Does majoring in French have potential for a good job?

Question

I've been thinking recently about majoring in French at a nice college around here (University of Pittsburgh), but I don't know if the feild has potential for a lot of job possibilities! I am interested in being an interpreter or Foreign Service, but what if I get sick of that? Then what? IF I did major in French, I would probably minor in International Studies.
People say that you never use your major from college, but it's got to have SOME validity in job searching. I'm afraid that if I apply for a job, they'll see that I only have a degree in French, and turn me down.

Has anyone here gone to college for this feild? Did you find that it had room for growth?

Answer 1

My wife's best friend majored in both French and Political Science at Michigan State University. She graduated magna *** laude and was recruited by Interpol to work in Lyon, France. While she has had the usual job problems everyone faces (usually personality conflicts), she LOVES France and doesn't ever intend to move back to the U.S. So there's all kinds of job possibilities, depending on what you want to do.

As for the question about your degree, it is true that a degree in a foreign language is not particularly useful if you won't be in a line of work where you'll use it, so you might want to consider a double-major like my wife's friend. That way you'll be more well-rounded and still have the added benefit of being able to speak a foreign language.

Answer 2

I passed the Foreign Service exam a few years ago. It doesn't matter what you major in, as long as you pass the exam. If you pass the written exam, you're brought into in-person interviews. If you do well there, you can get a Foreign Service job.

I think French would be okay, but it isn't all that transferable into other industries. I would major in something more marketable, like business, economics or engineering. You can still go into the Foreign Service with those.

Answer 3

French is not my field; my field is math so I know how you feel. You could probably work as a French interpreter perhaps. Just keep in mind if you are paying all that money to go to school, you may as well as do something you like.

Answer 4

i don't know who said u never use your major from college, but whoever it is was wrong. my major was accounting, i'm a cpa and cfo. one of my colleagues majored in marketing and is our marketing director.

but, back to your question - majoring in french would have somewhat limited use - like you mentioned translating for the foreign service, possibly later teaching in high school (though you'd need more school for teacher certification). i've heard that the irs likes to hire graduates with degrees in fine arts rather than business because they can trained for irs work w/out "traditional business" thinking clouding judgement.

Answer 5

Haha, well I know fashion design or merchandising helps a lot with that. If not, you could probably major in it at a JC and be a translator... good luck

Answer 6

In international translation, yes.