taking a few courses that are interesting to you. These can be either at the 200- or 300- level. 200-level courses are designed for both English majors and Tier 2 Core students. 300-level courses are designed for English majors, though curious non-majors are very welcome. Don鈥檛 be afraid to experiment鈥攁t this stage of your progress, everything you take will satisfy something in the major, and nothing will be wasted. Choose something that seems appealing, and be ready to learn amazing things.
• Get to know the department鈥檚 course catalog. Look over recent course offerings to get a sense of what might be available in upcoming semesters. Read around at /english/courses.shtml.
• Stay curious! We have lots of offerings, across a range of historical, generic, and national traditions, as well as a very strong Creative Writing program. Think about what might be fun to explore, outside of your comfort zone.
• Drop by your professors鈥� office hours. We鈥檇 love to get to know you. This is of course the case for your current professors, but get to know the rest of us, too! If somebody teaches or writes on something that sounds interesting to you, stop by!
• Interested in teaching? Loyola鈥檚 double BA in English and Secondary Education program lets you hit the ground running, doing important and rewarding work immediately after graduation. Set up a meeting with the UPD, or the Secondary Ed advisor, to learn what it entails, and what your path for the next four years would look like. Would you like to learn more? Visit /english/teachinglicensure/.

At 黑料门and Beyond:

• Get involved! Join Diminuendo, our student-run literary magazine, and learn about writing, editing, publishing (and even budgeting!) first hand. Join the Quidditch team, so that you鈥檒l be good at parties. Find Diminuendo at .
• Volunteer! Social Justice is Loyola鈥檚 core mission, and it鈥檚 an essential component of our student experience. Set the world on fire in a cause that鈥檚 meaningful to you鈥攁nd think about what a future career in advocacy, justice, and non-profit work might look like for you. You can get started at /serve/.
• Come to our 鈥淐areers for English Majors鈥� events! We run these events with the Career Services Center every semester鈥攖hey鈥檒l be your best introduction to the vast landscape of careers open to you, as well as the tools you can use to help you in your journey.
• Set up a meeting with the Humanities counselor at Career Services. They鈥檙e experts in guiding Humanities majors toward rewarding internships and career opportunities. Get them involved in your career planning early, and keep them engaged. Learn more at /career/index.shtml.
• Get on LinkedIn and Handshake. Look for 黑料门English alums, explore their professional outcomes, and arrange informational interviews with them to learn more about their paths. Career Services is a great resource for helping you toward these contacts.
• Explore internship opportunities in Chicago and elsewhere. Start thinking about what sort of work sounds interesting to you.
• Reflect on your passions鈥攚hat do you love doing? Think about how 鈥渨ho you are鈥� might help you find out 鈥渨hat you might become.鈥� Your history, hobbies, and skills outside the classroom can help you find all sorts of possible futures. Explore yourself and what you can do, and what you鈥檇 like to do.

Around Chicago

• You鈥檙e living in one of the greatest cities in the world鈥攇et out into it. Just a few blocks (or El stops) from Loyola, you can find taquerias on Clark Street, curries on Devon Ave, and pho on Argyle, all of which are attractively priced for students, and some of which you may find life-changing. Hop on the red line down to Chinatown, too!
• Chicago鈥檚 fine arts scene is world-class, as well. There are often very affordable student tickets available with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre.
• Ride the Red Line to the Lincoln Park Zoo! Live at the Art Institute! You can even ride the Metra (from the Rogers Park stop, or transfer from the Red Line in Evanston) to the Chicago Botanic Gardens (get off at Braeside and walk), or, in the first few weeks of every Fall Semester, to the Ravinia Festival (the Metra stops right in the park)

Sophomore Year

In the Major

• Start thinking intentionally about the requirements in the major鈥攖ake some 300-level courses with an eye toward historical and multicultural requirements. If you鈥檝e been able to get some 300-level courses under your belt already, consider working on your Critical Theory or Shakespeare requirements in your fourth semester. If you鈥檙e interested in the Creative Writing Concentration, start on your first-level workshops (ENGL 317-319).
• Apply to the English Department鈥檚 Honors Program! This will give you the chance to start taking our advanced seminars (English 390), and integrating them into your course of study early. All seminars are on fascinating topics, built new every year, and they鈥檙e capped at 15 students each. If you鈥檙e in the departmental honors program, any relevant seminars can also fulfill your historical, Shakespeare, Critical Theory, and multicultural requirements鈥攖hey鈥檙e opportunities to enrich your experience, rather than extra courses you have to take.
• Explore offerings in the Department, and beyond. What do you love doing with us鈥攁nd what do you love doing elsewhere in the University? What other Minors or Programs might complement the experience you鈥檇 like to make for yourself at Loyola, and the careers you鈥檇 like to pursue after?
• Are you interested in the Department鈥檚 5-year BA/MA program? This is a good opportunity to integrate graduate work into your undergraduate career, and apply your undergraduate financial aid to MA credits. Find out more at /english/undergraduate.shtml#Five-Year%20B.A./M.A.%20Degree.
• If you think you might be interested in Secondary teaching, now would be an excellent time to plan out your second major in Education. It can be challenging to fold this in without getting started now.
• Keep coming to office hours鈥攇et to know most of the faculty in the department! Are you interested in doing a substantial research project with a faculty member? Loyola鈥檚 LUROP fellowship is for you: /celts/programs/undergraduateresearch/.

At 黑料门and Beyond

• Interested in teaching English to adult learners in Rogers Park? Consider positions at Loyola鈥檚 Literacy Center. Interested in helping other students in their writing? Explore the Literacy Center. Student workers can receive course credit (ENGL 393 and ENGL 220), as well as engaged learning credit, for their work at both.
• If you鈥檝e been involved in Diminuendo, student clubs and activities, or volunteering, now is a great time to start taking on leadership responsibilities.
• Start thinking about study abroad鈥攁t Loyola鈥檚 Rome Campus, or at any of the amazing programs on offer through the study abroad office. If you intend this for your Junior year, start planning this now. You can find more information at /studyabroad/index.shtml.
• Are you curious about graduate or professional school? Start exploring. English is one of the best preparations for law school鈥攍earn more at /prelaw/. Find out about the wide world of professional degrees, in things you may never have thought of鈥攐ur students regularly go on to medical and business school, graduate schools in English, Library Science, and more. Meet with your faculty advisor, and set up meetings with the Career Services staff.
• Apply to internships, for the summer and/or the academic year. Follow up on the internship research and informational interviews from last year, and think about possibilities within your own personal interests. You can receive course and Engaged Learning credit (as well as credit toward your major!) for your internships as ENGL 394. If you鈥檙e interested in public service, Loyola鈥檚 鈥淟UC in DC鈥� program is right up your alley: /dc/.
• Attend Career Fairs and Workshops offered by Career Services. Keep looking for interesting alums doing interesting work, and reach out for informational interviews.

Junior Year

In the Major

• If you haven鈥檛 already, fulfill your multicultural, Critical Theory, and Shakespeare requirements. Make good progress on your historical requirements鈥攁nd keep exploring anything of interest for your electives! If you鈥檙e a Creative Writer, start on your Advanced Workshops (392, 397, 398).
• There鈥檚 still time to join the Department鈥檚 Honors Program! As a Junior, you鈥檒l be primed to get the most out of our advanced seminars.
• If you鈥檙e studying abroad, take glamorous photos, and send them back to us.

At 黑料门and Beyond

• Stay engaged in activities and volunteering. Intentionally explore how these might guide (or become) your future after Loyola.
• Cast a wide net for internship opportunities鈥攖hink very flexibly about your interests. Apply courageously, and frequently.
• Keep setting up informational interviews, and maintain your connections.
• Keep your resume up-to-date, and workshop it with Career Services.
• If you鈥檙e interested in graduate or professional school, start identifying specific programs. Start preparing your materials for these applications no later than the summer after your Junior year, and have them ready by the start of the fall semester of your Senior year. Workshop your application materials with your faculty.

Senior Year

In the Major

• Take your capstone seminar (English 390). Finish up any remaining requirements. Relish being the most experienced student in the classroom, but be nice about it, you know?
• Apply to graduate school. Even if the application deadlines are in the Spring semester, make sure your materials are finalized in the Fall. Workshop these materials with faculty. Ask for letters of recommendation from trusted faculty, and give them plenty of time, so that they can write you the strongest letter possible. Have a portfolio of work (your application materials, projects, and papers) ready to share with your recommenders, so they can speak to it in their letters.
• Have a vision for exactly which paths you鈥檇 like to pursue after graduation. Intern during the academic year in a position relevant to your goals, and that has the possibility for full-time employment after graduation.
• Continue going to Career Fairs and Workshops鈥攁nd keep setting up informational interviews.

At 黑料门and Beyond

• Apply to graduate school. Even if the application deadlines are in the Spring semester, make sure your materials are finalized in the Fall. Workshop these materials with faculty. Ask for letters of recommendation from trusted faculty, and give them plenty of time, so that they can write you the strongest letter possible. Have a portfolio of work (your application materials, projects, and papers) ready to share with your recommenders, so they can speak to it in their letters.
• Have a vision for exactly which paths you鈥檇 like to pursue after graduation. Intern during the academic year in a position relevant to your goals, and that has the possibility for full-time employment after graduation.
• Continue going to Career Fairs and Workshops鈥攁nd keep setting up informational interviews.