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Hear about How Our Students Are Making the Study of Languages and Cultures Part of Their Career Paths:
Common Career Paths and Job Opportunities for French, German, and Spanish Majors
A major in the Department of Modern Languages, whether it be in French, German, or Spanish, opens the door to a wide range of job opportunities in a variety of fields.
The ability to communicate across languages and cultures is an asset in many specialized careers. In particular, language skills are increasingly important in the health care professions and allied fields: nursing, medicine, psychology, counseling, and social work.
Beyond that, any field that centers on contact between cultural groups—whether it be through international linkages, immigrant communities, or tourism—has a specific need for people with the linguistic and cultural competency that the majors in modern languages offer. More broadly, any field that involves research, analysis, synthesis, and verbal communication needs professionals with the type of liberal arts training offered by the majors in French, German, and Spanish. Additionally, there is always a need for those who can educate others in these important language, thinking, and communication skills.
In sum, a major in French, German, or Spanish, provides the critical thinking skills—the ability to analyze, develop an interpretation, and present a convincing argument— that are valued in every line of work. In addition to these skills that are the hallmark of a liberal arts education, the French, German, and Spanish majors provide specific language abilities and cross-cultural competency.
A Modern Languages Major is an Asset in the following Careers and Fields:
Business, Banking, and Finance
International Business
Domestic Business, in the case of areas of North America with significant
Spanish or French speaking populations
The Hospitality Industry (tourist services, resort management, etc.)
Customer Service
Marketing
Communications
Advertising
Public Relations
Media Relations
Print Journalism
Visual and Broadcast Journalism
Writing and Editing
Publishing: Trade, Academic, and Textbook Publishing
Entertainment Industries
Music Industry
Television and Radio
Theatre and Film
Education Teacher at Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels within areas of Foreign Language, English as a Second Language, Literature, and Social Studies
College or University Professor in a specific language or in a discipline that studies other linguistic communities or relies on research in otherlanguages. Ph.D. programs in many humanities and social science disciplines (e.g., Anthropology, English, History, Linguistics, International Studies, etc.) usually require proficiency in one or more languages.
Administration of international schools, study abroad programs, and other types of international educational exchanges (e.g., internship and volunteer programs)
Information Science
Librarian in academic and public service settings
Acquisitions and Collection Development
Information Technology
Software Development
Law and Public Policy
International Law
Immigration Law
Development and Humanitarianism
Non-Governmental Organizations: National and International NGO’s
Non-Profit Organizations: Charities and Public Arts Organizations
Government and Inter-Governmental Organizations
The United Nations
Diplomacy and Foreign Service: Cultural Attache, Ambassador, etc.
Law enforcement
Military
State Department
Civil Service
Translation and Interpreting (oral translation)
Translator or Interpretor for an International Organization (e.g., the United Nations)
Technical Translator (translate instructions, manuals, web content, etc.)
Courtroom Interpreter (Federal and local levels)
Hospital Interpreter
Literary Translator
Transitional Career Moves
Peace Corps
Teach for America
Fulbright Fellowship for teaching or research abroad
For more details, please speak with a faculty member in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, and/or contact the Toppel Career Center: www.sa.miami.edu/toppel
