What Can I do with a Degree in Applied Linguistics?

Career Center Library Resources
The Career Center Library has a variety of resources to help students explore potential career fields. These resources include information about typical responsibilities, qualifications, career paths, job outlook, salary, and related careers.

Career-Related Books for Applied Linguistics Majors and TESL Certificates

• Worldwide Employment Opportunities for ESL Teachers
• Teaching English Abroad
• 100 Jobs in Words
• American Jobs Abroad
• Careers for Foreign Language Aficionados & Other Multilingual Types
• Complete Guide to International Careers
• Jobs for People who Love Travel
• 101 Ways to find Overseas Jobs
• Transitions Abroad
• Careers in International Business
• Great jobs Abroad
• The Imaginative Soul’s Guide to Foreign Internships

Books of General Interest to Liberal Arts Majors

• Great Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors
• The Best Jobs for the 21st Century
• The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People
• Making a Living While Making a Difference

Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies (http://www.vocbiosonline.com/login.php) describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: Portland su and pass code: 3w9n

• Dialect Coach
• Teacher of English as a Foreign Language
  
• Interpreter/Translator
  
• Technical Writer
  
• Technical Copy Editor
  
• Electronic Lexicographer
  
• Documentation Training Manager
  

Professional Associations

• American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
• Linguistics Society of America (LSA)
• jorexploration/linguisTeachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Online!
• Oregon Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ORTESOL)
• Modern Language Association (MLA) ONLINE

Internet Sites with Career-Related Information for Applied Linguistics Majors and TESL Certificates

• Career Opportunity Briefs: Linguistics — Lists potential job titles, places of employment, and skills for linguistics majors. From University Career and Employment Services at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
• Why Study Linguistics? — From the Department of Linguistics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
• What is Linguistics? — Also includes information on what to do with a linguistics major. From the Linguistics Department at Stanford University, Stanford, California.
• English as 2nd Language — From Kenneth Beare for About.com.
• What is TESOL? — From TESOL, Inc.

Internet Sites with Job Search Information for Applied Linguistics Majors and TESL Certificates

• LINGUIST Jobs in Linguistics — Majority of jobs listed require advanced degrees.
• International Job Listing Sites — Categories include: Worldwide, Teaching, Short-Term Jobs, Internships, Volunteer, and By Country From the Career Center at the University of California, Berkeley, California.
• Directory of Work Abroad Web Sites (Worldwide Sites), Region-Specific Sites for Work and Study Abroad, Profession-Specific Sites for Work and Study Abroad, and International Job Listings — From the Overseas Opportunities Office, International Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• The ESL Job Center — From Dave Sperling, author of Dave's ELS Cafe.
• Internet TESL Journal
• JET Programme

Places of Employment

Students who major in applied linguistics or obtain an ESL certificate develop skills that are valued by employers. These skills include: research, analysis, writing, oral presentation, critical thinking, synthesis, problem solving, and teaching. Students and alumni may find employment in business, government, nonprofits, social services, and educational institutions depending on their skills and experience. Internships or relevant part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding employment.

Miscellaneous

• Work Abroad — Collection of articles from Transitions Abroad.
• USIA Fulbright Program Menu — Information about applying for Fulbright Student and Scholar Programs.
• Duke University International Careers Page — Provides answers to questions such as: Can I qualify for an international opportunity overseas?, Can I qualify for an international opportunity in the U.S.?, How can I improve my chances for an international career?. Also provides general information about Teaching Overseas.
• The Electronic Embassy — "The Electronic Embassy provides information on each of the embassies in Washington D.C., with links to Web-based resources where available."

Department of Applied Linguistics — Portland State University