<p>I am a language lover and for the past few years, all I want to major in are two languages--Russian, German, or maybe Chinese. However, looking around this website, I have seen countless people saying that you need to major in economics, business, etc. and a language. I can't think of giving one up though. Plus, I want to just teach foreign language, do relief work, or translate for the government. So, should I major in two languages or pick a concentration and a language? Thanks.</p>
<p>I think it would be a good idea to pick up something like business or education, especially if you want to teach or translate (you might be self-employed in the latter). But it’s not to say you have to. Most people learn languages without a degree, and with ones as difficult as Russian and Mandarin, it will take you more than 4 years to learn than fluently, unless maybe you study every day and go abroad as well. German is feasible though. You could always double major in a language and something more practical to compliment it, or you could major in something practical and double minor in two languages (omitting the literature courses). It’s your call.</p>
<p>Yeah, I thought about about doing international relations or ethnic studies, but when I study abroad a lot of classes there would be in such areas and not in the majoring language. Funny, I found a post exactly like mine and those answers really helped, but thanks for your suggestion. I’ll think about it.</p>
<p>If you are fluent in a language that people need, you can get a job regardless of the degree you have. I would do French and German, as those are the two main academic languages should you decide you want to do any graduate study. </p>
<p>Russian and Chinese have great possibilities in both business and government work, but they may be a bit hard to learn at the same time, and I would recommend the German to go with whichever one of those you chose if you are dead set on double majoring in a language.</p>
<p>Language are practical degrees in and of themselves because of how interdependent our world is becoming, and learning two major languages is a selling point in and of itself. If you are really concerned about the practicality of it get an accounting or finance minor. One hears that people with accounting skills and who are multilingual are the people that government agencies really try to recruit.</p>
<p>I also want to do a dual-langugae major but i feel i need to make myself more marketable…but then there are the people that say “do what you love”…i am thinkin gof :Spanish, French, German, Portuguese</p>