Hello!
I just recently joined this site because I desperately need some advice. Please be totally honest with me, I can take it!
I am a senior in high school, and I’ve been working out what I want to do in the future. I have always been fascinated with Russian culture and literature, and I am taking an online Russian course right now, therefore I am very interested in majoring in Russian. With a major in Russian I would aim to work somewhere in the Department of Defense as an interpreter or translator. However, I feel as though being just a Russian major would limit me. I would also like to major in Global Studies (also known as International Studies) in addition to Russian because I feel as though it would make me more “well-rounded” and appealing to future employers.
When I told my parents that I wanted to be a translator and learn a different language, they were not excited. They believe that translators/interpreters are a “dying-out” trade, and that translators/interpreters will soon be replaced with some new technology that Google is coming out with, some sort of device that you can put in your ear (like earbuds) that will translate the language you hear into the one that you speak. We looked on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and they were not convinced, because I’m not Russian and I am not a native speaker. Because they believe that being a double major in Russian and Global Studies is a mistake, they think I should minor in Computer Science, because technology is a booming industry. I am not opposed to studying Computer Science, I just do not know how beneficial being trained in Computer Science would be for a position as an interpreter. Are translators and interpreters really a decreasing industry? Would it be a mistake to double major in Russian and GS, or should I pursue my goal? Is Comp Sci a beneficial minor, or would it be better to minor in another language, like Spanish?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
You can major/ minor in all of those areas at the College of Charleston. All of those areas would be very beneficial for working for the government . Linguists and CS majors are hot jobs right now. Good luck to you.
@wetgravy
Seems like the BLS outlook for political science (which will generally include global studies, international relations) is pretty negative
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/political-scientists.htm
If your interest is really Russian translating/interpreting, I would pair that with a major in economics, business economics, or perhaps international business. All of these fields will still have a strong emphasis on international issues, but in the event being a translator/your ideal job does not work out, you would have more opportunities because you would have a more practical background.
If anything, I would do an economics or business major, and double major or minor in russian. Sure, Comp sci is a booming industry, but it has no relation to your ideal job IMO. I think your parents would be quite happy that you were looking at it from a more practical angle if you chose this sort of path.
Some comments:
-The job prospects for translators/interpreters are not the brightest. There are a few undergrad and master’s programs that offer a track specifically focused on translation/interpretation. (if you know another European language, you also might consider such programs at European universities.) Opportunities in that translation/interpretation would be enhanced if you have a subject expertise (e.g., economics, business) in addition to language skills.
-Back when Putin first started raising his ugly head, I remember hearing that the this country was ill-prepared because it had let its expertise in Russian affairs slip in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the current political climate, we’re either going to become Putin’s best friend or, depending on what is uncovered by the hacking investigations, we may be on much less friendly terms. In any case, attention to Russian affairs seems to no longer be on the back burner. To develop expertise in the relevant areas may require graduate study.
-Instead of Russian Language & Literature, you could consider an interdisciplinary degree in Russian Area Studies as long as you do more than the minimal required coursework in Russian language. Some universities offer a track in Russian Studies within a major program in their Russian/Slavic departments. Some universities offer both a track within a Russian/Slavic department and an interdisciplinary Russian Area Studies major. These options might be more easily combined with a major in another field than a straight major in Russian L&L.
-If you combine a Russian major with a major in another field, keep in mind that you should study abroad for a semester, and preferably for an academic year, in Russia in order to attain language proficiency. Depending on what second major you might choose, the study abroad requirements might affect your ability to complete the requirements for another major.
-If computer science interests you, you might consider a program specifically focused on cybersecurity instead. This would be a relevant combination with Russian language studies, but you should only pursue it if you have a genuine interest in computers and cybersecurity.
-You might consider some other languages to study along with Russian. These would be include one of the other Slavic/East European languages, Persian, or Turkish.
-You might consider applying for one of the Russian Language Flagship programs (https://www.thelanguageflagship.org/content/russian). These programs are designed to promote a high level of proficiency in Russian as well as a major in another field.
-If you have an interest in working for the government, there are a number of relevant internship programs (e.g., https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/icstudents.html?Agency=NSA). There are some Federally-funded summer programs in critical foreign languages. Availability of these programs fluctuates with funding.
-Some of the Language Flagship programs are offered via ROTC programs (https://www.thelanguageflagship.org/content/flagshiprotc-scholarships). You may or may not have an interest in ROTC, but military experience can be advantageous to obtain some government positions.
-You can do a professional master’s degree in international relations (https://apsia.org/) if you decide not to pursue global studies as an undergrad. A graduate degree might position you better than just an undergrad IR/GS major. Of course, language skills are a requirement for admission to most such programs. Of course, if you do Global Studies as an undergrad, most such programs require both a thematic focus and a focus on a specific country or region (including relevant language study).