As part of the ‘Shaping the Future’ project, led by the University Council for Modern Languages and
funded by the Department of BIS, LLC’s Jocelyn Wyburd has prepared the following matrix of skills
and knowledge possessed by the typical languages graduate. This may be of use to colleagues in the
Careers Service and for individual students, who often find it difficult to articulate their skills to
potential employers.
The Languages Graduate
This grid is designed for use by graduating students and their personal tutors, to assist students in
identifying the skills and attributes they have gained during their studies and beyond. It should assist
with their reflection on their own personal development as adults and members of society, as well
as to provide material for their CVs and employment application letters.
Note: The skills and attributes cited will not be true of every languages graduate but will depend on courses
chosen or offered in individual universities, type of experience of residence abroad etc, as exemplified in the
‘How obtained’ column.
Skills and attributes
How obtained
A
Linguistic
A1
Oral, aural and written
competence in a named
language
Language classes at
university;
Translation skills (normally
into mother tongue from
named language/s studied)
Language classes at
university;
A2
Period of residence abroad
Specialist translation
methods/skills courses at
university;
Formal/informal experience
of translating during
residence abroad, including
within the workplace if
employed while resident
abroad.
Comments
Level of competence may vary but
should/could be reported using the
Common European Framework in
student transcripts
Most but not all university language
courses will contain an element of
translation;
Some students will have opted for more
specialist translation courses in
addition;
More advanced specialist translation
skills training is usually provided at
postgraduate level
Skills and attributes
A3
Interpreting
How obtained
Specialist interpreting
methods courses at
university;
Comments
These are normally delivered at
postgraduate level but there may be
some undergraduate courses in
individual universities;
Formal/informal experience
of (normally) consecutive
interpreting when resident in
the target language country,
including within the
workplace if employed while
resident abroad.
A4
Ability to learn additional
languages for
personal/employment
reasons
Language classes and
development of independent
language learning strategies
while at university;
The study of linguistics at
university;
The transferability of language learning
skills to the learning of
further/additional languages is often
underestimated by individuals and non
linguistics.
Residence abroad;
B
Cultural and Intercultural
B1
Intercultural competence:
awareness of and sensitivity
to diversity based on culture
The study of culture and
society through literary,
historical, sociological and
cultural studies courses
Cultural studies can include the study of
film, music, art, media, journalism etc.
Period of residence abroad
B2
B3
Intercultural competence: the
ability to navigate and
mediate between more than
one culture to interpret
meaning and intent beyond
the purely linguistic
Period of residence abroad;
Empathy with immigrant or
minority communities within
society
Period of residence abroad
as a ‘minority’/temporary
immigrant;
Study of language and
linguistics courses at
university;
Study of literary and cultural
courses at university.
This develops awareness of linguistic
and cultural barriers to integration,
understanding and participation within
a ‘host’ society
Skills and attributes
B4
B5
How obtained
Skills of contrastive analysis of
cultural dimensions in society,
including the ability to view
their own culture and society
from new perspectives
Period of residence abroad
including projects;
A depth of knowledge and
understanding of the
language, culture, history,
geography, institutions, social
practices and economic life of
one or more specific cultures
or countries
Study of literary, cultural,
historical and sociological
courses at university;
Comments
Dissertations deriving from
residence abroad or deeper
research into cultural,
literary or societal studies.
Period of residence in the
target country or culture;
Study of linguistics and
language courses while at
university;
Dissertation on an aspect of
culture or society;
C
Intellectual
C1
Intellectual skills which draw
on a variety of academic
disciplines and theoretical
traditions (linguistic, arts,
humanities, social sciences)
C2
Skills of critical analysis
applied to discourse, texts,
images and events
Study of literary, cultural,
historical and sociological
courses at university
C3
Advanced listening and
reading skills: the ability to
scan complex texts (including
audio) for gist, to synthesise
information and focus on
salient points
Language courses studied at
university;
The study of a wide variety
of sources in diverse media,
normally in the target
language;
The full range of university language
degree studies contribute to this, with
particular emphasis on the ability to
study texts in their original language,
thus providing firsthand (rather than
translated/mediated) access to cultural
expression, including in journalism and
the media. The study of linguistics with
reference to the target language and
the language itself also reveal cultural
influences on the evolution of the
language as a medium for expression.
Cultural studies can include the study of
a wide range of cultural expressions in
different media, including art, film, tv
and journalism. Literary studies
increasingly explore a wide variety of
media as well.
Skills and attributes
How obtained
Comments
C4
Enhanced cognitive skills
leading to innovation,
creativity and problem solving
Multilingualism, the study of
language courses and
residence abroad
The ability to communicate in several
languages is a great benefit for
individuals, organisations and
companies. It enhances creativity,
breaks cultural stereotypes, encourages
thinking "outside the box", and can help
develop innovative products and
services*
D
Employment specific
D1
Experience of employment
contexts and cultures in
another country, including the
ability to contrast these with
‘home’ employment
practices.
Period of residence abroad
working (whether in a
business or other
commercial organisation or
as a foreign language
assistant in a school);
It is not only the experience of
employment in another country but the
understanding of different cultures
within workplaces and their etiquette
which is significant here.
Work experience in the UK
while a student or during
vacations;
D2
Understanding the
international dimension of UK
organisations
Period of work experience
which exploited language
and intercultural skills,
obtained in the UK in
organisations with an
international dimension.
D3
Understanding about
international organisations
Study of European and other
international organisations
at university;
International business
studies courses taken in joint
degree programmes.
D4
Teaching experience and
understanding of education
systems in another country
Residence abroad as a
foreign language assistant,
teaching English
Most students who opt for this work in
secondary schools in another country
and gain not only professional
experience but insights into the
structure, organisation and delivery of
education in that country
Skills and attributes
D5
Skills of target client group
liaison and advocacy,
including event organisation
E
Personal
E1
Communication skills:
heightened literacy, textual
analysis and oracy in mother
tongue
How obtained
Comments
Work as a student
ambassador for school
outreach programmes and
university admissions
activities
This can include advocacy for language
learning, for university study (widening
participation), for entrance to their
specific university, targeting messages
to specific audiences, event
organisation and conducting tours
Written language and
translation courses taken at
university;
Attention to grammatical, syntactic and
stylistic accuracy, style and register in
the language learnt is transferable to
both written production and textual
analysis and comprehension in the
learner’s mother tongue;
The study of linguistics at
university.
The study of a wide range of
texts in the target language
in language, literature,
cultural, historical courses;
E2
Communication skills:
presentation skills
Experience of delivering oral
presentations in language
courses and in a number of
other courses studied at
university
E3
The ability to work
cooperatively, as a member of
a team or with a partner;
experience of mentoring.
University studies generally;
Oral practice and tandem
learning experiences in
university language courses
and through extra curricular
opportunities;
Peer assisted study and peer
mentoring schemes at
university
Many courses now use
problem/enquiry-based methods
whereby groups work collaboratively on
projects;
Much oral practice includes pair-work
and role-plays;
Most universities offer language
exchange/tandem learning
opportunities to work with a native
speaker of the target language, on
campus or virtually.
Many universities run mentoring and
peer assisted study schemes, some of
which consist of students at higher
levels assisting new entrants.
Skills and attributes
E4
Interpersonal skills
How obtained
Language courses at
university and residence
abroad;
Mentoring and collaborative
study at university;
Comments
Learning to speak a language and to
communicate in it orally and in writing
all require the development of
heightened interpersonal
communication skills, including more
attentive listening, checking of
understanding and the building of
empathy.
E5
Enhanced maturity and self
reliance
Period of residence abroad
There is much evidence that students
who have lived and studied or worked
abroad develop personally in a range of
ways associated with establishing
themselves in a new and often very
foreign environment and where
everyday life, housing, work and study
are negotiated through the medium of a
foreign language;
E6
Problem solving and the
ability to look at things from
multiple perspectives
Language learning and the
study of linguistics;
Those who speak several languages
have a broader perspective which can
lead to fresh and innovative
approaches. Multicultural teams can
bring different perspectives to problems,
leading to new solutions that foster
creativity and innovation.*
E7
Enhanced creativity
Language learning –
multilingualism - and
residence abroad
There is an increasing body of
evidence … revealing enhanced
functioning of individuals who use more
than one language, when compared to
monolinguals. This suggests a greater
potential for creativity amongst those
who know more than one language,
when compared with monolinguals.*
E8
Resilience to effects of ageing
minds (eg dementia)
Language learning –
multilingualism
bilingualism does not affect the
accumulation of pathological factors
associated with dementia, but rather
enables the brain to better tolerate the
accumulated pathologies* :
implications for ageing societies and the
costs associated with social care.
Multilingualism and
exposure to diverse cultures
and contexts through study
abroad;
Skills and attributes
E9
Global citizenship skills
How obtained
Courses in literary, cultural
and social topics;
Residence abroad
Comments
Through linguistic and cultural
understanding, development of
empathy, tolerance, skills to delve
beneath surface meaning and to
interpret intention;
The multilingual and intercultural skills
to participate in an increasingly
multicultural and multilingual society;
Understanding and awareness of
diversity, internationally;
The ability to look at their own society
from the perspective of others;
Interest in and respect for different
cultures and countries.