Major In Linguistics Vs. Actual Foreign Language

College Majors
1

<p>I'm a freshman at university this year- classes start Tuesday. These days, I've had a bunch of free time so I've been thinking a lot harder about my major... I've been mostly considering myself a linguistics major (I came in as one, but because of some university policy all the freshmen are changed to undecided) but now I'm thinking, I might be more interested in working more closely with an actual language. I've already decided that I'd like to minor in Korean- I'm starting Elementary Korean this semester. But I'm also thinking, formal education in Chinese would be pretty good (I'm quite good with speaking Cantonese, but I stutter in Mandarin and my reading/writing is so-so, everyone knows how [not]useful those weekly Chinese school classes are) so I was thinking maybe I could major in Chinese instead of Linguistics. I've also been toying with the thought of a minor called "Literature in Translation"...</p>

<p>I was planning on going abroad for summer after freshman year and junior year, but I might have to scrap that, maybe go for just a single semester, or the summer + junior semester, so I can get all I want done.... done.</p>

<p>Can anyone offer their opinion? And what do you think would be more useful for a stable career? And is a minor in Literature in Translation a good idea? It'd take four classes, but a major in Chinese would also need four non-language classes, so I don't know if I can find enough different classes to fulfill them both. The Linguistics major is eight classes, no relation really to the East Asian Studies department.</p>

<p>I'm not so sure what I want to do later, in terms of occupation and career... Maybe do that TESL thing, teach English overseas for while to get used to going between languages, and then come home and translate, just as a general translator? Or something. (would I need some grad school for that???)</p>

<p>I don't know what else I could do besides languages, I'm hopeless at the sciences, I'm good but not great at mathematics and computers, and I've honestly have never found any interest in English from an academic point of view. Languages are the only thing that I'm both passionate about and somewhat decent at.</p>

2

<p>From an uneducated perspective (I'm still a student), I think the most difficulty would be finding that first job out of college. But, after that if you got into a field you liked, I think you'd be set...whether or not you're making tons and tons of money. </p>

<p>I'm really fed up with the only "real" majors being engineering and the sciences...but, that said, it is easier to get a first job and higher salary with those majors. but, we all need people who major in languages, so go for it do what you love!</p>

3

<p>Many, if not most, linguistics majors require you to have fluency in a foreign language. This could be Korean or Chinese for you.</p>

<p>Linguistics tends not to be very heavy in course requirements, so you could probably do a double major in linguistics and another language. I know many who have done it. See also if you can do the linguistics major with a concentration in the languages you mentioned or in East Asian Studies. Some departments, like this one, allow you to do that:</p>

<p>Stanford</a> Linguistics | Undergraduate | Major Concentrations</p>

<p>If you can fit in a minor, go ahead--if you find it interesting enough, such as the Literature in Translation minor you mentioned. (My AP English course in high school had a "literature in translation" unit, and it was my favorite.) I don't think it'd really help you get a job though.</p>

<p>Doing a double major in linguistics and a language would probably help you in finding a job, especially if it's an in-demand language like Chinese or Korean. See this for jobs having to do with language and linguistics:</p>

<p>LSA:</a> About Linguistics
Linguist</a> List - Jobs Index Page</p>