Why Study LanguagesWhy Study LanguagesWhy Study LanguagesWhy Study Languages

Produced by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

……When Everyone Speaks English?When Everyone Speaks English?

Endorsed by Languages Work

Sex Goda Skäl FörSex Goda Skäl FörAtt Studera Språk…Att Studera Språk…

Did you understand?

Du kan få ett jobb

Du har nytta av det ute i världen

Du kommer att träffa mycket folk

Du lär känna dig själv bättre

Du kan uppleva nya kulturer

Det är spännande

Six Good Reasons forSix Good Reasons forStudying Languages…Studying Languages…

It’ll get you a job

It’s exciting

It gets you places

You’ll meet loads of new people

You can enjoy new cultures

You’ll find out more about yourself

It’ll Get You a JobIt’ll Get You a JobA few facts about language

graduates and employability

But first – which of the following subjects do YOU think have the best job prospects?

Physical Sciences German

Law Mathematics

Biological Sciences English

Education Business Studies

French Agriculture/Forestry

Psychology Medical Sciences

It’ll Get You a JobIt’ll Get You a JobAverage unemployment rates for

new graduates in the UK 1996-2002

Medicine / Dentistry / Vet Science 0.44%Education 3.19%Law 3.65% German 4.67% French 4.85%All Modern Languages 5.51%Mathematics 6.21%Physical Sciences 6.25% English 6.49%Biological Sciences 6.61% Psychology 6.64%Business / Administration 6.66%Agriculture/Forestry 6.70%

Source: Keith Marshall, 2003

It’ll Get You a JobIt’ll Get You a Job“Being able to speak other

languages is a skill that gets you ahead”

The UK trades with over 200 countries worldwide (Source: Trade Partners UK, 2002)

"UK businesses need people with language skills, to operate at all levels." (Languages Work Handbook for Languages and Careers, CILT 2004)

“Overseas inward investment into this country means that multilinguals are needed in the UK” (Higher Education Advisory Panel)

“Communication barriers lead to missed business opportunities” (Plasberg, U. (1999) ‘Building bridges to Europe: languages for students of other disciplines’ in the Language Learning Journal, No. 20, pp. 51-58)

It’ll Get You a JobIt’ll Get You a JobIt’s not just

language skills either

Employers say they value the key skills developed by language learners – these include:

communication skills • team working skills interpersonal skills • presentation skills problem solving skills • organisational skills good learning strategies…

…can you think of any more?

It Gets You PlacesIt Gets You PlacesLiving abroad is an

experience…

“Going to university was amazing but going to Mexico was the best experience in my entire life – it was absolutely fantastic.

It was the Mexican culture and generally being in such a fantastic country – it was just so different to being in the UK”

It Gets You PlacesIt Gets You PlacesYou learn so much…

“You arrive and you have to learn about new customs and where people live. You learn to deal with new people. You have to think about every word you speak until suddenly you are fluent.

It makes you appreciate home too”

Suzanne is going back abroad after her final year to marry her

Mexican boyfriend

You’ll Meet You’ll Meet Loads of New PeopleLoads of New People“I’ve made lots of new friends,

it’s really widened my horizons”

Using a language is a social activity and language learning leads to encounters with people from many backgrounds

“Speaking with people from different cultures is very enriching. Languages enable you to do this”

“Learning a language develops your interest in other people”

It’s ExcitingIt’s Exciting

Arabic • Chinese • Czech Dutch • French • German Gujerati • Hebrew • Hindi Indonesian • Irish • Italian

Japanese • Polish • Portuguese Russian • Sanskrit • Slovak Spanish • Swahili • Swedish

Tamil • Thai • Turkish • Welsh

…and many more…

Languages you can choose at University include

It’s ExcitingIt’s ExcitingThere are different language learning options after

GCSE

Study an A level, study a different GCSE language, do a practical vocational language course, mix it with other subjects!

Science • drama • film & media politics & society • history •

Engineering • European Studies • International Studies • Business

Studies • Leisure & Tourism

And If You Still Need Convincing…And If You Still Need Convincing…

Maximum Career ProspectsYou will be very employable

Maximum ExperienceThere are lots of personal benefits

Maximum ChoiceThere are many languages and courses to choose from

Maximum FunIt’s certainly not all work and no play

Studying languages means

Produced by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies