Modern Languages

Practically anything! One of the many benefits of a language major is the flexibility afforded to you. You can work in whatever areas you've gained experiences and skills in while in college through part-time jobs, internships and student organizations. If you are interested in working in hospitality, for example, you can major in Arabic Studies and complete hospitality courses for your open electives while also working a part-time job in the hospitality industry.If you are interested in working for the government, you can begin as a volunteer in a government office, apply for City of Chicago internships and work part-time as an office assistant or desk receptionist in an alderman's office. Working on campus in an administrative capacity can also provide you with excellent experiences in an office setting.

You gain a variety of skills when you complete language courses, which prepares you for success as a professional in any field. You can improve your verbal & written communication skills, interpersonal skills, ability to work in diverse environments and critical thinking skills, to name a few. You may also find a more comprehensive list of what you can do with a language major through the Career Center's website. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) also provides a comprehensive map of 21st Century skills gained through language study.

Skills list and additional career ideas:

• Georgetown
• Portland State

Majors

• Arabic Studies
• Chinese Studies
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese Studies
• Spanish

Minors

• American Sign Language Studies
• Arabic Language
• Arabic Studies 
• Chinese Language
• Chinese Studies
• Classical Studies  
• Commercial French
• Commercial Spanish
• French
• French Translation
• German
• German Studies
• Italian
• Japanese
• Japanese Studies
• Russian Language
• Russian Studies
• Spanish
• Spanish Linguistics
• Spanish Translation

Master's programs

• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Spanish

The world is not divided by major and job opportunities are constantly changing. Jobs that exist today, may not exist when you graduate and many new jobs that do not yet exist will be created after you graduate. Many jobs are not limited to specific majors. Check out job posts online (we provide language-specific job search sites through our language resource pages) to verify the education and experience requirements of the various careers you are exploring. If you're pursuing careers that are tied to a related major, such as becoming a teacher, accountant or financial consultant, that major may be the best choice for you. If you have no clue what you want to do and/or the list of courses required for a major you're considering gives you chills, and not in a good way, then you might want to look into other majors. 

Recognize the overall skills you gain and need to develop in college, while studying what you enjoy and what corresponds with your strengths. If you don't enjoy what you're studying, you're less likely to have the emotional energy to spend on gaining the skills and experiences you need for life after college. If you enjoy working/talking with people from other cultures and enjoy the wonder and beauty of self-expression in other languages, a language program may be a good fit! Here are a few articles that address this ideology:

• The Choice - The New York Times: Does The College Major Matter? Not Really
• The Choice - The New York Times: Your College Major May Not Be As Important As You Think
• Education Life - The New York Times: 6 Myths About Choosing A College Major
  
• Forbes: The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 2015 Graduates 
• Washington Post: Only 27% Of College Grads Have A Job Related To Their College Major
• Washington Post: Why Are So Many College Students Failing To Gain Job Skills Before They Graduate
• Wall Street Journal: Your College Major Is A Minor Issue, Employers Say

A college degree can help you qualify to apply for a job; experience, skills, likability/personality and company and/or /industry fit are what get you hired. You can work on all of these while in college so as to make the most of your college experience and expenses. Read more about the skills employers are looking for in new hires (links in the above Q&A) and look for opportunities to polish these skills. Consider taking two-credit classes such as UIP 240 and 241 as a 5th class (fits within 18-credit tuition package if the other four classes are only four credits each) to learn how to better articulate who you are and what you have to offer a prospective employer.

• Association of American Colleges & Universities ~ Long-term Professional Success
• Fast Company ~ Why Top Tech CEOs Want Employees With Liberal Arts Degrees
• CNN Global Public Square Blog ~ Why The Liberal Arts Matter
• U.S. Department of Education ~ The Relevance of Liberal Arts To A Prosperous Democracy
• Washington Post ~ Why The Tech World Highly Values A Liberal Arts Degree

• New York Times ~ Why Bilinguals Are Smarter
  
• RadioLab ~ Mapping The Bilingual Brain
  
• Scientific American ~ How Knowing A Foreign Language Can Improve Your Decisions
• National Education Association ~ Benefits Of Second Language Study
• The Guardian ~ The Case For Language Learning (multiple articles)