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Job outlook for foreign language professors in the United States
Are foreign language professor jobs in demand?
Foreign language professor job and salary trends over time
Foreign language professor jobs over time
Foreign language professor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 121 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 140 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 153 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 158 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 168 | 0.00% |
Average foreign language professor salary over time
Foreign language professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,622 | $16.16 | --0.1% |
| 2024 | $33,656 | $16.18 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $32,526 | $15.64 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $31,261 | $15.03 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $30,535 | $14.68 | +3.5% |
Foreign language professor jobs by state
Most common states for foreign language professors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 163 | 26% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 255 | 19% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 306 | 17% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 109 | 16% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 901 | 11% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 708 | 10% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 514 | 9% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 384 | 9% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 179 | 9% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 86 | 9% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 81 | 9% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 265 | 8% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 236 | 8% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 157 | 8% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 82 | 8% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 424 | 7% |
| 17 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 349 | 7% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 325 | 7% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 255 | 7% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 71 | 7% |
Foreign Language Professor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of foreign language professor experts
Ashford University
Union University
Macalester College
University of Iowa
North Central College
The University of Vermont
Texas Tech University
Arizona State University
East Los Angeles College
University of Miami
Bucknell University
Arkansas State University
North Dakota State University
Colgate University
Cleveland State University
University of New Mexico
Siena College
Columbia International University
Arizona State University
Wesleyan University
Fabio Lanza
ProfessorAshford University
History
What will help Foreign Language Professors increase their earning potential?
Fabio Lanza: Difficult to say, given how quickly things change. Digital humanities was and still is fashionable and important. Public history (museum, exhibitions, outreach). And teaching.
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Julie Glosson: -Area of specialization
-Language proficiency
-Work History
-Study abroad/Immersion type of experiences
What skills will help Foreign Language Professors earn the most?
Julie Glosson: -Completed Terminal Degree (professors)
-Publications (professors)
-Other scholarly material (professors)
-Specialization in another area (either professor or K12 teacher)
-State certifications (K12 teachers)
-Other types of certifications or affiliations (either professor or K12 teacher)
Nanette Scott Goldman
Senior Lecturer in the Classical Mediterranean and Middle EastMacalester College
Department of the Classical Mediterranean and Middle East
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foreign Language Professors?
Nanette Scott Goldman: With a classical languages major, you learn to excel at writing clearly, listening, memorizing, data analysis, critical thinking, promoting understanding across cultural boundaries, data organization, and presentation
Dr. Irina Kostina
Associate Professor of Instruction, The Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Russian ProgramUniversity of Iowa
Division of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Dr. Irina Kostina: Traditionally in Russia, we had this very important info in our resume: 1) education, 2) work experience, 3) publications.
Today being the Director of the Russian program at the University of Iowa, I would appreciate my colleagues who have the skills:
Critical thinking, patience, and leadership.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foreign Language Professors?
Dr. Irina Kostina: Certifications, computer skills, writing, language, and presentation skills.
Brian Hoffert
Associate Professor of Religious Studies and History; Coordinator of History of Ideas; Coordinator of East Asian Studies\North Central College
Religious Studies
What soft skills should all Foreign Language Professors possess?
Brian Hoffert: I would say that cultural competency (being familiar with one or more East Asian cultures) is the key soft skill that employers would look for. It is a soft skill because it is difficult to "prove" this kind of competency on a resume, though the essential thing that students should consider is literally how much time they've spent in the culture in question. A degree in East Asian Studies will suggest that you have a basic understanding of Chinese, Japanese, and/or Korean cultures, but study abroad experiences demonstrate that you have actually spent time in the culture in question. At North Central, we offer short-term study abroad programs to the region (mostly focusing on China and Japan, but sometimes Taiwan, Hong Kong, and potentially Korea); these are helpful, but two weeks is not enough time to gain real competency. We, therefore, offer many long-term (one or two-semester) programs throughout the region, which will allow students to practice their "hard skills" (i.e., communicating in an East Asian language on a daily basis) but will also help them develop a deeper understanding of the culture. In addition, any kind of employment where one is in contact with one of these cultures is helpful, whether that is doing an internship in an East Asian country or working in a Japanese restaurant in Naperville.
What soft skills should all Foreign Language Professors possess?
Angeline Chiu Ph.D.: Communication, communication, communication. All kinds of communication, be it clear, lucid speaking (whether one-on-one, in small groups, or in large groups), good concise writing that isn't full of jargon and excrescences, or even the seemingly simple but absolutely crucial everyday interactions with the people around you. They can make or break a work or school environment. I don't mean mere etiquette. I mean building a real sense of community and human connection as a base for all the other things the school/company/etc. is trying to do. What can we do that robots can't do? Be human beings in communication and community with other human beings.
Another note on communication: we have all seen situations in which garbled announcements or backtracking/confusing directions have caused all kinds of problems then and later. Focus, clarity, and efficiency in communication are key. And look people in the eye.
Related to this is, of course, the ability to work with others in all kinds of different settings and configurations. Collaboration and cooperation are essential, but they too rest on a foundation of clear communication.
The ultimate soft skill, though, is a little harder to quantify. I'm talking about learning how to learn. Life comes at you fast, at work or school or home, and the ultimate human skill is adapting to situations as they arise and being able to pivot, be flexible, be resilient, be creative in responding, and be able to do all that while remembering that we are working as humans with other humans, and there is much we do not know, and much we do not know as well as we ought to or think we do. Patience, grace, empathy, humility are part of the equation.
What skills will help Foreign Language Professors earn the most?
Angeline Chiu Ph.D.: Learn how to learn. This will apply everywhere. And have the gumption to think for yourself. But in terms of sheer dollar signs, I can't really tell you because the job market is constantly changing, and that kind of volatility is part of life. If you want to snag a job with a good salary in any field at any time, it's not only the world of narrow technical skills that you need. Those skills will constantly need to be updated and retrained as tech changes, and it's changing so, so fast. Besides, remember what I said earlier about what we can do that robots can't. Work on the fundamental and eternally applicable human side skills and competencies that come from liberal arts and humanities, the lessons and enrichments of languages, history, archaeology, literature, theatre, music, the arts. Be a complex, resilient, constantly learning individual who can apply themselves in many ways, including ways we don't know yet will be necessary in a world of ever-changing jobs, of jobs soon to arise that don't exist yet. You are not a faceless cog in a machine. You are a human being with a heart and mind of your own.
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Dr. Ashley Voeks: If a language instructor is applying for a teaching job, work experience, not skills, are the most important part of their resume or CV. If a language instructor is looking to branch out and find an industry job, "skills" are only relevant if and when a resume gets past an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) and into human hands. In my experience, an ATS is only likely to let an applicant's resume through if it is properly formatted and tailored to the job ad. When an ATS scans a resume, it looks for the skills and years of work experience listed in the job ad and automatically tosses it if certain skills seem off, no matter how much they "stand out." In short: the skills that make a candidate stand out are the skills that the employer wants and specifies in the job ad itself.
What skills will help Foreign Language Professors earn the most?
Dr. Ashley Voeks: Clients and recent graduates who have negotiated "high" salaries in entry-level positions have been able to speak to their communication, collaboration, and self-management skills but have also had some technical competencies from internships or online boot camps and workshops. High-earning skills include web design, graphic design, online course content creation, project management, UX design, IT support, coding, Blockchain, social media marketing, etc. Almost all these skills can be gained through certificate-granting online courses.
Lorena Cuya Gavilano Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Spanish and Latin American CulturesArizona State University
Languages and Cultures
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Lorena Cuya Gavilano Ph.D.: It depends. First, for K-12 instructors, native or high proficiency is a must. Candidates that stand out are those that have deep translingual and transcultural competence. Resumes and letters of intent that stand out typically demonstrate interactive and real-life experiences such as community outreach, study abroad, or virtual international experiences. It is very important to demonstrate experience and personal skills reaching out to and interacting with communities that speak and produce the target language and literature. Why? Because teaching languages and literature is not just about making sure that students understand (decode) reading and aural materials. It is necessary to immerse students in different ways of feeling and thinking. Second, for college-level instructors, resumes that stand out demonstrate organizational and communicational skills. It may seem natural that a language and literature instructor knows how to communicate well. Yet, communicating well may not be the strength of many job seekers. Leaving aside the research skills required in many of these jobs, colleges and universities are looking for candidates with some administrative/organizational experience, proving that they can be creative and make projects a reality.
Moreover, resumes that stand out tell the story of a candidate that is not only knowledgeable in the subject matter but is also a good team player. Being a good team player implies that the candidate is a good intercultural communicator and emotionally self-aware. Today, language and literature classrooms require more interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Therefore, experience in interdisciplinary projects is a plus. Furthermore, colleges and universities are trying more and more to incorporate a professional outlook into their language courses. For these reasons, experience and/or training in second languages are becoming a more prominent requirement for many jobs. At the college level, the perfect candidate demonstrates not only a good research record and agenda; the perfect candidate possesses knowledge of digital humanities, course professionalization, and community outreach experience.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foreign Language Professors?
Lorena Cuya Gavilano Ph.D.: Hard skills for languages and cultures are somehow flexible. Instructors need to know about new pedagogies, digital humanities, educational technologies, and social media literacy. But all these requirements change very fast, so instructors should evidence knowledge of all these hard skills and the ability to adapt fast to new ones. The present pandemic had demonstrated how most instructors quickly adapted to new virtual classrooms. We ought to always be ready for any change. For this and other pedagogical reasons, adaptability is one of the most needed values in language education.
What skills will help Foreign Language Professors earn the most?
Lorena Cuya Gavilano Ph.D.: It depends on the individual ranks. Tenure-track professors, for instance, will need to prove research skills in the form of publications and grant applications in addition to other forms of educational engagements. However, something common to all language and literature instructors from K-12 to higher education is creative abilities to generate projects with students and projects within and surrounding communities. These skills can guarantee salary increases by the end of each year.
Diane Renée Mannone
Associate Professor of EnglishEast Los Angeles College
English Department
What soft skills should all Foreign Language Professors possess?
Diane Renée Mannone: Working well with colleagues: collaborating, being a team player, involved in the department and campus, etc.
Logan Connors
Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Modern Languages & LiteraturesUniversity of Miami
Department of Modern Languages
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Logan Connors: It is difficult to know at this time the extent of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates, especially graduates who are seeking professional opportunities and graduate study abroad. Majors of Romance languages are attracted to programs and opportunities in some of the places that have been the most ravaged by the current pandemic such as Western Europe and Latin America. That said, our graduates are particularly well trained to engage in this pandemic (and assist in the economic, artistic, and social recovery from the pandemic) owing to their cultural awareness of those places which have been the hardest hit.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Foreign Language Professors?
Logan Connors: In our courses and programs, we encourage our students to prepare for all aspects of their career as well as for life beyond their purely professional goals. Our courses teach students how to engage critically with discourses and cultural materials in multiple languages—these are skills and abilities that are transferrable to a diversity of career options in law, business, education, medicine, finance, international non-profit organizations, and much, much more.
What will help Foreign Language Professors increase their earning potential?
Logan Connors: We enable our students to think outside of a singular, monolingual worldview. There are multiple ways that this skill could increase our students’ earning potential. In addition, we strive to increase our students’ cultural awareness and we cultivate their sense of intellectual curiosity. We push our students to fully appreciate a wide range of experiences, such as study abroad, which gives them flexibility and adaptability, even in high-pressure and culturally sensitive situations. In sum, we increase our students’ abilities to engage with more (and more diverse) cultures and we give them the tools to succeed in and enjoy those experiences and relationships.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Bastian Heinsohn Ph.D.: The impact will probably be felt for some time, but not in the long run. Graduates in German Studies, and in any second language for that matter, often seek work opportunities abroad. It may take a year or two to return to pre-covid figures of recent graduates working abroad.
What's a day at work look like for a Foreign Language Professor?
Bastian Heinsohn Ph.D.: Work as we know it has significantly shifted to alternative models. Office work, as well as work in the educational sector, will likely look different post covid, allowing for more flexibility in regards to in-person and remote work. This should be seen as a chance, not a limitation to work and office life.
What will help Foreign Language Professors increase their earning potential?
Bastian Heinsohn Ph.D.: Language skills set you apart from your peer graduates. My suggestion: Become fluent in a second language, perhaps learn a third on top of it, and immerse yourself in a foreign culture to become a global citizen.
Dr. Vicent Moreno Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Coordinator of World Languages and CulturesArkansas State University
Department of English, Philosophy, and World Languages
How have salaries changed over time for Foreign Language Professors?
Dr. Vicent Moreno Ph.D.: This is hard to answer as it depends mostly on what job you do and the geographical location. It also depends on the level of education attained: those with Masters and PhDs tend to fare better in terms of salaries. In general, though, I would say that salaries for those in the field of languages have been stable throughout the years.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Eric Ross: I think the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on 2021 graduates will be profound and long-lasting. The job market wasn't great even before COVID, and the overall economic damage caused by the pandemic has made things worse.
Marta Perez-Carbonell Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorColgate University
Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Marta Perez-Carbonell Ph.D.: Sadly, I think there will be. It's too early to tell but the job market for Romance languages was hardly booming before the virus, so I think there may be some tough years ahead. I am thinking about a career in academia, but I'm sure there are sectors that will be less impacted by this crisis.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Foreign Language Professors?
Marta Perez-Carbonell Ph.D.: I guess it will be useful to be able to prove that one is adaptable and can change quickly from in-person format to online learning without much compromising the quality of the teaching. In terms of publications, I think that won't change. Again, it may be useful for candidates to show they have adapted to an online format of conferences and are still willing to travel when it's safe.
What soft skills should all Foreign Language Professors possess?
Marta Perez-Carbonell Ph.D.: Other than being competent in the use of Zoom or equivalent, I don't think their needed soft skills have changed much.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Annie Jouan-Westlund Ph.D.: It’s difficult to evaluate how the pandemic is affecting recent graduates with degrees in Romance languages, literature, and linguistics entering the workplace. Some recent graduates may have had less direct experience with the culture and languages because study abroad opportunities have been impacted by the pandemic. Some onsite internships have been replaced with virtual experiences but the learning loss still remains to be evaluated. Students who were planning on completing capstone projects abroad have also had to revise those projects to be done virtually. Overall, this means that many recent graduates do not have the immersion experiences that previous graduates have had.
Some recent graduates with degrees in Romance languages, literature and linguistics have trained to become language teachers. Schools are still hiring language teachers, but many of the classes are not being conducted face to face. We know some students who have preferred to put off graduation and student teaching because they wanted to do their student teaching in a more traditional face-to-face environment.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Foreign Language Professors?
Annie Jouan-Westlund Ph.D.: The pandemic contributed to the recognition that teaching face to face is more optimum than teaching remotely, particularly in foreign languages. Schools will continue to hire foreign language teachers who received a teacher license with a communicative pedagogical approach. For those graduates not planning to be teachers, some have entered graduate programs. The global pandemic created a greater need for translators in various international health organizations and publications. We have students entering graduate programs to earn translator/interpreters certifications. Others are seeking to use their skills in a variety of ways. Since programs in romance languages are not training students for a specific job, these graduates can leverage their knowledge of a foreign language, their intercultural skills as well as the communication skills that come from programs which are writing intensive and hone critical thinking skills. Students with these skills often apply for government jobs or work for non-profit organizations that deal with other cultures. With our global economy, this transferable skill set is very much needed in a variety of different domains. After the pandemic, economists predict a surge in international trade exchanges and tourism. French speaking countries in Africa, for instance, poised to become the fastest growing markets in the world economy, already provide a lot of job opportunities for our graduates.
What soft skills should all Foreign Language Professors possess?
Annie Jouan-Westlund Ph.D.: Learning a Romance language, literature and linguistics teaches you to communicate effedtively in more than one language. It enables you to develop an open mind toward what seems foreign and consequently encourages flexibility and adaptability to new contexts and situations. Since speaking is not an isolated activitiy, foreign language graduates naturally develop strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to become a good team player. Since they understand and appreciate other cutlures, foreign language graduates are flexible and resourceful employees who are not afraid of taking initiatives.
Dr. Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of RussianUniversity of New Mexico
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Foreign Language Professor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan Ph.D.: I think the biggest shift in both our mindset and our physical environment could be described with one word ‘self’: self-service, self-education, self-care, self-reliance, etc. Take self-service, for example. It is now everywhere: in grocery stores, restaurants, banks, airports, etc. Although It is not a new phenomenon and was originally implemented for greater efficiency, the pandemic has added to it the element of safety. The job market has to respond to that trend and we will be seeing more jobs related to digitalizing various spheres of our daily lives. For example, in the area of language, machine learning is already one of the ‘hot’ trends on the job market, with universities and private companies seeking to hire graduates with degrees in linguistics, foreign languages, computer science, or engineering. Work in this area can be done remotely, which has a lot of appeal in the current situation.
What Foreign Language Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan Ph.D.: First, I would encourage graduates to take a gap year if possible, so they can reflect on their professional goals in a less distracted way. If they have the opportunity, they should focus on enhancing their digital and social skills, which are important and relevant to any field or situation. Modern technologies are here to stay and more and more jobs will require both basic but also more advanced digital literacy. Graduates will be more competitive on the job market if they are creators and not just users of new technologies. A very useful skill nowadays is knowing a foreign language, even if it’s not at a highly proficient level. Global industries, trade, politics, education and health care will have an increasing need of more specialists with language skills and strong cultural awareness. Acquiring and cultivating those skills would not come fast but spending some time in a foreign country would make this process more effortless and enjoyable.
What general advice would you give to a Foreign Language Professor?
Dr. Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan Ph.D.: We are witnessing a paradigm shift in the way we are thinking about our jobs and performing our professional duties regardless of the pandemic. A healthy balance between a more narrow professional specialization and an exposure to a broader variety of subjects will widen the opportunities for the new graduates. Proactive behavior, analytical thinking, curiosity, resilience, and the ability to navigate the rapidly changing professional and social landscape are some of the most important skills that have been and are still in high demand in our society. Take good care of cultivating them not only in your profession but also in anything you do in your life.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foreign Language Professors?
Lisette Balabarca Ph.D.: There’s no exact answer for this question right now; however, things are going to be different for a while. Luckily, technology has helped us to overcome the difficulties of teaching and learning and, although it’s not the best setting, remote classes are a good option while social distance is required. For graduates in languages, probably the part that is the most affected is the cancellation of study abroad programs. The experience that traveling to a non-English-speaking country gives is not comparable to anything else. Hopefully, with the vaccine, and maintaining the masks and social distance, students could travel in a different way and still broaden their knowledge of other languages and cultures.
What type of skills will young Foreign Language Professors need?
Lisette Balabarca Ph.D.: I’d say two things mainly: A global experience and digital and technological skills. An interest in learning and getting in touch with other cultures, peoples, traditions and ways of life is a must. Due to the pandemics all this has been cut off; nevertheless, technology could bring us closer even if remotely. Young graduates will have to be ready to communicate virtually with people in other countries and to take advantage of this experience in more creative ways.
What experience really stands out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Lisette Balabarca Ph.D.: Activities or jobs in which they use communication skills in the target language, both orally and in writing. Also, experience with technology (education platforms, social media, digitized texts). And finally, but very important, experience living among other cultures and speaking languages other than English either in a local or in a global setting.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Foreign Language Professor job market given the pandemic?
Edward Smither Ph.D.: Like many industries, people are working from home and on screens. This has improved efficiency in some areas but also limited human face-to-face interaction. In our field of intercultural ministry, human contact is necessary. It is possible to teach, coach, and minister via video conference, but it should never be the norm.
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Edward Smither Ph.D.: The ability to collaborate, communicate, and to be flexible with work delivery forms.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Foreign Language Professors to find work opportunities?
Edward Smither Ph.D.: Our students tend to work for churches, Christian ministries, and also in private and public education teaching English. All of these entities are still hiring. For those involved in ministries and teaching English, larger urban areas with immigrant and refugee populations are good places to serve—places like Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Louisville. Our graduates in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are finding work in the Columbia, SC near our campus, Columbia International University.
Michael Gradoville Ph.D.
Assist Professor, SpanishArizona State University
School of International Letters and Cultures
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Foreign Language Professor job market given the pandemic?
Michael Gradoville Ph.D.: To be honest, I don't think any of the students in my undergraduate class this spring were graduating, so I don't know how much I can talk about pandemic-specific trends. I have written letters of recommendation recently with the following aims: jobs teaching high school Spanish, MA programs in speech and hearing sciences, an MA in Hispanic linguistics, and an MA in Luso-Brazilian literature and culture.
What skills stand out on Foreign Language Professor resumes?
Michael Gradoville Ph.D.: I don't evaluate resumes for jobs, but this really depends on the job. Knowledge of acoustic phonetics is useful for those doing speech and hearing sciences. Lots of employers appreciate good knowledge of Excel and statistics. Knowledge of bilingualism is helpful for a variety of jobs. It all depends on the job or educational opportunity.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Foreign Language Professors to find work opportunities?
Michael Gradoville Ph.D.: It depends on the job type. Jobs involving human speech processing tend to be in tech centers, like Silicon Valley. The state of Arizona always has a demand for qualified teachers. Bilingual speech language pathology in Spanish is in demand where there are Spanish speakers, which is an ever larger area of the country.
Michael Armstrong Roche
Associate Professor of Spanish, Spanish Section Head, Associate Professor, Medieval Studies, Associate Professor, Latin American StudiesWesleyan University
Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Foreign Language Professor job market given the pandemic?
Michael Armstrong Roche: I won't dwell on the obvious, such as a command of video-conferencing and remote-collaboration tools. Everyone knows that. So, while necessary, they won't help job seekers stand out. The most interesting long-term trend in modern languages (including Spanish) is that, even as many colleges and universities have been short-sightedly shutting down modern language departments across the country in response first to the 2008 financial crisis and now the pandemic, over the past 15 years many corporate employers, medical and law schools, and graduate departments of all stripes have been snapping up our majors and double majors in languages. The reason is that they recognize, based on documented results over the last 50 years, that deep study of another culture through its language (including literature) usually means graduates will be able to put themselves in others' (colleagues' or clients') shoes more easily and communicate more effectively even in English.
In other words, the benefits go far beyond simply being able to make oneself understood in another language. That is why my advice is to favor the more intellectually challenging "humanities" courses in other languages rather than courses in Spanish or other languages for the professions. Once you have that deeper grounding you can learn the medical, legal, engineering, or business vocabulary on your own in a few weeks by consulting technical lexicons. Twenty years ago only 2 percent of our modern language majors were double-majors in the sciences; now it is over 30 percent and climbing rapidly. This has followed a similar, earlier trend toward double-majors that combined modern languages with the social sciences (economics, political science, sociology, etc.). Many of our recent graduates are being told they can learn the "hard" (technical) skills they need for success in a single course, on-the-job, or through a subset of courses such as pre-med or pre-law curricula.
On the other hand, the major or double major in languages shows employers, professional schools, and graduate schools that graduates are likely to have the critical-thinking, communication, and networking (so-called "soft") skills, along with the creativity, adaptability, curiosity, initiative, and intellectual flexibility, they will need to learn continually over a long, rapidly evolving work-life. Majors or double majors in modern languages stand out for all of these reasons in an increasingly diverse and competitive work environment in which automation will make the more rote technical skills increasingly redundant. This long-term trend has only been intensified by successive (financial, health-related) crises over the past 15 years. The intellectual nimbleness trained by modern languages is likely to become even more valued as we face the on-going challenges of globalization and climate change.
What Foreign Language Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Armstrong Roche: Many recent graduates have discovered that they can just as well adapt to confinement and pandemic-related protocols abroad as they can stuck at home. A year abroad in a non-English speaking country can pay off disproportionately not only in fluency but also in your confidence and ability to adapt creatively to many kinds of challenges in the future. Even students who study abroad for only a semester before they graduate come back noticeably "seasoned," immeasurably more mature and independent as a result of the dozens of small and large adjustments to other ways of doing things they have had to negotiate every day while abroad. You will be more confident in your ability to handle adversity and even thrive with it if you study or work abroad for a year after graduating. (I make suggestions for recent graduates in Spanish after the next question.) Internships that involve use of other languages here in the U.S., particularly if you have not yet graduated and cannot opt for fellowships or teaching assistantships abroad, accomplish some of the same ends on a more modest scale.
What general advice would you give to a Foreign Language Professor?
Michael Armstrong Roche: No matter what your professional interests, I strongly encourage all recent graduates to work or study abroad in a non-English speaking country for at least a year after college. It will open all kinds of professional and intellectual doors for you down the road. The more challenging version of this would be to apply for fellowships such as the Fulbright (run by the federal government): recent graduates in Spanish and the sciences have won Fulbrights, for instance, to carry out research in genetics at the national cancer research center in Madrid.
A more accessible version of this plan, which thousands of American and Canadian majors or double-majors in Spanish have done over the past decade and a half, is to serve for a year as a teaching assistant in English in Spain. The Spanish Ministry of Education runs a program called the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program (NALCAP: educacionyfp). It places dozens of English-speaking American and Canadian students in Spanish schools every year as teaching assistants to teachers of English. (This program has continued through the pandemic.)
Graduates have their expenses covered, learn about teaching, and get to spend a rewarding year abroad honing their knowledge of the language and culture. Many have found this so rewarding they have renewed their teaching assistantships for two and even three or four years! Needless to say, these students find their competitive advantage immeasurably enhanced when they return home to take up professional or graduate studies or seek work.