Give Your Career A Multilingual Boost
Posted in: Linguistics News, Modern Languages, News Students Can Use, Spanish-Italian News and Events
Get a Career Edge
Boost your future career opportunities by studying a language as a major or minor during your undergraduate career. Our colleagues in Auburn University (Alabama) have crunched the latest data and have come up with the first 25 Reasons to Study Foreign Languages.
Now there is no need to run off to Alabama! You can employ this strategy here at Montclair State by declaring double majors and/or minors that include a language (or two, or three – the choice is yours, polyglot!).
Having a language as a major or minor on your transcript and on your resume is a piece of the puzzle in prepping for a competitive job market. Studying languages enhances your academic experience all around- both in and out of the classroom. Bonus: Working closely with an advisor helps you maintain a four-year graduation schedule. Win, win, and win!
The Benefits for You
Knowing a foreign language increases your marketability in a variety of fields. Here are just a few:
- Culinary Arts
- Film
- Philosophy
- Interior design
- Fashion and jewelry
- Graphic and furniture design
- Leisure and cultural tourism
- Art restoration
- Music
- Dance
- Science
- Transportation
- Computer and software services
- Energy and utilities
- Industrial manufacturing
- International Business
- Check out Harding University’s extensive list
Opportunities Offered In and Beyond the Classroom at Montclair State
- Preparation for teaching in our renowned Teacher Ed programs in various languages
- Hands-on experience through assisting faculty in language workshops and outreach events
- Translation courses, concentrations, and certificates offered
- Language and business courses offered including opportunities for interviews with local entrepreneurs for the Italian newspaper, La Voce di NY
- Coop Ed and internship opportunities
- Career Night events
- Participation in dialogues on the Humanities in the Start Up Economy
- Upcoming campus event on Subtitling: December 5, 2014
- Receptions and events with eminent writers and artists
The Perks of Not Being a WallFlower*
Why Being an Active Member in Our Language Clubs and Honor Societies is Great for Your Resume
- Put theory into practice
- Develop leadership skills
- Rack up event planning experience
- Incorporate inclusive practices into projects and events
- “Pay it forward” through community service
(*Side Note: Save the vicarious “wallflowering” for this good read .)
Questions?
To learn more about American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, stop by Conrad Schmitt Hall, room 222 and visit the following department websites:
If you are interested in Classical Greek and Latin, please stop by Classics and General Humanities in Dickson Hall 151, and visit their website:
All four departments use the same change of major/minor form.
Bonus Panels Are Not Just For Comics
Here’s a little extra info about the logistics of adding a major or minor.
Transforming Your “Free Electives”
If you are not sure how to fit in a language, one easy strategy is to look at your four-year graduation plan (or two-year plan if you transferred with your Associate degree).
Those “Free Elective” credits are just waiting to be repurposed as language courses. You can dive in deeper by tying your language studies into general education requirement areas. F1, K2, World Languages and Cultures Requirements, and other GenEd areas offer courses from the languages departments. (Visit the General Education website for more information.)
Re-think your graduation plan, reference your “Analysis of Academic Progress” from WESS, then consult your advisor to confirm your plans and address any questions when handing in your change of major/minor form.