<p>I posted this somewhere else already, but I just thought I’d cover all my bases… anyway, I’m already studying Latin and Greek but I really want to add a modern language as well. Here are my options:</p>
<p>French-- I’m considering Peace Corps or some other kind of humanitarian work after I graduate, and I was told that 2 semesters of French would really boost the quality of my application. Plus, my sister’s taking French and could help me study. </p>
<p>Modern Greek-- the American School of Classical Studies in Athens provides a summer session for classics folk like myself. They also have a special Fulbright Scholarship reserved for study there, but like I said- I’m (almost certainly) not doing graduate work in Classics. Still, it would be fun and interesting. I don’t think Greek is really critical when it comes to national security, though…</p>
<p>Russian- It looks like we’re slowly creeping back into a new Cold War, and the CIA has listed Russian as one of their ‘critical languages’. I also think Cyrillic is rad, and maybe knowing Greek would help me with the characters?</p>
<p>Arabic (or possibly Persian, if its offered again anytime soon)- Both seem to be in rather high demand at the moment, but I would only have maybe two semesters to devote to it so I wouldn’t know it very well at all upon graduation. It also seems like it would be really really difficult, and I don’t know how much time I would have to devote to it as my Greek and Latin classes get progressively harder and I start to do research for my thesis.</p>
<hr>
<p>Maybe I should have mentioned my career aspirations. Hopefully someone can relate my choice of foreign language to a post-graduate/career option, because I’m having a hard time myself.</p>
<li><p>Law School- practice law in some capacity here in the US</p></li>
<li><p>Public Service- Graduate work (MA or MSFS) that would get me into either
the State Department or the CIA. This type of schooling would require
some relevant job/travel/language experience-- that’s the tricky part.</p></li>
<li><p>Some Combination of 1 and 2-- work as a lawyer at a diplomatic posting
somewhere. Don’t think I would do this forever, but def. would like to live
abroad for an extended amount of time. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Sorry for such a long post. I would really appreciate any advice you can offer. Thank you!</p>
<p>I would recommend Peace Corps because there's no better way to attain fluency from what I've heard about. Just make sure you try and get a project in it relevant to your interests and it will help out even more come time to apply to school and work...</p>
<p>I second Volscio on the Peace Corps. From what I've heard, it's a great way to get work experience and attain fluency in a foreign language, both of which will help you if you apply to an IR or IR related masters program.</p>
<p>Since you mentioned the CIA in your original post, I've heard that they won't touch you for several years (5, I think) after you get out of the Peace Corps. Also, if you intern or work for the CIA, you can't join the Peace Corps. They do this in order to make sure that there's no connection between the two and to make sure that the host governments see it that way, too. So, if you decide to pursue one or the other, ask questions and be aware of the fact that you may be closing the door to the other, at least for a few years.</p>
<p>As far as which language might be best, of the ones you mentioned, I would guess that you'd make the most progress in French in the time you have, since you already have a background in Latin. French can be a useful language in IR and national security as it's spoken in several African countries and is a widely spoken second language. So, without knowing more, my vote is for French. :)</p>
<p>As far as your language question goes, i agree with txinernational. French is by far your best choice.</p>
<p>Arabic/persian should be out of the running if you cant devote 3+ years to it. I have a few friends who are amazing at languages (one picked up english and french in 2 years, russian in another 2) who took arabic and after their first year they were no where close to knowing the language as well as if they had picked up a romance language for a year</p>
<p>French would definitely be the easiest for you but that doesn't mean you have to stop there.....you may want to consider doing French now and maybe Russian later. It only helps to know more languages. Arabic will take more time as another poster has mentioned, but if you have more time to devout to it then it would make you a very strong candidate (if you were good at it) to work for the government.</p>
<p>If you are interested in CIA or State Dept., do not join the peace corps. The CIA won't touch you for at least 5 years after you get out. Also, having been in the peace corps complicates the process of getting a security clearance--which is required by state dept as well. </p>
<p>Of the four languages you mentioned, clearly the most valuable are Arabic and Russian. However, for you to attain a useful level of fluency you would have to go study it for at least three year,s more if you don't go there. French is obviously far more common and less marketable, but would be much easier to learn. My guess is you could be fluent in four semesters. </p>
<p>Look into the Boren scholarship--it pays for up to a year of study of a critical language in country. There is an undergrad version and a grad version. The only catch is that you have to work for the govt for like two years after you graduate, but it sounds like you want to do that anyways...</p>
<p>Do not...I repeat... do NOT go to school for the CIA. Don't do anything for the CIA. Structuring your life around a job with the federal government is a gamble at best. Remember that even if you are qualified and get offered employment, you may lose the opportunity to work because of a bad polygraph-- those things do not follow any real rhyme or reason.</p>
<p>I am not saying that you shouldn't do federal jobs. Go ahead, as they're great careers. I'm saying that you shouldn't structure your life around them. In any fashion</p>
<p>They also have hiring freezes fairly often, which block even highly-qualified applicants...</p>
<p>UCLAri makes a really good point. I would expand on that and suggest not to plan your life around any government job, state or federal. I'm not saying don't apply or don't take a job if you're offered one, but hiring practices in state and federal governments are notoriously bureaucratic and can take forever, even if there are not glitches with security clearances, polygraphs, etc. It's important to have other options available since being hired by a government agency is so unpredictable.</p>
<p>For example, a friend of mine is a pharmacist and applied for a job with the state of Texas. After he applied, he was called in for an interview, told that he was great but that they needed to interview more people but that they'd get back to him in a couple of weeks. Awhile later, he called and was informed that they still hadn't interviewed enough people but that they'd get back to him when they had. Anyway, to make a long story short, it was several months before he heard that he hadn't gotten the job because they'd lost funding for the position. On a federal level, the State Department hiring process for FSOs can take up to two years, even if nothing goes wrong. That's a long time to put your life on hold for something that may or may not work out.</p>
<p>The point of this is that state governments and the federal government can move slower than molasses on hiring and there can be very little rhyme or reason in decisions and furthermore, like Volscio mentioned and my friend experienced, agencies can be subject to budget cuts and hiring freezes. So, hope for the best, but don't get yourself absolutely set on a particular position or particular agency. </p>
<p>Good luck! :)</p>