What can a student expect to learn after two semesters of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish? Although students shouldn't expect to become fluent in a foreign language after only two semesters of study, the benefits of studying a foreign language are significant and could eventually be a student's passport to success.
Gain A Competitive Edge
Having linguistic competence will assist a student in ways he or she did not even know or could not even imagine.
Learning a foreign language can help a student understand English better. It trains analytical and interpretative thinking (e.g., great preparation for the LSAT, GMAT, GRE, MCAT, and other graduate school entrance exams). Research has shown that math and verbal SAT scores rise with each additional year of international study. Some students remark that their grasp of English grammar and vocabulary has improved after studying a second language.
If a student is considering graduate school, his or her application will look especially attractive if the student can show that he or she has had several semesters of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish. Some graduate schools even have foreign language requirements for many of their programs.
Know Your World and Beyond
Having cultural competence will connect a student to avenues that would have seemed out of reach otherwise.
Careers in U.S. Government:
- Translation/Interpretation
- Teaching
- Journalism/Broadcasting
- Linguistics
- Diplomacy
- Civil Service
- Foreign Service
- Immigration/Naturalization
- Armed Forces
- Customs
U.S. Government Employers:
- Overseas dependents' schools
- Overseas aid agencies
- Intelligence and law enforcement agencies
- The Foreign Service
- Armed forces
- Library of Congress
- United Nations
- Voice of America
Preparation for U.S. Government Employment:
- Learn federal, state, and local job application procedures
- Plan to attend a specialized school that teaches foreign languages
- Join armed forces as a way to get experience
Careers in Arts, Media, Entertainment:
- Advertising
- Translation/Interpretation
- Journalism/Broadcasting
- Publishing/Editing
Arts, Media, Entertainment Employers:
- Museums
- Foreign news agencies
- Book publishers
- Hotels, motels, restaurants
- TV networks/radio stations
- Film companies
Preparation for Employment in Arts, Media, Entertainment:
- Learn about the customs and culture of the country in which your language of study is primarily spoken, possibly by spending time in that country
- Read international newspapers to keep up with developments overseas
Careers in Industry and Commerce:
- Translation/Interpretation
- Customs
- Banking
- Secretarial Services
- Sales/Customer Services
- Manufacturing
- Market Research
- Consulting
- Imports/Exports
Industry and Commerce Employers:
- Banks, finance-related institutions
- Import/export companies
- Foreign firms operating in the U.S.
- American firms operating in foreign countries
- Manufacturers
- Retail/department stores
Preparation for Industry and Commerce Employment:
- Find out which companies do business with the countries in which your language of study is spoken
- Consult resources such as:
- Directory of Foreign Firms Operation in the U.S.
- Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries
- American Register of Exporters and Importers
- Supplement coursework with business classes
Careers in Travel and Tourism:
- Translation/Interpretation
- Airline Services
- Hospitality Industry
Travel and Tourism Employers:
- Tour companies
- Travel agencies
- Hotels, motels, restaurants
- Airlines/airports
- Cruise lines
Preparation for Employment in Travel and Tourism:
- Take courses in hotel/restaurant administration
- Get a part-time job in a hotel or restaurant to gain experience
- Spend some time abroad to learn the traditions of fine dining, wines, etc.
- Brush up on your knowledge of geography
- Contact airline headquarters to call the Future Aviation Professionals of America (1-800-JET-JOBS) to find employment opportunities
- Plan to attend a travel school
- Develop office skills such as typing, organizing, and working with computers
- Read international newspapers to keep up with overseas developments
Scientific and Professional Careers:
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Law
- Medicine
- Library Science
Scientific and Professional Employers:
- Corporate and research libraries
- School and public libraries
- Hospitals/laboratories
- Foreign firms operating in the U.S.
- American firms operating in foreign countries
Preparation for Scientific and Professional Employment:
- Develop good oral and written communication skills
- Look into M.L.S. Programs (Master's degree in Library Science)
- Develop clerical skills such as typing and organizing
- Work on computer skills
- Read newspapers and magazines to keep up with world events
Service and Education Careers:
- Translation/Interpretation
- Teaching
- Educational Administration
- Linguistics
- Civil Service
- Social Work
- Library Science
- Health Services
Service and Education Employers:
- Hospitals
- Religious and volunteer organizations
- International organizations
- Law enforcement agencies
- Social service agencies
- Universities/colleges
- Pre-schools
- K-12 schools
- Professional language schools
- English language institutes
Preparation for Service and Education Employment:
- Learn state certification process for teaching
- Develop superior written and oral communication skills in the English language including proper sentence structure and comprehensive vocabulary
- Notify local hospitals, schools, and chambers of commerce of your availability to translate or interpret for international visitors
- Minor or double major in another subject that you could also teach
- Investigate teaching English in another country
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