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[–]mercimer 14 points15 points ago

High school english.

[–]Joker99352 1 point2 points ago

I think the best way to get into Literature is just to keep reading. It doesn't take any special degrees or certifications, but it's not for everyone, either.

[–]HMSuperb 9 points10 points ago

I'm just a computer engineering major working in IT consulting. It's a shame how so many in my discipline shun literature and the humanities. I'm trying to break the stereotypes

[–]Mclarenf1905 1 point2 points ago

I hear ya there man, i'm a computer science major.

[–]Vidyadhara 0 points1 point ago

Sadly many people in the humanities also shun literature.

[–]Supersimmo 9 points10 points ago

MA & BA in Lit. About to undertake my PhD (well - in September anyway. I just say I'm doing it now as I feel lazy otherwise!)

Where did y'all go, if it's not too personal a question.

[–]cgoof6 5 points6 points ago

me too, hopefully. ba from middlebury college in vermont, ma from university of new hampshire, just waiting on admissions decisions now.

[–]Monsieurjkb 0 points1 point ago

Marquette university BA and now doing an MA at UCL

[–]Redcorns 0 points1 point ago

MA from UNH? Same here! Good luck with your applications!

[–]cgoof6 0 points1 point ago

oh yeah? a recent MA? i just finished up this past spring.

[–]Redcorns 0 points1 point ago

Interesting -- I just finished this summer. I had Professors Chiu, Ramadanovic, and Moore this spring. Any overlap?

[–]cgoof6 0 points1 point ago

nope, i had britton and ferber. took ramadanovic the spring before.

[–]McCrafty 1 point2 points ago

Ahhh... Ramadanovic. I finished my MA at UNH in 2005. We used to affectionately refer to him as "Pete".

Not when he was within earshot, though.

[–]Redcorns 1 point2 points ago

Ha! Most of us called him Petarrrr -- emphasis on the arrrrrr or the arrrrrgh or the arrrrrreyouseriouspetarrrr? Never would have guessed so many UNH MAs would be on here. Neat.

[–]Evilsnoopi3 3 points4 points ago

BA in English Lit and Language with a concentration in creative writing from Yale.

Hoping to get in to Grad school next admissions cycle for a PhD in Contemporary Literature.

[–]cptahb[S] 2 points3 points ago

was actually wondering the same thing, about schools. university of toronto here.

[–]yyiiii 0 points1 point ago

York here.

[–]coversherinclubsauce 1 point2 points ago

Arizona State :/ BA in English, emphasis in creative writing. Obviously, I have no job.

[–]brothamo 0 points1 point ago

Kenyon College here.

[–]ghostofmybrain 5 points6 points ago

BA in math, bitches, though I also have a BA in spanish which required me to read/analyze a lot of literature.

[–]tanadrin 6 points7 points ago

It always warms the cockles of my heart to see other people who also have an interest in both math/science and the humanities. Too many people (on both sides, but particularly the STEM side) see the other as unworthy of study or entirely irrelevant.

[–]ghostofmybrain 3 points4 points ago

Yeah, the reason I love math is because it's so philosophical. You just start with these random ideas (points exist, or god exists) and from it build an entire system.

[–]B_Provisional 0 points1 point ago

Whole-brained humans for the win!

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love (1973)

[–]echinops 6 points7 points ago

BS in evolutionary biology, emphasis in botany.

[–]duckcomander 1 point2 points ago

but like, evolution is just a theory...

[–]bobbyhead 4 points5 points ago

BA in Literature. Also have an MLIS, but that doesn't qualify as a literature authority.

[–]AnnieIWillKnow 3 points4 points ago

... in the midst of an A-Level in English Literature?

I got an A* at GCSE! Please accept me :(

[–]jimjimgreen 1 point2 points ago

I accept you. Only cos I'm in the same boat.

[–]Proseedcake 1 point2 points ago

I had such a fun time getting my English Lit A-level, it was a blast. What books are you reading for it?

[–]AnnieIWillKnow 1 point2 points ago

Last year we did Pride and Prejudice, a selection of Wilfred Owen poems, and then coursework with Life of Pi and A Passage to India (never again). This year we're studying drama and poetry, so Twelfth Night, and then Webster's The Duchess of Malfi with a selection of John Donne poems. The coursework for this year is something to do with Great Expectations and Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber. I prefer this year by far.

What did you do then? I'd be interested to see how they compare.

[–]Proseedcake 0 points1 point ago

I did The Wife of Bath's Tale; was thoroughly resistant to the idea of reading Middle English, but it turned out to be the start of a love affair with Chaucer that has (so far) been lifelong. Twelfth Night, like you. My second-year coursework was on The Buddha of Suburbia and The Rotters' Club, both of which I adored, thanks in no small part to the teacher, a lovely man who bought us all The Closed Circle, the sequel to The Rotters' Club, and said, "It's not a set book, so you don't have to read it, but I thought you might like to" (we all did - a testament to his influence as much as to Jonathan Coe's writing). That's all I can remember now. Oh - Donne's "The Flea" and Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain" both came up, but I think only as practice for the unseen text.

Sounds like you've got a good crop of stuff to read overall - well, apart from A Passage to India, from what you say - I've never read it so I wouldn't know!

[–]AnnieIWillKnow 0 points1 point ago

Yeah I've been fairly happy with our set - especially A2, I've particularly enjoyed Twelfth Night as I love studying Shakespeare, and like you with your coursework, we have an awesome teacher who is so enthusiastic about the play (it's her favourite Shakespeare) that it is hard not to enjoy.

I have a feeling A Passage to India is one of those books that falls into the category of ones you're supposed to read before you die, but not many people actually enjoy. Or maybe it was grasping at something that was too lofty a concept for my then 17 year old brain. I enjoyed the actual coursework a fair amount, and quite liked discussing the novel, but it was reading it which I didn't enjoy. The vast majority of the characters were very easy to dislike and I'm a fan of character-driven novels usually, so we weren't a good match.

[–]Proseedcake 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, I found a similar thing with The Great Gatsby (another one I studied at AS level, come to think of it): the characters were hard to like, though the writing is undeniably good and I warmed up to it a little bit as the year went on.

[–]AnnieIWillKnow 0 points1 point ago

I've never read it, but am planning to on a 20 hour coach journey to Berlin in February (ಠ_ಠ) - it'll be interesting to see how my experience with Passage compares.

[–]Tetzel 0 points1 point ago

I did The Bloody Chamber at A-Level, fucking love that book!

[–]zelladolphia 5 points6 points ago

6 years in an independent bookstore

2 unpublished novels

3 terrible screenplays

Read over 2,000 books (primarily fiction)

[–]Foolish_Northerner 2 points3 points ago

I've got a MA Literary Linguistics, and a BA Eng Lit/Lang :)

[–]gmpalmer 3 points4 points ago

MFA in Poetry, BA in Lit (concentration in Medieval lit)
AP lit teacher
Critic
Book coming out this month

[–]duckcomander 1 point2 points ago

i want your life. i yearn to be able to help kids the way you probably do. my high school AP Lit class was a defining part of my life.

[–]gmpalmer 1 point2 points ago

Mine too.

It took a decade of teaching in the trenches to get here, though.

[–]mxklein 3 points4 points ago

uh.. 3 years of AP English and Literature in high school?

[–]viborg 1 point2 points ago

About the same, and mom's a lit professor.

[–]thiskittensgotclaws 3 points4 points ago

BS in Chemistry...

[–]fixedzero 2 points3 points ago*

Poli sci major, minor in econ. Currently working in public policy.

[–]MalSponseller 3 points4 points ago

BA English, current MA English student (concentrating in Medieval Lit)

Both BA and MA from Georgia Southern University. Looking at Ohio State for my future PhD.

[–]xstegosaurusx 2 points3 points ago

MA English, concentration in Creative Writing, Marxist Literary Theory.

[–]grammargiraffe 2 points3 points ago

BA Eng, MS Teaching, taught AP Lit.

[–]duckcomander 2 points3 points ago

I am on the same exact career track. I am curious, how would you rate your overall happiness in life and your occupational choices?

[–]botticellilady 2 points3 points ago

B.A. In English, M.Ed. in Secondary English Education, M.A. in English, 8 years High School English teacher, Adjunct English professor at local community college. I plan to get my doctorate in English Curriculum and Instruction.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

3/4 of the way through an Honours BA in English lit. Most probably grad-school bound.

[–]greenvelvetcake 2 points3 points ago

Fourth-year business major; all my literary knowledge comes from AP English in high school and a deep love of books.

[–]kathrynallison 0 points1 point ago

took a bunch of English in university, ended up liking history more. Never got my degree

[–]TheSuperSax 2 points3 points ago

I'm studying Aerospace Engineering. Nonetheless I love literature and many of the humanities in general.

[–]easlern 1 point2 points ago

I took a semester of American lit. in college. :\

[–]selectiveattention 2 points3 points ago

B.S. in Neuroscience. I feel that science and the humanities should be equally important.

[–]bdonk 0 points1 point ago

Also in Neuroscience. Deciding between Comp Lit and Neuroscience plagued me for a couple years. Wish I could've done both in 4 years.

[–]goirish2200 2 points3 points ago

BA in English, 30+ credits in Irish Language and Literature. Looking to start a Ph.D. in comparative Irish lit in the fall of 2013.

[–]Proseedcake 2 points3 points ago

I have a BA in English Literature and Language. I've spent the time since then mostly reading science fiction and learning Spanish.

[–]porter23 0 points1 point ago

BFA in Literature, full time editor (of nonfiction, heh).

[–]tanadrin 0 points1 point ago

3rd year English Studies student. I find myself particularly interested in postmodernism and medieval literature.

[–]Ruuh 1 point2 points ago

BA in economics, MA in sociology. Plenty of fiction published in magazines and such. I'm also working on (mostly non fiction) translations to Latvian.

[–]duckcomander 0 points1 point ago

2nd year English/Education major

[–]fallenmink 1 point2 points ago*

AA in English (not that an AA matters all too much). About to start working on a BS in computer science, or CS and math double major. Kind of a complete turnaround as far as degrees go, but I just sort of "fell out" of interest towards literature as an academic subject.

[–]plastic_apollo 1 point2 points ago

Posted this in the other thread, but I'll check in over here, too!

Grad student, reporting in! Last semester on my Master's, hoping to begin Ph.D. in Literature in the fall. Concentration is 15-16th century British literature and psychoanalytic theory. Working on my thesis on Elizabethan erotic adaptions of Ovid's Metamorphoses this semester. BA in English and BS in Journalism.

[–]Redcorns 0 points1 point ago

Sounds really great -- good for you. Great thesis topic!

[–]plastic_apollo 1 point2 points ago

Thanks, I really love working on it!

[–]asaia 0 points1 point ago

BA in Medieval and Renaissance lit, MsEd Secondary English

[–]signifying_nothing 0 points1 point ago

Almost have a BS in Cinema and Photography.

[–]appers66 0 points1 point ago

I'm doing my MA in English Lit at the moment. I got one mark off a first in my BA last year, which is the weirdest kind of frustrating.

[–]skipytripz 0 points1 point ago

BA in Literature Studies and an MA in Comparative Lit.

Teacher of High School Literature in New Jersey, 6 yrs.

[–]mupermashbros 0 points1 point ago

Currently working on BS in Chemistry. Took AP Literature in High School and will likely fulfill my college's humanities requirement with Literature.

[–]ulysses_s_goblin 0 points1 point ago

BA in English Lit with Honors and High Distinction at the University of Illinois.

I am PhD-program-bound once I save up a little nest egg.

[–]svonnah 1 point2 points ago

Agented YA writer, no degree.

[–]Philll 0 points1 point ago

99% done with a BS in economics (w/ math minor).

I took a bunch of literature and creative writing classes for "fun" though.

[–]Giants1011 1 point2 points ago

BA in Liberal Studies (Notre Dame) Finishing up my JD (Georgetown)

Way out of my league with most of the people hear, but I like listening!

[–]goirish2200 0 points1 point ago

A propos of my username: Go Irish! What dorm did you live in?

[–]Giants1011 0 points1 point ago

Zahm, graduated in 09. You?

[–]goirish2200 0 points1 point ago

Alumni, 2010

[–]hillsonn 0 points1 point ago

BA in Liberal Arts (Literature concentration) from Eugene Lang

[–]JTruant 1 point2 points ago

I'm getting my MFA in creative writing :D

[–]Danielfair 0 points1 point ago

AP Literature and Language...

[–]daggersnatch 1 point2 points ago

  • BA in English Literature from Georgia Southern University

(minors in Classical and Medieval Studies & Creative Writing)

  • Currently working on MA from Cardiff University

(focus on Medieval and Renaissance Studies)

[–]didyouwoof 1 point2 points ago

B.A. in Russian language and literature; J.D.

[–]Redcorns 0 points1 point ago

BA and MA in English -- applying to grad programs this fall. Cool thread -- interesting to see who reads this /r/.

[–]rogurd 0 points1 point ago

I am working on my undergrad degree in English. Oskee Wow Wow

[–]whiffybatter 0 points1 point ago

Fellow Oskee English BA here -- though mine's 20 years old, and was followed by a stay north of Green to pick up a Master's in CS. But I'm forever a BA in my soul.

[–]Tetzel 0 points1 point ago

Currently studying English lit and Drama in University (BA) in England. Drama is focused on the theory and specialises in certain playwrights, we don't do any acting (you can choose to if you want though)

[–]LesterDukeEsq 0 points1 point ago

BA (English & Philosophy) & BCS.

[–]artesc 1 point2 points ago

About to graduate with a BA in Literature and Neurobiology.

[–]willbb 0 points1 point ago

I'm a literary autodidact. Sort of.

I studied political science, which is probably much more related to literature than most political science students realize or care. I work in computing at the moment, which someone else mentioned tends to shun literature.

[–]SurferGurl 0 points1 point ago

i had a poli sci professor who assigned lots of shakespeare, among other classics.

[–]Supersimmo 0 points1 point ago

It appears you're all from that ruddy great land mass o'er the sea. Cambridge (UK) here. Any more English men/women/creatures?

[–]Cakeslob 1 point2 points ago

physical chemist.

[–]SurferGurl 0 points1 point ago*

descendent of three english professors. (i frequently type in all lowercase just to piss one of them off.) this, too, in the 8th grade. dropped out of high school just to piss off another one of the professors. doing the college degree on the 50-year plan, changing majors four times (once civil engineering; once journalism); now finishing a degree in visual communications to make amends to ALL THE PROFESSORS.

[–]Joker99352 0 points1 point ago

I'm majoring in English and planning to become an English teacher (maybe a professor, eventually). I've only taken a couple of English classes so far, but I'm enrolled in two more at present.

[–]E_pubicus_unum 0 points1 point ago

BA in French literature, changed tracks and am in the process of getting an MS now.

[–]meatballsubplz 1 point2 points ago

Am I the only MFA in here?

[–]brothamo 0 points1 point ago

Majoring in Literature at Kenyon College.

[–]robin9585 1 point2 points ago

BA in Lit and a Postgrad in Secondary English Education.

Currently work as a high school teacher but am already tired of the job after 2 years. I will 'retire' from it in a few months. Bigger and better things on the horizon though.

[–]SwanOfAvon22 0 points1 point ago

BA in English literature from Wesleyan Hoping to eventually write/teach

[–]merkinwizard 0 points1 point ago

College drop out. Full time electrician here.

[–]danglydolphinvagina 0 points1 point ago

BFA in painting and visual communications.

[–]mortimerkhan 0 points1 point ago

BA in English and German literature from VCU. Waiting to hear back from PhD programs right now.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

B.A. in Philosophy.