Foreign Language Major

B

BeastBarracks2024USMA

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Apr 14, 2020
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If I'm dedicated and diligent, would it be difficult to major in a foreign language of which I only speak very little, or should I minor in it?
 
Depends on the language--but languages are arguably the easiest majors. Most double major with two languages or something else. There are tons of study abroad/AIAD options as well, regardless if your major is in DFL.
 
If you don't have a background in languages and think you want to major in a language then you would be wise to stay away from some of the harder languages like Chinese, Arabic or Russian. I had a roommate at WP who was a Russian major and he spent 95% of his study time on his Russian classes. Fortunately for him he was a stellar student and didn't have to study too hard for other courses like math/chemistry/physics etc.
 
USMAGRAD1988 said:
If you don't have a background in languages and think you want to major in a language then you would be wise to stay away from some of the harder languages like Chinese, Arabic or Russian. I had a roommate at WP who was a Russian major and he spent 95% of his study time on his Russian classes. Fortunately for him he was a stellar student and didn't have to study too hard for other courses like math/chemistry/physics etc.
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Thank you.
 
Chemistry and foreign language are a bit harder to overlap, but are doable. Most double major with a humanities like history or IA. Honestly, all the languages are not that bad except for Chinese, that section of DFL makes it way harder than any other language offered
 
For those who major in a foreign language, is there one after-graduation branching that makes more sense than others? I love languages and am contemplating majoring in them, but I'm not sure how that would affect after-graduation postings. If I were to major in a stem field, I'd think I'd have more options/flexibility. But my first love academic subject would be a foreign language (a double-major if possible) and I'd choose that unless it ends up limiting my future options.

Thank you.
 
@BeastBarracks2024USMA and @DeepWaters ,

One of the many beauties and strengths of this country is our immigrant population. There many millions of first and second generation Americans whose mother tongue is not English. No small number of them are Military Officers, Enlisted and Cadets/Mids. No matter how high are your grades and how much you try, it will be extremely difficult to differentiate yourself from them in language facility.

As a junior officer it would only be by accident or happenstance that one's foreign language ability would be called upon. Instead, it will be your performance in your MOS, first and foremost, that differentiates you and puts you in a position to leverage your other strengths--including knowledge of a foreign language.

By all means, pursue your love and if foreign language is it, then so be it. My DS had a running mate in Project Go who was in AFROTC. He majored in Russian and got a pilot slot. He could also do calculus in his sleep and grew up in family with a crop dusting business.

A strong facility with a second or third language is both a resume enhancer as well as a paycheck enhancer. It will certain get one recognized within many units. However, the Field Artillery Officer who speaks two dialects of Korean, but can't accurately calculate the trajectory and blast radius of an artillery round is of little use on the DMZ or the practice range.
 
If it’s a strategic language, you can test and show proficiency for the Army to earn bonus pay. Outside of attaché positions, SF, and some intel positions, it won’t necessarily affect your posting options and even for those, typically the army will do needs of the Army when you assess into them that they might put you into a foreign area concentration completely not related to your current abilities. The Army doesn’t always do a great job of utilizing the talents it already has, but it’s working on improving there.

That said, your major in general will not really affect your branch/posting options except for a select few base branches (i.e. cyber, engineers and even with this second one, it’s more of a strong preference for an engineering/project management degree from the branch than an actual requirement). Not including medical in this discussion because that’s it’s own separate beast. At the end of the day, you have to have an undergrad degree in something to commission. If you can show you have the discipline to study and pass something in four years, whatever your interests are, it’s not going to necessarily limit you in the army.
 
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