Studying a graduate modern European languages course opens up a world of opportunity for careers in almost any field. If you are skilled in more than one foreign language, you will be highly sought after by any international company. Studying a modern European languages program at graduate level can only stand to increase your chances further, enabling you to have a wider choice in the job market. Modern linguists have specific, transferable skills which can take them anywhere in the world. As a graduate in modern European languages, you are recognised as a good communicator who can adapt well to new experiences. As an international student who studies for a year abroad, you are adept at coping with different cultures, foods, situations, people and much more. Studying a graduate course in modern European languages is a great way to enhance your employability whilst gaining advanced knowledge in a subject you love.
Upon completion of your graduate program, you can go into a variety of different careers; you need not stay within those typical modern language career destinations such as teaching or translation. You can go into; finance, law, fashion, tourism, business, the voluntary sector, politics, the list is endless.
The advantage of studying a graduate modern European languages course is the huge variety of ways in which programs in this field are offered. If you want to learn a language in-depth whilst also learning about the history, culture, media, society or politics of the country you are interested in then opt for a whole degree in European, French, German etc. studies. However, if you want to study a language alongside your major subject then this is also possible (check universities and colleges for possible combinations).
Studying a modern European languages course at graduate level gives you a lot of options. There are Master's courses in historical language studies or linguistics, or applied language studies, from literary translation using state of the art technology to face-to-face interpreting. There are many programs in literature, including comparative literature, and even more in cultural studies – defined by an area or a period like the 18th century or contemporary studies. Or you can use your languages to develop your knowledge of a cross-disciplinary field: the politics of conflict, cultural exchange, sexuality and gender, holocaust studies, poetry, cinema and media, cultural memory or identity and representation. It really is true that modern languages is the most interdisciplinary of subjects.
If you already have a first degree in one or more foreign languages and want to develop or extend the field you have been studying then you will normally need a degree with an award of upper second class or above (or equivalent). However, some universities and colleges will consider applications with a lower degree.
There are many reasons why students undertake graduate study in modern European languages. You may wish to think ahead to your potential career to pick the course that best facilitates this. Upon completion of your graduate program, you may want a vocational qualification or an advanced degree in your language in order to work in a particular country. You may study an MA or MSc in modern European languages as a stepping-stone to research and an academic career. Some masters degrees – usually called MRes or MStuds – have a particular focus on individually building research skills and exploring a research field; graduates of one of these courses might go on to a PhD at the same university or a different one elsewhere.
When researching your study destination and graduate modern European languages program, be sure to look at university and college course listings both with and without your language in them. You may find that your ideal graduate program is hidden under a non-language title. Good luck with your application and enjoy your course!
