<p>I'm planning on majoring in either German or Russian, with a double major. I love both the languages and cultures, but they each have a downside. For German, its the decreasing marketability (mainly due to more Germans learning English nowadays). And for Russian, its the poor conditions, such as poverty and violence, in the countries that speak it (this would pose a serious problem because I plan on studying abroad). I have experience with German and will be attending a language school in Vienna this summer, but I'm still very tempted by Russian. Which of these would be a better choice?
And concerning my double major...I am interested in linguistics, philosophy, history, comparative literature and anthropology. But since none of these are extremely practical, I'd like to explore other options. I don't care much for science or business, as you can infer I'm more of an academic than applied type. I can see myself as a professor/researcher, translator/interpreter, or an official for the government or some organization (UN, CIA, NSA, etc). What would be some good double major and career options for me?</p>
<p>If you can see yourself as a professor, can you see yourself as a high school teacher? If so, you can always get your certification after you have your language degree.</p>
<p>Maybe you should reconsider business. Perhaps you could have some translating/interpreting business of your own?</p>
<p>Double majoring in linguistics and computer science is a possibility. (Computer science has abundant job opportunities.) I say this because the two fields seem to have connections (human language and computer language), although I am not sure to what extent. Here is a description of UCLA's B.A. in linguistics and computer science:</p>
<p>"The major combines the basic courses of the general linguistics program with that of computer science, accommodating students who want professional preparation in computer science but do not necessarily have a strong interest in computer systems hardware. The goal of linguistics is the enrichment of knowledge about the nature, grammar, and history of human language. Linguistics is a theoretical discipline, akin to philosophy, anthropology, and cognitive psychology."</p>
<p>If you major in Russian or German, you can teach at the high school level despite the languages' "decreasing marketability" (if any).</p>
<p>Explore opportunities for getting minors, too.</p>