Are Language Degrees worth studying at University?

by

A language degree is one in which you study and understand the basics of a different language to communicate in it. You can do the language degree in various languages like French, Spanish, Italian, etc. This is one of the most interesting degrees that you can do. Even though it is one of the interesting degrees there will be people who do not believe that it is a useful degree. But is that true?

Fortunately, it is only a myth that taking a language degree is not worth studying at university. In fact, at present time there are a lot of benefits to taking up a language degree. Further, we have discussed about the advantages of taking up a language degree at the university level.

Are language degrees worth studying at university?

Many people believe that having a language degree is not as useful as other degrees. Though this is one of the biggest myths they may have. It has been proven that having knowledge of other languages will definitely help you in getting a good high-paying job. In addition to it, if you have taken another main degree in some other field, then you may land a very good-paying job. There are several platforms like italki, lingo live, vivaling, etc where you can easily learn a new language also.

Benefits of  language degrees

The following are the advantages of the language degree-

  • As discussed above, one of the biggest advantages of doing a degree in a language is that it helps you to get a good high-paying job. This is because every international business needs to have a person who can translate its policies to the local people of other countries.
  • When you have a degree in a different language, it will examine you on the basis of different aspects like communication skills. This means that you can easily communicate with people knowing that language easily.
  • There is a high requirement for language teachers. You can get a good teaching job if you have a degree in the language. 
  • Even if you are not applying for a job in a related field, your knowledge will definitely be increased. You will be learning about various things related to the language. Also, you may be able to write and read it, unlike others.
  • If you have a degree in the language, there are high chances of getting admission to good universities. This is because every university has a diverse culture and there are people from the rest of the world. Thus it will make it easy for you to communicate with people easily.

What jobs can languages get you?

One of the most important questions that will come to your mind while doing any degree is what are the possible jobs that you can get after completing it. Following are the different types of jobs that you can get if you have a degree in a different language-

1. Teaching

Again as we have already discussed, one of the most demanded language degrees is in the field of teaching. You can again get a job teaching the language in which you have done the degree. As most students have started learning at least one additional language, this means that there is a high need for language teachers in the world.

2. Translator

This is one of the most common jobs that you can look for. In this type of job, you need to translate the content given to you into the language you have studied. The captions you see when you are watching Netflix or youtube are all part of the translation. This means that this is one of the growing industries in the world.

3. Hospitality

In this industry, you need to take care of the guests that are arriving in the hotels of the restaurants where you are working. As people from various countries come to travel, there is a high requirement for people who know a language other than the local one. 

4. National intelligence and security

National intelligence and security is the field that helps to investigate various crimes and also helps to secure the data related to the nation. It is one of the industries which will require people who know a different language. This is because many times the people in this industry need to deal with people who do not know their language. Thus to communicate with them, they require people who know other languages as well.

5. Journalist

Though there is no specific requirement of having a language degree to become a journalist, having one could definitely add up a benefit. As a journalist, there may be times when you have to interview people from different countries. Thus having the knowledge of additional languages can help you in your journalism career.

6. Tour guide

Every country has its own famous places, which are specially visited by several tourists. What is a better job than viewing those awesome places and getting paid? If you know how to speak a different language you will easily be able to guide them about the places. Though for becoming a tour guide, you must have knowledge about the places which are famous in your area.

7. Writing and Editing

Just like the translations, you may need to translate and write books, novels, and various articles. In addition to it, you can also get into a company and may need to draft emails in a different language to other people. 

Is a language degree useful?

Far, you would definitely understand that a language degree is very useful. You can become a translator, teacher, journalist, etc with the help of a language degree. It will not only help you in getting good high-paying jobs but will also help you in gaining social skills like communication skills. 

Conclusion

A language degree is one in which you specialize in a language that is different from the language of your origin. Many people believe that a language degree is not too worthwhile. Though, on the contrary, this is one of the best degrees you can do if you are looking for high-paying jobs like a translator, teacher, etc. In addition to them, you can also get connected to people from different origins.

William Christie
Latest posts by William Christie (see all)