EIU Department of
World Languages and Cultures

A Double Major May Be Easier Than You Think

Did you know?

• Employers love to hire double majors with degrees in liberal arts and business, engineering, marketing, and sciences. A double major says: You have developed the soft skills such as communication skills, which makes for a winning combination in today's job market.
  

• Upgrading a Language Minor to a Major is easier than you think. Tip for success: As a freshman, keep a language class on your schedule. Whether you studied a language for 2 years or 4  years in high school, protect your investment right from the start.

What does it take to double major?

WLS/F/G 2201G Intermediate Spanish/French/German I

WLS/F/G  2202G Intermediate Spanish/French/German II

With 4 or more years of high school study, you could start at the 3000-level.

Difference between Minor and Major in a World Language...

Minor:  12 credits (electives) on 3000/4000 level

See Minor requirements.

Major: 24-26 credits (electives) on 3000/4000 level

3 WLE courses. These can be courses with an international or multicultural component taken in your other major/other departments. 

See Major requirements. 

Study Abroad...

Earn credits abroad and jump ahead! 

One semester abroad can provide 12-20 credits. Or study abroad in summer and earn 6-10 credits.

Check out our partner schools in France, Germany, Spain, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. 

DOUBLE MAJOR SUCCESS...  

Nick Bays (Journalism & German)

Hallo, Leute! My name is Nick Bays, and I am a Sports Media Relations and German Language double major here at EIU (with a minor in radio/audio production). Sports have been a love of mine my whole life, so naturally I was going to do something involving that. However, in the summer of 2018, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend two weeks in Germany and Austria. After doing so, I knew I had fallen in love with Germany and its beautiful language. So, I vowed to myself one day I would learn it and return to Munich and Vienna. As someone close to me described it once, “you eventually came home, but part of your heart stayed."

So, to turn this into a reality, I decided my junior of college that it was time to stop playing around and get to learning! At this point in my life, I had spent two years in college trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do. And after the summer of 2020, I decided it was time to pursue sports journalism and that it was also time to learn German. I knew that both were my destiny, and who am I to turn away destiny?

Three years later, I am so happy I took the opportunity to study German. Not only has it broadened my understanding of the world, but it has also made me a more marketable candidate for jobs in journalism and media. Given how globalized our world is becoming, it is becoming more and more valuable to know how to speak a second language. And with potential plans to live in Germany or Austria later in life, learning the language probably isn’t the worst idea. It may seem intimidating to take on a foreign language double-major, but I promise you that the wonderful faculty at the EIU World Languages Department will guide you every step of the way. It’s truly a magical experience and worth it in the modern era.

I am getting a chance to study abroad in Germany for six months and I will graduate upon returning to the United States. How incredible is that! Through my German language pursuits, I am able to have an opportunity like this. After I graduate, I hope to begin working professionally and one day carve out a life for myself in exciting places such as Munich or Vienna, and I can say that those dreams wouldn’t have been possible at all without this double-major. Since I have taken the double-major, I’ve been able to better shape the life I want and give my dreams a fighting chance to become a reality.

Keegan Noll (Political Science & French) 

I graduated from EIU in 2022 with a double major in Political Science (International Studies) and French. Currently, I teach as an English Language Assistant as part of the Teaching Abroad Program in France (TAPIF). I create lessons for French students on American culture, help my English teaching colleagues with speaking and listening activities, and work to improve my students' pronunciation and expand their vocabulary. I've even had the opportunity to create an English Club for my students, as well as help them review and practice for their crucial national exams like the BAC and the Cambridge English Exam. I've gotten to see many cities in France such as Lyon, Strasbourg, and Marseille, and I've even been to Geneva Switzerland! 

In the near future, I am re-applying to the program for another year, as well as to similar programs like NALCAP for Spain and one for the country of Georgia. Eventually I'd like to apply for the Fulbright program as an English Teaching Assistant and earn a Master's degree in International Relations with the goal of working for the State Department. 

Sylvia Kendera (Communication Disorders and Sciences & Spanish)

iHola! Cześć! Hi there! My name is Sylvia Kendera, and I am both a Spanish major and a Communication Disorders and Sciences (CDS) major. I am also minoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. Service is the center of all that I do, and Spanish has provided a key for me to help my neighbors. At EIU, I have been able to do this through activities like Amigos and Friends (where we teach English as a second language) and the Newman Afterschool Program (where my Spanish was incredibly helpful in tutoring some of the children). I am also the Recreation and Leisure Coordinator for the STEP program, through which I have been able to provide supports to help other students pursue their interests and goals.

After graduation, I am planning on pursuing my Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. It is my dream to become a bilingual speech therapist and use my knowledge of Spanish, Polish, and English to provide services to those both in my local community, as well as abroad. Though it takes time and effort to balance studying a language along with my other areas of study, in an ever-diverse world I believe that it is our responsibility to learn different languages and cultures. Not only that, but it is such a beautiful gift to be able to create meaningful connections through learning about both our differences and similarities - so go, follow your dream and don’t be afraid to double major! 

Anna Sipes (Biology & Spanish)

Anna is a senior pursuing simultaneous dual degrees in Biological Sciences and World Languages & Cultures with a focus in Spanish and Hispanic Studies. She has plans to complete an upcoming seven-week summer study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain, in addition to her studies on EIU’s campus. Using the gift of language to serve those in the Charleston community, Anna participates in the Newman Catholic Center’s Amigos and Friends program, teaching English as a second language to native Spanish speakers in the area.

Upon graduation from EIU, Anna hopes to pursue a career as a physician in which she can utilize her language skills to connect with and better treat a larger population both at home in the United States and abroad. She feels blessed to have had the opportunity to study Spanish at EIU and is incredibly thankful for the support she has received from her professors as she has pursued her passions.

Chavionne Thomas (Psychology & Spanish)

Chavionne graduated from EIU in 2022 with a double major in Spanish and Psychology, and with a minor in Latinx and Latin American Studies. As an undergraduate, she was able to experience the "best of both worlds" including joining Sigma Delta Pi, being president of Psi Chi, doing Departmental Honors in both majors, being a Spanish tutor and much more.

After graduation, Chavionne decided to pursue her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at EIU and plans to graduate in Spring 2024. She is currently interning at RISE Behavioral Health and Wellness in Tuscola, IL where she is counseling people of all ages and assisting them with their mental health. Chavionne also uses her Spanish background to translate and counsel the Spanish speaking population in the Tuscola area. Chavionne states that "majoring in Spanish has helped me in so many ways and now allows me to help others."

Maya Hunter (Political Science & French) 

Maya graduated from EIU in 2020, with a double major in Political Science (International Studies) and French. She also studied German and Turkish. During her undergraduate studies she served as president of French Club and French tutor, participated in Model UN, and studied abroad in Germany and Cyprus. Her language studies, scholarship and travels led her to write her BA Honors Thesis on “The Role of Language Education in Peacebuilding: the Case of Cyprus.”

Maya's study of world languages served her well. She is now a graduate student (MA candidate) in Political Science (with a concentration in International Relations) at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her research interests include diplomacy, peacebuilding, and intercultural exchanges. 

Alysh Oetzel (Communication Disorders and Sciences & Spanish)

Alysh graduated from EIU in December of 2018. She feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to earn two bachelor's degrees; one in Spanish and the other in Communication Disorders and Sciences. Alysh plans to attend graduate school to further her studies and become a bilingual speech-language pathologist. As a long term goal, Alysh hopes to provide Spanish services to children in the public school system.

Steven Kutz (Political Science & German)

Upon graduation from EIU, Steven was commissioned as an Army officer. In this capacity, Steven used German to organize multinational medical and desert warfare training with German and French allies, while deployed to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Steven achieved proficiency certification (B2) through both the Goethe Institute and the U.S. Army. German continues to create unique opportunities and experiences for him, both personally and professionally.