Languages degree?

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Languages degrees definitely are not useless! If that’s what you want to do then do it!!
A lot of people these days really don’t realise how important learning languages and becoming fluent in them is, especially in our current society.
All of the subtitles we get on foreign language films (and the foreign language subtitles on English language films for others) are made by people who have achieved fluency! We wouldn’t have access to a lot of things without MFL.
Translation, teaching, interpretation, business, politics, etc.
Countries would not be able to communicate with each other as effectively without somebody well versed in foreign languages.

Reply 21

emily5411

Original post by cocobeldam

I’m currently in Year 12 studying Spanish, English language, and Psychology. I really want to study Spanish and Chinese at university, but whenever I tell anyone about it they always say it’s useless and that I should just learn languages outside of uni and get a degree in something that will make me more money.

I’m not really interested in anything else, and languages have been my passion for a really long time now. I’m not sure what career I want in the future though, but I think I would really enjoy teaching English as a foreign language, or teaching a foreign language in an English speaking country. I know I’m not gonna get rich if I do that, but is that really so bad? I care more about being happy than having a million pounds worth of disposable income. My parents seem to disagree though. They say that I should study law instead so that I can have a well paying job, and they also say that “I’m going to get sick of languages sooner or later”- which I truly do not see happening. Also I have no interest in law so I don’t even know why they’re so adamant about that...

Anyway, I’m just really questioning myself now because of this. Can someone give me some advice? What do I do?

Hi, I've just finished year 12 and I'm also looking at language degrees as I do Spanish & French a levels and I'm looking to do beginners Chinese as well. I feel like you should do what you're passionate about. I've had people try to convince me to do business, finance and marketing but at the end of the day I wouldn't be interested in those subjects and I feel like that would impact my grades. I have a friend who I used to work with who's just graduated Newcastle Uni with a Spanish and Portuguese degree and he's started some interpreting jobs already.

Maybe do some research and try to find out what Modern language Grads at the unis you're looking at have gone on to do?

Worst case if you feel like the end career opportunities are the issue you could convert to law?

Em x

Reply 22

cchloepx

I know it’s been a while since you’ve posted this but I would recommend a joint honours language degree, whether it’s two languages or one language and another subject, I think they can be so useful and insightful!

Additionally, you could study one or two languages at undergrad and then decide to do something as a masters degree later on, or get another degree in something else. My friends sister studies Spanish and Chinese at uni and loved living and working in China. The company she worked for offered to fund her masters degree in translation and after she went to work for them and still loves her life in China!