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Reply 1
Though I do think that a joint honours degree with a language is amazzzzing like Economics and French and would make you very employable.
Reply 2
You can learn maths without doing a degree for it :dontknow:
The qualification maybe useless, yes. However, to both know the language concerned AND to have the degree in it provides an edge over a candidate who merely speaks the language
I've never heard that ever.

And you can learn any subject without doing a degree in it, clearly. :lolwut:
Reply 5
Firstly, it depends entirely on your job choice!

Teaching, translating or going into business are all perfectly good reasons for studying languages. For example, if you have a degree in German you could gain employment in German companies too.

For a lot of business jobs, though, a BA is just a little bit on your CV saying "Look at me and how clever I am!"
Reply 6
You can learn anything without a degree
Reply 7
lovely_me
You can learn maths without doing a degree for it :dontknow:


Yeah but you can learn a foreign language from when you're as young as 7-which would be more difficult to do with maths unless you're a freakin genius
Reply 8
Barden
The qualification maybe useless, yes. However, to both know the language concerned AND to have the degree in it provides an edge over a candidate who merely speaks the language


But what if the other candidate has a degree in a different discipline and already knows how to speak the language.
It would better to have an employee that can work and speak X then having to independently employ a translator.
I was doing languages and sort of felt like this... part of the reason i changed course (still doing "with" a language though)
Reply 11
Completely disagree.
My father works for the European Union and earns £14,000 a month. The advantages of working for the EU are unbelievable - your children will get free private health care until they're 25, you and your spouse will have amazing pensions (I'm talking THOUSANDS a month), and so much more. If you're big on being rich when you're older then working for the EU is a fantastic way of using a languages degree and of becoming amazingly rich! Plus, if you love languages then working for the EU will help you learn other languages :smile:
No, it's a very useful degree, businesses will always need people to translate, international business is big business. Qualifications are far better than just saying "Oh I learnt french in my spare time".
stephbk123
Completely disagree.
My father works for the European Union and earns £14,000 a month. The advantages of working for the EU are unbelievable - your children will get free private health care until they're 25, you and your spouse will have amazing pensions (I'm talking THOUSANDS a month), and so much more. If you're big on being rich when you're older then working for the EU is a fantastic way of using a languages degree and of becoming amazingly rich! Plus, if you love languages then working for the EU will help you learn other languages :smile:


OMG 14,000 A MONTH. I'm clearly doing the wrong degree. What does your father work as? I've been thinking of working for the EU but since I've already undertaken an English degree I'll have to learn languages on the side. I've always been obsessed with languages though and am in no way dissing them!
Reply 14
I'm mainly doing it so I can emigrate and work properly (i.e. with a proper job) abroad. It's almost a 'credential' that you are employable in a certain country - especially ones that need to do business with the English-speaking powerhouses (it saves cash on translators) as a native speaker who is still fluent in the country your in's language may take priority over someone who has say, studied English at university. Equally, I'm sure most British firms would employ a Chinese person who spoke English rather than a British person who spoke Chinese if their entire job was simply to deal with China.

However, if you're not keen on emigrating, foreign languages are helpful as you can teach or do things like translating (especially with a weird combination of languages - Lithuanian and Pashto for example). Even work in the MI5/SIS/GCHQ or the diplomatic track - FCO or EU - can bring in some serious cash.
Reply 15
A languages degree doesn't just equip people with the ability to speak a foreign language, you learn about the country's culture and history. Communication skills are highly prized in the current job market and the fact that someone has spent four years and graduated with a degree in a foreign language just backs-up people when they mention they have good communicative skills.

I do agree, I'm studying French with English Literature and think that will increase my employment chances once I graduate.
Reply 16
La Esmerelda
OMG 14,000 A MONTH. I'm clearly doing the wrong degree. What does your father work as? I've been thinking of working for the EU but since I've already undertaken an English degree I'll have to learn languages on the side. I've always been obsessed with languages though and am in no way dissing them!




Information Technology Head of Division, but there's LOADS of different positions that pay the same... or more!
That's such a shame if you love languages! Do a languages degree after, because it's a fantastic job if languages comes naturally to you. You're literally getting paid thousands for having a talent :wink:
You'd have to work abroad, but I'm sure you'll agree that it's 100% worth it :P
The benefits are unbelievable. I'd seriously consider it if I were you. He did German at Oxford, so you don't need multiple language degrees. If I was super talented at languages, I wouldn't think twice!!!
stephbk123
Information Technology Head of Division, but there's LOADS of different positions that pay the same... or more!
That's such a shame if you love languages! Do a languages degree after, because it's a fantastic job if languages comes naturally to you. You're literally getting paid thousands for having a talent :wink:
You'd have to work abroad, but I'm sure you'll agree that it's 100% worth it :P
The benefits are unbelievable. I'd seriously consider it if I were you. He did German at Oxford, so you don't need multiple language degrees. If I was super talented at languages, I wouldn't think twice!!!


Well I already know some spanish and have studied Italian at uni but as soon as uni is over I'm going to Italy for 1 year to improve my italian and to either spain or south america to improve my spanish. Thanks :smile: I've just realised that this would be a totally awesome career for me since I'm always wanting to travel and live in different cities and my boyfriend says I'm totally obsessed with languages. Oh and lets not forget the money.
I disagree.
I think it is a degree which equips you with many valuable skills other than simply knowing the language.
Your communication skills and translation skills are both increased.
Actually I think the contrary. Foriegn Languages are extremely important, especially for the future.

We live in a globalised world, and most of our top industries operate on an international scale. Furthermore, there isn't really a 'centre of the world' as there was in previous centuries, namely America or Britain, and it is in fact developing nations that may be the kingmakers of the future global economy and its operations. Learning foriegn languages, and indeed their respective cultures, is a fantastic way not only to prepare for comfortable, open communication with those types of people, but also provides an assett to multi-national organisations as it opens up prospects of better business/innovation etc. Furthermore, foriegn languages in general open an individual up to a wider job market.

I often wonder why the British and indeed Americans are rather abrasive when it comes to languages. At my school, we were forced to take 2 languages at GCSE and one in the IB, which I initially hated, but now have grown to really respect. I know that my knowledge in Japanese will definitely help me if I wish to pursue a legal career at an international firm, or my knowledge in Arabic will help me if i want a job in the Mid.East (though right now i doubt that). With just english, it tends to be the case that one is restricted in terms of opportunities, and I think part of our unemployment problem lies here. The chinese kids i know are able in 3 languages, including english, which is probably part of why they are so attractive to employers.

Back to the point, no, foriegn languages are far from a wasted degree. Tbh, one can learn history, philosophy, chemistry etc at home if they needed to, and if we only pursued degrees with a practical element, well lets just say A LOT of courses would be axed. In my opinion, knowledge of a foriegn language, especially in this job market, puts you in a more marketable position than most graduates.

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