Rigorous study of foreign languages has long been an integral part of the curriculum at Yale. Mastering one, two – or even more – foreign languages is a thoroughly rewarding academic achievement in itself. However, practical aspects of learning a foreign language are rarely discussed beyond getting around in a foreign country, having an aesthetic pleasure of reading a literary masterpiece in the original, carrying out a research in an archive, or gaining an in-depth knowledge of another country. These are all-important advantages inherent in learning another language, but is there a more direct practical benefit in it? Is there a job market for foreign languages? What jobs beyond academia appreciate and in fact require proficiency in a foreign language?This conference is an attempt to familiarize Yale students with various career opportunities in foreign languages in both the Government and private sectors (including NGO’s). This roundtable discussion will introduce our students to professionals whose successful government and private careers, to a significant degree, have been shaped by and are dependent on their fluency in a foreign language.
