What can I do with this degree? |
GOVERNMENT
- Translation/ Interpretation
- Journalism/ Broadcasting
- Linguistics
- Diplomacy
- Civil Service
- Foreign Service
- Immigration/ Naturalization
- Customs
- Intelligence/ Law Enforcement
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- Federal government organizations including:
- Overseas aid agencies
- Intelligence and law enforcement agencies
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Department of State
- Immigration and Naturalization Service
- Customs Service
- Library of Congress
- Armed forces
- Voice of America
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- Learn federal, state and local job application procedures.
- Plan to attend a specialized school that teaches foreign languages.
- Join armed forces as a way to get experience.
- The government is one of the largest employers of people with foreign language skills.
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ARTS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT
- Advertising
- Translation/ Interpretation
- Journalism/ Broadcasting
- Publishing/ Editing
- Public Relations
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- Museums
- Foreign news agencies
- Book publishers
- TV networks
- Radio stations
- Film companies
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- Learn about the customs and culture of the country in which your language of study is primarily spoken.
- Spend time studying or working abroad.
- Read international newspapers to keep up with developments overseas.
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INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE
- Translation/ Interpretation
- Banking/ Finance
- Sales
- Customer Services
- Manufacturing
- Engineering/ Technical
- Research
- Operations Management
- Consulting
- Imports/ Exports
- Administrative Services
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- Banks/ Financial institutions
- Import/Export companies
- Foreign firms operating in the U.S.
- American firms operating in foreign countries
- Manufacturers
- Retail stores
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- Supplement coursework with business classes.
- Gain experience through an internship or work abroad program.
- Find out which companies do business with the countries in which your language of study is spoken.
- Be prepared to start in a position in the US working for a firm with an overseas presence. Very few entry level positions are available in international business.
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TRAVEL AND TOURISM
- Translation/ Interpretation
- Airline Services
- Management
- Booking and Reservations
- Travel Services/ Guidance
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- Tour and excursion companies
- Travel agencies
- Hotels/ Motels
- Resorts
- Restaurants
- Airlines/ Airports
- Cruise lines
- Railroads
- Bus lines
- Convention Centers
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- Take courses in hotel/ restaurant administration.
- Get a part-time job in a hotel or restaurant to gain experience.
- Spend some time abroad to learn the traditions of fine dining, wines, etc.
- Brush up on your knowledge of geography.
- Plan to attend a travel school.
- Develop office skills such as typing, organizing, and working with computers.
- Read international newspapers to keep up with overseas developments.
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INTERPRET/ TRANSLATE
- Interpretation:
- Simultaneous
- Consecutive
- Conference
- Escort/Guide
- Judiciary
- Translation
- Literary
- Localization
- Medical
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- Freelance
- Educational services
- Business services
- Government agencies
- Healthcare organizations
- International organizations
- Courts
- Publishers
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- Develop a "near perfect" knowledge of a second language. Seek out any opportunity to converse with native speakers to better learn the language.
- Gain experience through internships or volunteering.
- Learn a third language for great job opportunities.
- Develop aptitude with computers and the Internet.
- Most people who work in this field freelance.
- Freelancers who have expertise in a particular area such as law or medicine may find more opportunities.
- Seek certification or accreditation from an interpretation/ translation organization.
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SERVICE AND EDUCATION
- Translation/ Interpretation
- Teaching
- Educational Administration
- Linguistics
- Civil Service
- Social Work
- Mission Work
- Library Science
- Health Services
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- Hospitals
- Religious and volunteer organizations
- International organizations
- Law enforcement agencies
- Social service agencies
- Universities/Colleges
- Pre-schools
- K-12 schools
- Professional language schools
- English language institutes
- Overseas dependents' schools
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- Obtain state teacher licensure for K-12 teaching.
- Develop superior written and oral communication skills in the English language including proper sentence structure and comprehensive vocabulary.
- Notify local hospitals, schools, and chambers of commerce of your availability to translate or interpret for international visitors.
- Minor or double major in another subject that you could also teach.
- Consider teaching English in another country.
- Obtain a graduate degree for college or university teaching opportunities.
- Get experience by becoming a teaching assistant or tutor.
- Be familiar with the cultural base of your language (literature, art, politics, etc.) as well as with cultural traditions.
- Specialize in an area of research.
- Plan to take both written and oral examinations to become an interpreter.
- Get a part-time job teaching English as a second language.
- Volunteer with government programs such as Peace Corps or VISTA.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
- Choose an additional academic area of study to supplement the foreign language, preferably one that requires a high degree of technical skill. Most people with foreign language ability use those skills to assist them in a different career field such as business, education, etc.
- Related courses to study include geography, history, civilization, foreign relations, international law, and world economics.
- Decide and choose which language is necessary for your career. Decide the level of foreign language ability you will need to acquire for success in your career.
- Possible languages to study: Spanish, German, French, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic and Portuguese.
- Plan to attend a private language institute to learn additional languages and cultures.
- Travel to a foreign country or study abroad ininternational exchange programs to learn different cultures.
- Study and practice your foreign language skills by reading foreign newspapers, magazines and books.
- Watch foreign movies and listen to foreign broadcasts to maintain your fluency.
- Volunteer your language skills to churches, community organizations and programs thatwork with people who speak your target language.
- Participate in summer programs, co-ops, and internships to improve your skills.
- Pen pal with a correspondent from a foreign country.
- Contact professional associations and read their publications to learn about job opportunities.
- Research job postings on the Internet to get an idea of jobs in which knowledge of a foreign language is useful.
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Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (2003) |
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