What are universities with very good english and literature colleges?

Kristen: What are universities with very good english and literature colleges?
I’m considering San Francisco State University and the University of San Fransisco. Do those have good english and literature colleges? And what are some other universities with good english colleges? If there is a Study Abroad program, that’s a bonus.
I want to do more of a creative writing thing, because I’d like to be an author.

Answers and Views:

Answer by grkball
OXFORD UNIVERSITY IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD. CREATOR OF THE OXFORD DICTIONARY

Answer by Canadian Bacon
Unfortunately, it’s really irrelevant. An English degree has poor career prospects no matter what school you go to. Since literature is analyzed the same way by everyone, and since there is no cutting edge new knowledge being developed, there’s really no basis for competition between universities.

ADDED:

I don’t want you to think that I’m just being disparaging. I’m just telling you what needs to be said. And I *am* sympathetic, since I do a bit of writing myself.

A degree in Creative Writing is a bad idea, for a few reasons. For starters, both students and authors have lamented that taking an academic approach towards the craft stymies creativity and turns passion into work. Also, taking classes can teach you the nuts and bolts, but ultimately writing is (as I’m sure you know) a product of the heart and soul. It’s that passion that makes great writing what it is, and no class can teach you that.

Second, it leaves you with no fallback. The unfortunate reality is that fiction writing is not a viable career for (literally) 99% of those who attempt it. There are thousands of writers, plenty of them talented, and the vast majority end up living in poverty since it’s so hard to get published.

That brings me to publishing. There are basically 3 factors involved with getting your work published, and you only control one.
1) Talent. This is the part you control.
2) Market trends. Publishers aren’t willing to buy into projects that won’t turn a profit, and there are always trends that come in and out of popularity. If you’re not writing what people are reading, it’s harder to find a publisher.
3) Luck. When you submit a manuscript, there is generally no sophisticated vetting process. Your work lands on some guy’s desk, he looks it over, and if he doesn’t see any potential in it then it goes to the reject pile. Sad, but true in many cases. There is a lot of luck involved with having your work land in front of someone who will see its merits. That’s why even authors who are now famous all had to wade through a sea of rejection letters before finally having their work published.

I’m not trying to tell you not to write. It’s a great dream to have, and definitely one that you should pursue…in the evenings, and on weekends. Realistically, you’re going to need a regular job to support yourself while you try to get published, and working minimum wage jobs won’t buy you a very comfortable lifestyle.

So, instead of studying Creative Writing, try to choose something that leads to an actual job. Even switching gears to concentrate in Professional Writing would be better than Lit or Creative, since it will at least teach you skills that are applicable to the real world. If that’s not your thing, pick whatever you want, just try to pick something that can support you while you write your novels.