Why Study Language?

Academics

Fine tune analytical skills, multi-tasking capabilities and enhance creativity
Improve communication and listening skills
Enhance academic program (more advanced study of politics, history and culture of a foreign country requires proficiency in the language)

Career

Increase job prospects
Boost compensation (Careers in defense and intelligence highly value a language-proficient workforce with language incentive programs and bonuses.)
Strengthen competitive edge for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) majors with a minor in Language
Open up opportunities in journalism, community engagement, foreign service, overseas teaching and similar roles
Reach the global marketplace more effectively

Travel

Prepare for a richer Study Abroad and other international travel experiences

Personal/ Social

Be a more active participant in an increasingly multicultural world
Learn about other cultures and gain better understanding of human nature
Expand your view of the world
Learn to engage with people from other cultures on issues of mutual concern
Have fun!

The Stanford Language Center prepares students to have a foreign language capability that enhances their academic program and enables them to live, work, study, and research in a foreign language setting.

Come join us!

Get Candid with Stanford Students

Lacey W. (Dobro Slovo 2017)

Opening Doors

Stanford student talks about how language study at Stanford opens doors.
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Stanford students talk about language study

Fitting Language Study In

Stanford students talk about how they are able to fit language into their plans.
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Opportunities

One student-athlete gives his perspective on life after university.
(video)

Going Beyond

The how's and why's of going beyond the language requirement, from the students' perspectives.
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Words of Advice

Students share their two cents on language learning and university life in general.
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Student Profiles

'16 Computer Science Student

Major: Computer Science (BS)

Minor: Spanish

Language Courses: First- and Second-Year Spanish

Sigma Delta Pi, National Spanish Honor Society

Study Abroad: Santiago, Chile

Work Abroad: Intern at Inria Chile, Santiago, Chile: trilingual workplace (Spanish, French, English); developed a demo showing real-time updates of the Santiago public transit system.

Additional Activities: Alto saxophonist in LSJUMB; RCC in Kairos; Leadership roles with she++ (Co-Director; Founder and Co-Director of the #include fellowship program and ThinkTank project); Chi Omega; summer internships at Google and WhatsApp

Currently: Traveling through Europe and South America for the summer, and returning to the Bay Area to work as a software engineer at Google in the fall

Studying languages opens up a whole new world of possibilities!