What do you learn in English class?
My answer is more geared towards the kind of English class one would take post (not in) grammar school, because grammar should be covered in “grammar school” and the nitty-gritty of what's behind a typical English class is not the fundamentals.In my opinion, skipping over the obvious “read books and write papers” part, an English class should prepare and hone a person's ability to digest a large amount of information, come up with a viewpoint and then logically present that view in a convincing manner in writing. Then, make room for the same exercise with new information and a new view presented logically and convincingly.Of course, this is pretty much the “read books and write papers” part I said I'd skip… But when you think about what that exercise can train a person to do, it makes it a little clearer why English classes happen to be where future lawyers can sometimes come from.There's nothing specific to English that makes this so. It's just an outcome of the exercise of digesting information and rearranging it within a logical framework. That's just my opinion.
Are History & English degrees worthless?
No, they are not "worthless." They may not get you a high-paying job right out of college, but plenty of people major in something that doesn't directly relate to the first job they get. That was certainly true for me, and I got a job -- having majored in Art History -- quickly, in the middle of a major recession in the early 1980's. People have forgotten about how awful the economy was from the early 1970's to the early 80's, and people your age never knew. You guys think you're living through some sort of depression, whereas people my age know better. The economy and the job market were TERRIBLE when I was in high school and college. Humanities subjects discipline and train your mind in a variety of useful ways. There are plenty of working Americans who majored in English and History and didn't earn graduate degrees, but it has to be admitted that they were -- and are -- particularly talented. And they were willing to start out in really low-paying jobs. (They may have been high-prestige jobs, but that's not the same thing, necessarily, as a job that pays well). So, you need to decide what you'd like to do, ultimately. You could teach English or History, but if teaching isn't your thing, or if taking a low-paid editorial assistant's position at a magazine or journal and working your way up isn't your thing either, then perhaps these subjects don't matter enough to you for you to devote yourself to them. Unless you think you'd like to earn a PhD, which is what I did in Art History. That was a long, tough, row to hoe, and it's not for everyone, especially since the academic job market is so uncertain. By the way: your basic bachelor's in business isn't necessarily going to get you a job either. Why would it, when even MBA's are having employment issues? Why not major in Business and minor in History? Or major in Business and minor in English? It couldn't hurt, since so many Buiness majors have trouble with the simplest rules of English grammar and syntax. Whatever you choose, it's up to you to make something of your education. Believing that majoring in this or that will be a guaranteed ticket to a job and financial success is foolish.
What can I become if I take and study an English degree? Is it good to study an English degree or not?
With a Bachelor of Arts in English, you can explore careers in Journalism, Media, Copywriting, Instructional Design, and Education, among others.If you are interested in current affairs and news, Journalism is a good option. You could work in newspapers, magazines, TV channels, or in digital media.Instructional Design is definitely something you should check out. These are the people who design online courses (MOOCs such as Coursera) and learning material for corporates and agencies.You get to work on a wide-variety of subjects in such a role. More universities and educational institutes are looking for IDs because of a growing demand for MOOCs.You can learn more about it here on our blog Northbound.Who designs your online courses? Ask this instructional designer at IIMB
Can a non-native speaker of English pursuit a degree in creative writing at a US university?
Having another first language will not disqualify you. Two of the greatest modern novelists in English, Joseph Conrad and Vladimir Nabokov, were not native speakers of English as you probably know. However, they did not have to earn M.F.A. degrees in creative writing. I do not believe that it matters that they are deceased. Publication standards were much higher during their lifetimes than they are now. Earning an M.F.A. does not create writing ability even for people who are native speakers of English. It may refine the writing ability which they already have. It is one of the most useless master's degrees. Do not spend time and money earning it. As your grammar appears to be an issue, please be aware that your question contains at least seven errors in capitalization and grammar. I will be glad to explain them if you email your entire question to me. Best wishes.