Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

German or Language Studies

Ok, here's the deal:

- Conditional offer for 2010 German & TEFL.
- What I know that I want to do as a career is TEFL, teaching English as a foreign language.

I don't even know if it's possible yet, but if it were possible, I'm thinking of changing German to English Language Studies. I love the German language, but have absolutely no interest in the history, culture, literature etc, which the course seemingly has loads of. I do not want to live in Germany anymore, I want to live in S. America.

So, if I could, changing to English Language Studies...what do you think? Advantages? Disadvantages? What would you advise?

Would it even be possible to change, do you reckon? How would I go about it if I do decide to? Wait until I start, or before results day, or...?

I respect and admire you all, and look forward to hearing your opinions. :smile:

Reply 1

xmarilynx

On one hand, if you really wouldn't enjoy studying history and literature and it's not possible to take other modules (film, economics, philosophy etc) to avoid them then you're not going to enjoy your degree very much, which is highly likely to bring your grades down. However, lots of people change their minds about what they want to do during their degree, and I'd say that German would open far more doors career-wise than English Language Studies (although I may well be wrong here, as I've never looked into the course). If you're definitely set on TEFL then English Language Studies would be more relevant, but check the course content as I thought TEFL included English Language modules, in which case ELS wouldn't be that beneficial and you might get a bit bored. If you're interested in America, then how about taking up Spanish ab initio? That way you would be qualified to teach English and have a foreign language under your belt that suits your current plans better.

Whatever you decide, you need to let the universities know now rather than later, because on results day they will be insanely busy and by the time you start any spare places for ELS may have gone.

Reply 2

clair0511

Hi

Personally I would say stick with the German & TEFL course. Speaking from experience of teaching English here in Vienna (with no TEFL qualifications!) - I don't really think that the English Language Studies will be much help for your future career. If anything you should perhaps think about changing to Spanish (or Portuguese) & TEFL (if such a course exists) as that would be more use to you if you really want to go to South America.

I studied Animal Science with European Studies (Erasmus in Germany), moved to Vienna after graduating and taught scientific English for 3 years at the uni here - TEFL was not necessary and most of the expats I know here who have found jobs teaching English do not have TEFL/English Language degrees! So IMHO I think it would be sensible to get a degree in something that will definitely be useful in your future career (i.e. a foreign language) than to concentrate too much on the TEFL/English part. Perhaps you could take Spanish or German with English?

I agree with you that a German degree might not be ideal if you have little interest in the history etc but I think just studying English Language might be too limiting if you really want to live and work abroad....

Just the opinion of a bilingual scientist :wink: