Students Enrolled In Language Degrees Declines Once Again

The number of students enrolled in foreign language degrees in the UK is at its lowest in a decade.While students taking STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) have increased, those opting to study traditionally popular languages such as French and German have fallen.Some of the reasons students are shunning language degrees include the prevalence of English in the global business environment and the perceived difficulty of performing well in these degrees.

With such a vast range of options available to today’s students, who are able to study virtually any subject, languages have lost their appeal.However, this is bad news for young jobseekers in the UK. Foreign language degrees are popular with employers, who appreciate the time and commitment that goes into learning a new language, and they stand graduates in good stead in the highly competitive jobseekers’ environment.

The number of students in the UK has decreased overall, but this downward trend has hit language degrees particularly hard. However, languages remain the most popular degrees for British students studying abroad in France and Germany, with rising numbers indicating that this could become the most popular way to study a language.

This plunges students into an immersive environment and surrounds them with their chosen language and culture, which can make the language learning process faster and more successful.

But all is not lost if you decided against a language degree. There are lots of courses available to help you learn in your own time, whether this is an evening class, online courses, or even a mobile app.

Read more about the decline of language degrees in the UK>>