<p>Is foreign language study required as part of your course of study as an engineer? Is it part of the admissions requirements at your school? What are the benefits of foreign language proficiency in the practice of engineering? Thanks in advance for your comments!</p>
<p>It’s not required for an engineering degree, but it’s usually required for admission.</p>
<p>The benefits of being proficient in a foreign language to the everyday practice of engineering is negligible. The overwhelming majority of engineering curricula do not require foreign language courses.</p>
<p>a lot of US engineers go overseas to work…esp chemical and petro engineers</p>
<p>nearly all colleges (including tech schools) have a foreign language requirement for admission…although sometimes you can get admitted w/o meeting it</p>
<p>The University of Rhode Island has a 5 year international engineering program, which you have two degrees, one in engineering and one in a foreign language </p>
<p>[International</a> Engineering Program (IEP) German, French, and Spanish Language Study and Engineering–Study Abroad and International Internships](<a href=“http://www.uri.edu/iep/]International”>http://www.uri.edu/iep/)</p>
<p>You study abroad or do a co-op abroad I believe, also</p>
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<p>Most multi-national companies require their engineers to speak English in order to promote cooperation. Even if you’re going to be posted internationally, it’s too hard to “guess” where you’ll be sent. Spanish, Danish, German, Mandarin, Italian… </p>
<p>If a company is going to post you somewhere temporarily, they’ll send you to an immersion course and get you conversational in a month or so. </p>
<p>The exception would be if you’re looking to be permanently stationed overseas. For example, if you really want to work in Dubai, speaking Arabic will definitely set you apart.</p>
<p>At Clemson University, there’s a minor called International Engineering and Science. You have to complete the study of a foreign language through at least the sophomore year level and then take 9 credits of engineering/science classes at the 300 level or higher at a foreign institution or at least 3 months or have an approved international internship/research program of at least 3 months.</p>
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<p>I have a friend who did not know where she’ll be stationed abroad for a year. It was going to be anywhere including Brazil, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, etc. </p>
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<p>“A lot” is a relative term. Most U.S. engineers won’t go overseas to work. Only a minute fraction will be working with people from other countries where English is not the “working language.” </p>
<p>The opportunity to work elsewhere is definitely there if you choose to do so, but you don’t need to know another language to work as an engineer for most jobs. I think the time spent learning another language is better spent on one’s writing skills (in English).</p>
<p>For me, languages are very fun to learn and I am pretty sure that I will speak Indian languages with my future Indian co-workers and I may go to France or Africa for a conference some time and have to speak French. I think Africa will become a lot more relevent in the engineering world within the next 10 years, especially if political instability reduces. However, I believe that 99.999% of Engineers can survive without knowing a foreign language.</p>
<p>However, I too am wary about spending tuition money to learn a language during college. Doing it in high school is great, because you don’t have to pay; by taking the AP exam, you place out of it in college. I think you can learn languages through Rosetta Stone or some other software and really don’t have to take formal classes if you want to learn a language - they are expensive and in reality, the only way you will become truly proficient in the language is to speak the language on a daily basis with native speakers. I can guarantee you that even years of “advanced courses” won’t take you there.</p>