Foreign Language In College

Studying a foreign language should not be a requirement towards a degree for graduation by Colleges and Universities. Foreign languages should be left up to the student to decide whether or not to take it as an elective. Students could benefit if Colleges and Universities offered some classes that would normally only be offer once a year or by having students take a class that helps them out long term.

 The author Douglas McGray states, “Although half of all college-bound Americans say they hope to study abroad, only 1 percent actually follow through on those plans.” (4) The reality is that many students having graduated settle into life and do not further or are unable to full fill the ambitions they had in college. What ever reason it would be logical if students could take a class in their field of study or be able to take supporting courses. Offering students the chance to take supporting classes may helpful to allow students further exploration into their field of choice.

The author McGray of, A World of Language also states, “…nearly half of those students travel to just four countries in Western Europe; Britain, France, Italy, and Spain.” What would be the sense of requiring students to take a class when only half of 1 percent of students ever travels outside the United States? There is a saying, “That if you plan to travel to a foreign country then one should learn the language before visiting a foreign country.” Also considering that not everyone attends a University or College manages to learn on their own or by tapes how to speak a foreign language.

In reality those that benefit from learning a foreign language is in actuality those seeking a career in military service. Servicemen and woman will most likely be stationed overseas at least more than twice during their contract with the service. Often these service persons will be required to learn a language and about the culture. Those in the service and in careers that deal with others internationally would benefit immensely from learning a foreign language. Though whether it should be a requirement for a degree should not be the case. The service trains and often employs civilian instructors to teach foreign languages to its people. Not many of military service men and women enter into college but rather leave high school to go directly into the service.  

Requiring a student to take a foreign language course with the possibility of never utilizing it is a waste of time and money. Many students already make sacrifices to attend college and Universities. Let alone the skyrocketing fees of classes and textbooks is constantly rising every year. Requiring a student to invest their time and money into a class that they will never use is unethical. Students already full fill a language requirement in high school in order to graduate. Most of these students take it just to fill the requirement before graduation and many never have any interests in the languages they are enrolled in. The time and money comes directly out from a student’s pocket, instead of trying make this a requirement for graduation it should just be allowed to be taken as an elective.