Should Languages Be Required For College Programs?

When I went to college, I was fortunate enough to be able to not take a foreign language class in college because I passed my placement exam for Spanish. But what happens if you didn't pass? I know many people who haven't passed and are later required to take that foreign language during college (not all programs require this, but some do).

Many people that are studying these languages are protesting and claiming that it is a waste of time. Many people claim that it is useless. After all, isn't college supposed to "prepare" you for your future career? What if your future career didn't involve you to speak a foreign language? Would it be a waste of time to just try to learn a foreign language?

Here is my opinion on this. I think language is a great way to communicate with other people around the world. Many people know this as, "the world is getting smaller". As for me, I know English, Spanish, Latin, and French, so I wouldn't have to worry about this, but many people around the US are struggling. I think that language should not be a requirement because it isn't really a "subject". It would be considered an "elective."

Please discuss.

This post has been edited by BordaForx: Jul 8 2007, 10:42 PM

Foreign languages aren't a waste of time. In some careers talking in another language is necessary. Many police officers, firemen, and doctors speak other languages. Speaking another language can get you hirer pay, and even if you don't need another language to do your job learning one expands your horizons and your creativity, and also the amount of people you can interact and do business with. Foreign language is also an easy way to get the required credits to pass high school, and college credits which can save you money while you are in college. Also, colleges look on transcripts for people who challenge themselves, and learning another language is a challenging thing.

"elective" is the correct word, for those who would really want a choice on what language to take up. i for one took up german as an additional language elective, even though i had spanish already as a required language in our curriculum back then. though there may be courses wherein a particular language is required, like ours before, we have lobbied for a change in curriculum to make them language electives instead. thankfully, our college listened to us. it was a benefit for future enrollees in our course, since they have now an option to take up whatever language/s they'd prefer to learn.

i don't believe learning another language is a bad thing nor is it a waste of time, especially in college. although it may be just an introductory language subject, it still gives you good grounding of communicating with others, providing a rudimentary set of knowledge to strike up a conversation in another language. no matter if one thinks if one thinks a "foreign language" is not helpful for a future career one fancies, learning a foreign language (of one's choice) should still be part of college life. as it goes, college paves the way to provide the BASICS of a whole-rounded development of one's intellect in dealing with the world, and that includes learning a new language even though it's just the basics. just as i took up subjects in higher mathematics required for my course, even though i don't believe it would be of any help on my philosophy course (as a pre-law course), still it forms part of higher learning. that's just the way it is, though i'd like to re-stress the word "elective" when it comes to language subjects.

Down here in Australia, languages are electives at particular educational institutions starting from early high school, through some TAFE instititutes and most unis. I chose not to take a course at uni, although I had taken a bit of French and Japanese over time in high school. I just barely scrapped by during the time I took those courses, but if you arent gonna use later during your working career, etc.. then theres chances that you'd forget many parts of it later down the track.

When I attended High School, French was required for Grades 9 and 10, so I took them and dropped it in Grade 11.
I wish now that I would have continued until Graduation. Since then I have come to realize their value. Not just as a specific tool, but as a general awareness issue.
I think the little French I knew was not enough to be truly bi-lingual. I was extremely far from that, as proven over the years as I came into contact with French-speaking people from Quebec, our "French connection" here in Canada.
At University, the second language was only a requirement for certain degrees, like Canadian Studies. Or Graduate Studies would have required a proficiency in another language, although German or whatever would have been acceptable, here in Canada, your second language is as likely to be French as anything else.

Back when jlhaslip was in high school, I think that would be the dark ages. Anyways, I think a foreign language should only be required in high school. And if you fail that test, then that probably means you slacked off and you should learn it again. Languages can get you a lot of different places and life and it's good to know a lot of them. If someone wants to take them in college, then I think that's their choice. Everyone should know a little of some language, it might help them some day. Things in the world connect in weird ways, and a foreign language may become very valuable, but it's up to the person to decide if they want to study it in college.

I do not think foreign languages should be required to take, really because some of us are never going to sue it but it just depends on what career you are pursuing and now the more languages you speak the better opportunities you have of getting a job.. especially in the us, its good to know spanish.. i think it should depend on the major, like if you are going to be involved with international people than it should be required but not for all so.

I myself was horrible in other languages, but had to take two years of Spanish in high school. Barely passed, not because I was lazy, I'd get calculus and statistics fine, language just wasn't my thing. That's why I believe high school required language is fine to get someone acquainted with a different set of mechanics, but college should be more specific with what you are studying. And when someone is just no good at language, they shouldn't be forced to become proficient in it.

In Florida, foreign languages are a required elective for atleast two years of high school. Any years after was extra. I started taking Spanish in middle school, two years there was worth one credit for the high school. In the IB program I learn it for 4 years anyway. Collges look at this I know and is an extra badge on you for your applications, but I don't think it should be required in collges. Although sometimes I think they require it because at that college the majors most people have requires them to know a foreign language, so they just force it upon everyone. I don't know that for sure though. I think foreign languages are quite useful especially in the working world. You can make a lot of money being a translator. I sort of would like to pick up German and learn that as well as finish up with Spanish. They also help you with English itself is what I have learned. Spanish shows me things about our own language that doesn't make sense or makes more sense when I learn it in Spanish.

No; I think it should maybe be strongly encouraged instead. A lot of people won't ever need a second language, and while some might need it, they should have the sense to foresee that and take the course. Learning a language can teach you a lot about the structures of languages themselves, and a lot of other useful things, but for some it would just be one more course to pile onto whatever else they have to do. If we force people to learn certain things, I think we're just pushing education away from what it originally was- groups of people learning about things that interest them- and into drudgery. From preschool to the time I was 13, I was forced to learn French because it was part of the curriculum and required; I totally hated it. The moment I hit high school, I switched languages, and although it was in a way required (you need gr11 language level to get into most unis here), it wasn't forced on me because I could still decide to stop anytime I wanted. Japanese was much more fun for me than French, and I don't think that had anything at all to do with the language itself or the teachers teaching me.