Everyone wants to write; no wants wants to major in it.

 

credit: Bruce Matsunaga | Flickr Creative Commons

Yesterday I was reading applications for editing positions for the undergrad literary magazine when I noticed something peculiar: none of the applicants for the position of Associate Editor were English majors.

All of them claimed to be passionate about literature and writing (and for the record, I completely believe them: why else would they want to slog through piles of student submissions? If they were just looking for a resume builder, I can think of a hundred easier or sexier options. And these applicants have options; all of them are excellent students). Two applicants majored in business; one majored in Psych. Majors that will, in the parlance of students, “lead to jobs.”

My college, Butler University, is a liberal arts institution. Yet the overwhelming majority of my students view their education as preprofessional training. They talk about getting core classes “out of the way” so they can focus on their major. To them, college is a really expensive vocational school. 

Right or wrong, this view does not bode well for English departments.

 

“Welcome to the future, man,” I wrote to my co-advisor after reading the applications. “Nobody wants to be an English major, but everyone wants to minor in it.”

It could be worse, I suppose. We could attract almost no interest (Classical Studies, anyone?). I’ve noticed that students tend to be more engaged in elective courses—that is, courses that line up with their interests—than they are in their required core courses. But can you get real dedication from students in an elective class, or will they be serious only until it’s time for the mid-term in Chem?

 

Ben Schmidt of Northeastern University charted out college major trends over the last several decades. The English major is the dark grey stripe getting squished under business and engineering. As you can see, the percentage of students who major in English now is roughly half of what it was a generation ago.

What happens when all your students are dilettantes? If all you have are minors, can you get resources from the University? How will you be viewed and treated by other departments?

Maybe I’m wrong about this. After all, the interest in English is still strong, particularly in creative writing courses. Interest and desire have clear upsides. My department has the classes the students want to take; we have the magazines and the presses and the readings they want to get in on.

Of course, that’s the same lie that every mistress tells herself. He’s with his wife by duty, but I have his heart. And we all know how that plays out: you get screwed, and that’s about it.