FOREIGN LANGUAGES
CAREERS360
BE A LANGUAGE EXPERT
QUICK GUIDE TO COURSES IN
2 3E-BOOK E-BOOKCAREERS360 CAREERS360
Foreign Languages Course Review Foreign LanguagesCourse Review
CONTENTS1. Introduction 03
2. Where Should I Study? 04
3. What Do I Learn? 05
4. What After Graduation? 05
5. Demand for Language Professionals 05
6. Languages that Hold Value 06
7. Job Profiles 07
8. Fee Scenario 08
9. How Much Will I Earn? 08
10. Select Universities Teaching Foreign Languages 08
11. Select Colleges that Teach Foreign Languages 09
12. Top Institutes that Offer Diplomas 09
INTRODUCTION
You are at an airport. A foreigner sud-denly asks you, “Sabes Espanol?” how would you react? Probably you will give
a blank stare. He or she is just asking you if you know Spanish. Same is the case if you go to a non-English speaking country. So, knowing a foreign language does help.
What urges you to learn a second language? Either it could be out of sheer curiosity or just plain need to learn a language. Arpita Dasgupta, Editor at Terragreen, learned Spanish to fulfil an innate passion to know the culture of Latin America where she plans a long vacation. Smita Mathur, 23, a German Expert at Deutsche Bank opted it to get a high-paying job. “I translate all fax payments from Germany. And talk over issues related to transactions with German rela-tionship managers,” shares Smita.
FAST FACTSProgramme: BA in Foreign Languages Languages: French, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Persian, Arabic Eligibility: Class 10+2 Best colleges: Delhi University, JNU, Jamia Millia University Job profiles: Translator, interpreter, teacher (with additional qualification) Employers: Schools, Universities, Indian Armed Forces, RAW, Paramilitary Forces, Embassy/High Commissions, Call Centres, MNCs, Tourism, India’s Foreign Ministry, UN Organisations
IF YOU PURSUE YOUR CURIOSITY FOR A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IT CAN MAKE YOU A LANGUAGE EXPERT WITH HANDSOME REWARDS
Cover Design: Rajesh Chawla
Copyright © Pathfinder Publishing Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi
All Rights ReservedNo part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Pathfinder Publishing Pvt. Ltd.
Editor: B Mahesh Sarma
Project Editor S. Rajaram
Research Shiphony Pavitran Suri, Prerna Singh
Art Director Anshul Sharma
Asst. Art Director Rajesh Chawla
Foreign Languages
4 5E-BOOK E-BOOKCAREERS360 CAREERS360
Course Review
WHERE SHOULD I STUDY?
There are numerous options available for you. You get an early start if you have picked up optional language course at
school. At college level you can opt for a three-year Bachelor’s Degree. Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Mil-lia University, The English and Foreign Lan-guages University (EFLU) offer excellent BA courses. You can choose from French, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Persian, Ara-bic, you name it.
Most of the universities like DU, JNU and EFLU conduct entrance exams for BA courses. Typically the entrance tests comprise GK, rea-soning, grammar and comprehension. “You can-not study a language in isolation; understanding of the culture and history of a country is impor-tant,” says Professor Sankar Basu of JNU. “It gives a broader perspective of the language.”
KNOW ALL ABOUT RECOGNISED UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES OFFERING BEST LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
What do I learn? The course will develop your language skill in speaking, reading, writing, translation and interpretation in the language of your choice. You will be introduced to history, culture and literature of the particular language. Audi-ovisual language laboratory facilities and films make learning the language simple and interesting.
In these courses you learn both theory and practice – translate songs, par-ticipate in plays, and watch movies in German, French, Spanish or Japanese. These exercises largely improve speaking and reading expression. Some universities also engage in student exchange programmes, with foreign universities, which open a platform to meet students from other nations. “Inter-mixing with native people, help our students to be more fluent, con-fident. Catching unique nuances makes a huge difference,” says Dr. Kusum Aggarwal, HoD of Germanic & Romance Studies, DU.
What after graduation?Almost all universities that teach foreign languages at undergraduate level also have avenues for postgraduate and doctoral studies. You can do Master’s and then go for MPhil or PhD. This will open up opportunities in teaching and senior positions in companies that need language specialists. To become a college teacher, you need an MPhil and a PhD. The earning potential also increases to a very great extent. Doing your Master’s and beyond in foreign universities will expose you to international culture and job prospects.
Demand for language professionalsWith a boom in globalization, a host of multinational companies have cho-sen India for opening back-end operations. A number of MNCs hire lan-guage professionals required for smooth business communication. Schools, universities and language coaching centres require language teachers in large numbers. Max Mueller Bhavan has entered into a Memorandum of
6 7E-BOOK E-BOOKCAREERS360 CAREERS360
Foreign Languages Course Review Foreign LanguagesCourse Review
Understanding (MoU) with schools and Kendriya Vidyalaya to provide teachers and course material for the language. India has entered into an agreement to popularise Japanese language in the country. There are about 981 KVs, so you can imagine the demand of language experts as teachers
Languages that hold value According to Dr. Kusum Aggarwal, Spanish has a good scope because India is open to Latin American countries for trade and economic relations. “The support of language experts comes handy. And languages like French and German are historically familiar, so many opt it as well,” she shares. Prof. Prachi Goswami of German Language Department at IIS University, Jaipur stresses the demand for German language experts. “MNCs like Bosch, Deutsche Bank regularly recruit our language graduates for varied jobs. Since Jaipur is a tourist spot, our students frequently get absorbed in guiding jobs,” shares Prof. Goswami. The market needs for language experts depend a lot on international and economic ties with a particular country.
JOB PROFILES
If you have good language skills, then you can use it to be an interpreter, translator or teacher for a wide range of careers. Lan-
guage experts are needed at schools, universi-ties, Indian Armed Forces, RAW, paramilitary forces, embassies, multinational companies, call centres, entertainment, tourism, India’s Foreign Ministry, UN and other bodies. Interpreters can make Rs. 1,000 per hour to Rs. 25,000 a day and translators charge on a per word basis (from 60 paise to Rs. 5 per word). At KPOs, you can earn about rupees 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs per annum.
Becoming a language champion To achieve proficiency in any language, practice is key. Prof. Kusum’s advice for language aspir-ants is: “A language student must be regular for his classes. He must be eager to read about the culture and lifestyles of a particular country to grasp every expression.”
A GOOD LANGUAGE EXPERT GETS ABSORBED AS INTERPRETER OR TRANSLATOR. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL...
8 9E-BOOK E-BOOKCAREERS360 CAREERS360
Foreign Languages Course Review Foreign LanguagesCourse Review
Fee scenario The fee structure hugely varies from public to private institutes. At JNU, a language student has to pay just Rs. 500-550 annually as fees. At private language institutes, like Alliance Française (French), Instituto Hispania (Spanish) and Max Mueller Bhawan (German), it may rise to Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per year.
How much will I earn?Salaries could range from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 1 lakh a month. Sitting at home one can earn Rs. 1,500-2,000 a day in translation work. As a freelance Span-ish language expert, what can Shivanand Datte expect? “I can earn more than an engineer,” says playfully. Amidst regular translation assignments, he also works for an export company. He talks to Latin America clients over phone or Skype and acts like an interpreter between the two parties. Four days at the company office earns him Rs 18,000 to 20,000!
Select universities that teach foreign languagesLanguage Award University Web site
French BA University of Mumbai www.mu.ac.in
ARABIC, French, German, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean,
BA JNU, New Delhi http://jnuonline.in
Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, Persian BA Jamia, New Delhi http://jmi.ac.in
Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Persian, Turkish, Italian, Chinese, Korean
BA EFLU, Hyderabad www.efluniversity.ac.in
Select colleges that teach foreign languages Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai
St. Teresas College, Kerala
Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore
Fergusson College, Pune
Softlogic Academy, Chennai
Bangalore School of Business (B.S.B), Bangalore
Institute of Translation Studies
Top institutes that offer diplomas Chinese Language Institute (New Delhi, Gurgaon) Diploma/Certificate Chinese www.chinese.in
Alliance Française, New Delhi Diploma/Certificate French www.afindia.org
Gothe Institute, New Delhi Diploma/Certificate German www.gothe.de
Italian Cultural Institute, New Delhi Diploma/Certificate Italian www.iicnewdelhi.esteri.it
Mombusho Scholar's Association of India, New Delhi
Diploma/Certificate Japanese http://momo.jpf.go.jp/jlpt
Instituto Hispania (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai) Diploma/Certificate Spanish http://institutohispania.com
YMCA Diploma/Certificate Various www.newdelhiymca.org
Bharatiya Vidaya Bhawan Diploma/Certificate Various www.bhawans.info
CAREERS360
QUICK GUIDE TO COURSES IN
MASS COMMUNICATIONIF INFORMATION IS YOUR PASSION
CAREERS360
LEGAL STUDIES
MAKE A CAREER IN THE FIELD OF LAW
QUICK GUIDE TO COURSES IN
CAREERS360
ADVERTISINGTHE SCIENCE OF INFLUENCING DECISIONS
YOUR QUICK GUIDE TO A COURSE INCAREERS360
QUICK GUIDE TO COURSES IN
MASS COMMUNICATION
IF INFORMATION IS YOUR PASSION
www.careers360.comCAREERS360 360