It's naivvvvvvvvvvvve to the point of sickness to think an English degree is going to rub. Walk into your local newspaper office, say" I've got an English degree," they'll go "Can you write shorthand? Have you even the basic experiences of sourcing a story?" To which you'll go: "No, I just have this English degree," and they'll go "right, then we don't want you."
I am going to start a few features to send away to the broadsheets ... and I quit the university course. Why? Because I think I am a good enough writer to write an effective feature. News reporting requires multiple skills, trust me. You won't cut it at the basic level with just any old English degree.