Internships Study Away Career Graduate Schools Language Placement
Internships
On campus
- Student teaching in the local elementary schools through the World Language Program
- Tutoring in the Learning Commons
Off campus
- Connect with alumni via Gator2Gator.
- Register with the job & internship platform Handshake.
- The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania offers a 6-month PAID internship program which provides a flexible pathway for college students to advance from internships to Commonwealth employment in a variety of occupations. Apply by Nov. 1 to be considered for the following spring and summer.
- The German-American Chamber of Commerce offers PAID internships in Chicago for recent graduates or Study Away students with high proficiency in German. The duration of the internships varies, ranging from one semester to a full year. Areas of interest include Finance, Accounting, PR & Communications, Consulting and more.
- Best Scholarships and Grants for Volunteering Abroad from Travellers Quest
- Find internships where your language skills are needed and can be improved, such as an on-line tutor or language analyst.
- View the Career Education Internship Resources Page.
- Search for internships abroad at GoinGlobal.com and GoAbroad.com.
The Fismes Internship
Ties between Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Fismes, its sister city in France, date from World War I. Located in the Champagne-Ardennes area, just west of Reims, Fismes (population 5,500) was rebuilt after 1918 with help from the City of Meadville and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Historically, a more robust relationship between the two towns has been impeded by the problems of distance and language, but as the centennial of this relationship approaches, Allegheny College and the Mayor’s office of Fismes are instituting a month-long summer internship in the Mayor’s office for qualified and interested Allegheny College students.
In Fismes, students work in a variety of offices and municipal institutions and develop an understanding of local government and issues in a small French city. Typically, the internship takes place between in late May/June.
Students bear travel expenses, but may apply to Allegheny College for scholarship help; they receive room and board, but there is no financial compensation.
For more information, please contact Professor Briana Lewis (blewis@allegheny.edu).
Study Away Opportunities
EL Opportunity! “Sustainability in Germany, Past and Present”
An experiential learning trip has been planned for the tentative dates of May 23–June 10, 2022. Apply by October 21, 2021, by contacting Professors Julia Ludewig or Kerstin Ams.
College-Sponsored Opportunities
- Argentina – Buenos Aires (CIEE-Liberal Arts Program) Language Program-Spanish 225 required
- China (CIEE Programs in Beijing or Shanghai)
- Costa Rica – Atenas (The School for Field Studies Sustainable Development Program)
- Costa Rica – Monteverde (CIEE)
- Ecuador – Quito (Minnesota Studies in International Development Area Studies and Field Placement Program) International Development/Internship Program
- France – Paris (Boston University’s Internship Program) Language/Internship Program
- France-Rennes (CIEE Liberal Arts Program)
- France-Toulouse (CIEE Business & Culture and Language and Culture programs)
- Germany – University of Cologne (Junior year abroad exchange program) Intermediate German proficiency required
- Israel – Arava Institute (Study Abroad Program, Kibbutz Ketura, Israel)
- Jordan – Amman (CIEE Middle East Studies)
- Kenya – Nairobi (Minnesota Studies in International Development Area Studies and Field Placement Program) International Development/Internship Program
- Japan – Tokyo (Keio University International Center) Language program/English content courses
- Mexico – Querétaro (ITESM – Campus Querétaro – Study Abroad Program) Language Program
- Morocco – Ifrane (Study Abroad Program at Al Akhawayn University)
- Senegal – Dakar (Minnesota Studies In International Development) International Development/Internship Program
- Spain – Madrid (CIEE Engineering & Society and Liberal Arts programs)
- Spain – Seville (CIEE programs in Liberal Arts, Advanced Liberal Arts, International Business & Culture, Business & Society, Communications, New Media & Journalism in English, Communications, New Media & Journalism in Spanish.
Students not enrolling in the College-sponsored programs may, with the approval of the department and the Director of International Programs and Services, join other programs.
Study abroad may exempt students from enrollment in certain required courses for the major on campus.
Career Resources & Links
- Modern Language Association – Career Resources
- 10 Careers with a Language Degree
- The Best Foreign Languages For Your Career from Kiplinger
- German
- Spanish
- French
- Arabic
- The hottest job skill is…
What is it? Fluency in a foreign language. From CNN Money. - 3 Corporate Benefits Of Learning A Foreign Language And Why You Should Care from Forbes
- 5 Benefits of Learning a Second Language
Data and research show learning a second language can expand job opportunities, help maintain brain health and strengthen decision making skills. Other benefits of being bilingual listed in this article include potential salary increases and positive effects on attention span and memory. (from Lifehacks at TheNextWeb.com) - 34 Unobvious Benefits of Learning a Second Language from Custom-Writing.org
- Five Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language from Middlebury College
- The Benefits of Second Language Study from NEA Research (scholarly article)
Allegheny Resources
Earning Prospects
- What is a foreign language worth?
Even on conservative estimates, speaking another language translates into a big earnings boost. From The Economist. - Liberal Arts Majors That Pay the Most from The Wall Street Journal
Teaching
- ACTFL Job Central (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)
- SouthernTeachers – Placement service for private schools in the Southern U.S.
- Teaching Overseas from the U.S. Dept. of State
- CIEE Teach Abroad Program
Foreign Service & International Relations
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- Foreign Service – U.S Dept. of State
- Foreign Service – USAID
- The Best International Relations Graduate Programs (2018)
Translation
Graduate School Links
- Peterson’s Guide to Grad Schools
- Foreign Languages Graduate Programs from GradSchools.com
- THE 10 MOST INNOVATIVE COLLEGES FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING IN 2017 from TheBestColleges.org
- Advice to Graduate Students: From Application to Career from the Modern Language Association (MLA)
- Connected Academics: Preparing Doctoral (and other Post-Graduate) Students of Language & Literature for a Variety of Careers from MLA
- Top 10 Graduate Schools for Translation from ALTA
Top-rated Graduate Programs
- https://www.middlebury.edu/ls/grad_programs
- https://uwm.edu/graduateschool/language-literature-translation/
Regional Graduate Programs:
Language Placement
All students are required to complete a foreign language placement exam before registering for a language class if they have had previous coursework or significant exposure to the foreign languages in which placement testing is available.
Students who have had no previous language study do not need to take a placement test; they simply register for the introductory language course.
Placement exams are taken online, and are available in French, German, and Spanish. (There is no placement test in Arabic; students with a background in Arabic should contact Professor Reem Hilal.)
The tests follow a multiple choice format and generally take 15-20 minutes to complete. Test questions will assess grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills.
The tests are administered via the WebCAPE platform. These tests are adaptive and will structure the type and number of questions based on previous responses. At the conclusion of the test, the student will instantly receive a test report, including a 3-digit score and tentative placement recommendation.
The tests are usually quite accurate in determining the best match for continuing language study at the appropriate level. Please note, however, that it is not an exact science, and, particularly in “borderline” cases, students are highly encouraged to discuss the placement recommendation with a language department faculty member.
Students considering study abroad are STRONGLY advised to begin language study as early as possible in their Allegheny careers.
For more information about the placement process or how to register to take a placement test, please contact Department Building Coordinator, Ebony Kunz ekunz@allegheny.edu.
