Where has your modern foreign languages degree taken you?

Fail, if you're going to try to insult me at least hit me where it might hurt. I've nothing against languages, I love them in fact but you trying to insult the usefulness of maths is laughable. There are so many applications of maths I'm spoilt for choice. Maths is in the building blocks of the world/universe. It's everywhere. Also I never said languages were pointless, but if you had bothered to read you'd know that.

Isn't that what OP wanted? I can't remember. I thought they wanted to learn at least the language side. You can take a year abroad in a lot of courses/unis, not just language degrees; point? And to add to that I don't do a language course, as you know, it was just an idea. So stop acting like I should know better.

He's not saying maths is useless, he's just using your argument on you. Your argument was sure, languages are useful, but why study them as a degree - which is a fair comment from someone who obviously knows very little about the difference between a degree in Modern Languages and 'speaking French'. (Which is fair enough, why would you?)

Surely a languages student could use the same argument on you and tell you to just do maths as a hobby? I mean...why study maths as a degree when you can do it in your spare time, right? Because let's face it, you don't need a degree in mathematics to have a grasp on numbers, just like you don't need a degree in languages to have a grasp on languages...no?

I am currently doing a second BA in Iceland, one of the better regions for my preferred subject, and will be starting an MA in January, partially. I study in Icelandic, write most of my coursework and take most of my exams in Icelandic. It has helped me get freelance work as a translator and work my way slowly into Icelandic society, where most Icelanders treat me differently because of my ability to speak their language.

Sorry, I know this is old. But how can you financially afford a second degree? Are they free (even second degrees) in the Nordic countries?
Also what does the bolded bit mean? I thought Iceland was a friendly country?

As a recent graduate with a degree in single honours French, I would say you should be very careful about deciding to study just languages. As a joint degree or major/minor, I'd say it's a great idea - the year abroad is excellent for graduate applications, you can travel, see the world, and you're pretty well-off for the year too.

However, so many people who study languages at uni do so because they want to live or work abroad, and a degree in the language of that country often qualifies you for nothing - not even teaching English. This is particularly the case in continental Europe (esp. France, Spain etc.), where unemployment is traditionally higher than the UK, young people study very specific degrees normally to at least 5 years post-school and only those from the most prestigious universities with great internship experience will find good permanent jobs.

I say this after having moved to Paris through a very lucky break and have been working in Intercultural Management for a big multinational group, so I'm involved in managing the differences in employment and management internationally and have to deal with the challenges of the differences between Europe 'proper' and the UK daily. Of my colleagues of similar status (France is very heirarchical) I am the least qualified, and therefore paid slightly less. When asked what I studied at uni and I reply with 'French', the reply I tend to get is 'Ah great! And...?'.

In order to progress in my career in France, I have to have a master's, and it must be in a very specific field, and, unfortunately, it must be from a world-class university. Which is going to cost 20,000 pounds for the fees alone, and will still not really compare to those who went through the elite 'grandes écoles' system in France.

My advice to anyone considering doing a language degree would be to go for it because it's a great experience and languages can set you apart - but also to really consider what you want to do afterwards, and study that - or something more vocational at least - as well. It's great having doors open but studying only a language moves them slightly further away (unless you want to be a translator, interpretor, teacher, etc. of course). Classmates of mine are struggling.

I studied translation studies: german and now I'm an in-house translator, proofreader & interpreter for a german translation agency.

A languages degree essentially involves something like a History and an English degree (among other things), with focus on other cultures and languages. So comparing those isn't really helpful. I'd certainly rather do another languages degree than do English or History. As I said, I'm looking at going into Architecture or Medicine, which in contrast to those degrees you mention will qualify me for a particular career area which I would be interested in working in. If you have no idea what else you might want to do, there's nothing stopping you from doing a degree in languages. There are, after all, conversion courses in Psych and Law, and the Graduate Medicine degree, so there are ways to get into certain things after doing a different degree.

My ex-coursemates are in their final year. I know of people from other years going into teaching or trying to work their way into publishing though. One is doing a Law conversion course. I think one might work for Erdinger Weissbräu but I'm not sure.

By the way, I loved Germany and the Germans too, before I actually lived and worked with them for an entire year. I'd taken part in a German exchange at school approximately 3 times, stayed with the same family again in my gap year, lived in Berlin for a month while I was on a summer course, and been to Berlin on brief trips aside from that. During my year abroad I lived in three different towns/cities. Under the surface, taking into account all the good things, overall the balance was just not in Germany's favour for me. I knew I could be much happier elsewhere. And when you think of yourself as someone who wants to travel and experience other cultures and societies and you end up realising you view home in the UK as preferable to the foreign culture you're in, it becomes kind of obvious that perhaps you should write this one off and try a different one if you don't want to have regrets later in life.

The good thing about a language degree is that it leaves a lot of doors open, + will give you the added skill of a language (if you work hard at it). You aren't guided to any specific career, which is good in some ways, bad in others. If you decide, OK, I want to do XYZ after uni, then while you are at uni you can focus yourself towards that goal (as I am doing - getting experience etc). But you can just as easily drift through your course not getting any kind of work experience, skills etc. and then come out the other end with few prospects.　(And I think this is the case for most arts degrees).

Thus I know people, from my uni who did my degree, who have gone straight into Investment Banking or Law, and others who are now working the tills at ASDA or Xmas temping at Debenhams. It's really down to you. Your degree matters far less than you.

I'm really interested in applying for German and also doing a Law conversion course at the end. However I have no idea who this works. Would you be able to explain it to me, or whether it would alter my university application slightly, or if only certain universities offer it?

Thank you very much!

My Mum has a French degree and went into teaching, she did English as a second language teaching in France, then French/German teaching 11-18, now she's a teaching and learning consultant for the county for MFL.