My daughter wants to learn Spanish at University - career advice please?

Question

My daughter wants to learn Spanish at University, after she hopefully gets a degree she wants to go into Business and not into teaching etc. Her chosen University offers a combined course of Spanish with Business management or Politics, or just Spanish, I think that a business degree would be a lot more attractive to a prospective employer than the ability just to speak Spanish, what do you think?

Answer 1

I am currently studying French and Spanish Joint Honours at University and I would like to point out an error in one of the other answers to this question. Teaching that language is NOT the only thing you can do with a foreign language degree. A degree in a foreign language opens more doors for you than practically any other degree - of course there are the obvious career paths like teaching, translating and interpreting, but you have to remember that a language graduate has proven impressive communication skills both written and orally and has an enormous knowledge of foreign cultures - these are hugely attractive qualities to an employer in any field. Many language graduates go on to work in finance, marketing, the diplomatic services.......etc.

The decision on whether to take just spanish or spanish and business at university really has to be down to your daughter. Studying business will place restrictions on what optional spanish modules she can study and vice versa. An important thing to bear in mind is that she will have to spend a year abroad. If you just study language, you have more options during that time than if you do business as well (or at least that is the case at my university.) Business students are restricted to spending the year working in an approved business aboroad, whereas pure language students can work, teach or study during their time abroad.

Basically the thing to remember is that a degree in Spanish is not "the ability to just speak Spanish." it is proof that you have the intellectual ability to grasp complicated grammar theory, proof that you have a wide knowledge of foreign history, culture and language, and proof that you are a sufficiently well-rounded, mature and able individual to have lived and worked abroad for a year. it is a very impressive degree and is highly sought after by employers. If your daughter really wants to go into business then it may be worth her while taking the business course instead of the pure language course. But I would recommend that you look into how much that might restrict her options later on. Remember, 4 years is a very long time and by the time she graduates she may well have changed her mind about what she wants to do as a career.

the best thing to do for more info is to go to the university open days and have a chat with the lecturers there.

Answer 2

Being bilingual is a big plus. A business degree is also a big plus. She should go for both.

However, I would say that on the subject of learning Spanish, a classroom will never do it. She has to learn to speak i around people who speak Spanish as their first language. Does she know any Spanish-speakers? If not, she could try to find a job in a place where nobody speaks any English. At any rate, it'll take something along those lines to get her really fluent. (I studied French in school for 5 years and still can't speak it worth a damn)

Answer 3

These days you can learn how to speak Spanish over the internet. Check out this online course, it's voted as the best Spanish online course of all time: http://www.rocketlearner.com/spanish The course is very easy to follow, I was able to learn Spanish in just 3 months.

I live in New York City, I wanted to go to a Spanish language teacher but that would have cost me over $800 per month. Good thing with this internet, $800 it's a lot of money for me.

Answer 4

Some employers just want to know that a person can attain to a high level of thinking, it doesn't matter about the subject the degree is in.

Also Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world, so this would be a good point for future employers, she could help in terms of international relations and a world marketing perspective.

BUT let her do what SHE is happy with.

Answer 5

I'm a 13 yr old fluent in a language but my mum became fluent in Spanish aged 42 through immersion in the language , tv in Spanish and many other things in total Spanish . So its not too late and it would be really helpful for ur future . Immerse urself!

Answer 6

Given the amount of Spanish speaking people in the US, the ability to speak Spanish has become more attractive to potential employers. She can become an HR person, or even a salesperson that caters to Spanish speaking clients.

Answer 7

I think so too, especially since there are a lot of native spanish speaking people who speak english perfectly. I have to say, I speak English, Spanish, and German, and none helped me get a job in Switzerland as an architect..

Answer 8

Business would be the ideal program for her. It would give her a lot of opportunities such as business or law. If she wants to go into the medical field, she should consider majoring in pre med or a science and minoring in spanish or having a dual major if offered

Answer 9

Spanish with the Business Management Option would be the best bet. A lot of Businesses are looking for staff who can speak another language as well as their 'mother' tongue.

Answer 10

Perhaps she should Major in Spanish and minor in Business or vice versa. Business these days are willing to pay more money to those that are bilingual because they are an asset.