Marina Zarubin (German and Russian)

Doing languages at Oxford is probably the most fun degree you can do. You will never be bored.

The amazing books I read made me understand much better why people act the way they act and why they think what they think. It allowed me to look at history and the present in complex

ways.

Understanding literature and talking about it isn’t easy. But the training you’ll get will make you formulate your thoughts and force you to argue with someone who is not only intimidatingly intelligent but who is also probably the leading expert in the field. It sounds scary. But they will take you seriously and it will encourage you to think critically about everything you ever read. That skill will stay with you for life.

You will also end up fluent in whatever language you chose. And learning languages is absolutely essential. Tolstoy’s War and Peace can never be as great in translation. But it is very practical, too. I currently work as a broadcast journalist at Russia Today TV in Moscow. Of  course I use my Russian every day. But German, as well, I use on a regular basis. For example when the German Chancellor came to St Petersburg I was asked to simultaneously translate her speech live on air. Without the long hours of translation classes I could never have done it.

Robert Francis (French and German), Senior Account Manager, Grayling

I have lived and worked in Brussels with an international lobbying and PR company for the last 5 years. There is no way I would be where I am without languages. The company would not dream of hiring anyone who couldn’t speak a second language, and English is often taken for granted. I have interviewed several UK candidates for good positions with us, but in all cases despite being strongly interested in EU affairs and well-qualified, if they only spoke English we did not take them on.

Our working environment is extremely international, and in any gathering of three people no-one will be from the same country. Not surprisingly therefore, languages and cultural  awareness become second nature. Outside work, social life is made ever more enriching on a day to day basis by the sheer diversity of cultures and languages. So-called cultural clashes, far from being a conversationstopper, actually help stimulate discussion and lead to an increased mutual understanding – and ultimately lasting friendships.

Christian Arno, co-founder of Lingo24

A languages degree from Oxford gives you the skills, the outlook and the contacts you need to make a splash in the exciting world of international business. I’ve benefited tremendously from my time at Oxford – not only did my language skills improve immeasurably, but I also gained  the ability to process information quickly and efficiently. Another benefit was the exposure to other people – all from different backgrounds, but with a shared calibre and drive to make a mark.

After leaving Oxford, I set up Lingo24, a leading translation company, with friends I’d met at the university. The company’s gone from strength to strength, and we now employ over 100 fulltime staff in countries as diverse as New Zealand and Panama. I couldn’t have achieved this without  the grounding Oxford gave me. The transferable skills and contacts you make at Oxford will set you up for life.

Brent Hoberman, co-founder of lastminute.com

The study of modern languages helped me in many ways. It taught me how to analyse large

amounts of information and synthesise them quickly – critical to any business venture. It also helped me manage a multilingual and multicultural company as lastminute.com expanded across Europe.

Joanne Parkes, choreographer

Studying literature is how I learned about making art. When I make dance works what I go back to is all those wonderful books that I read while I was here at Oxford, which taught me about structure and storytelling, and image-making, and motif. When I think and talk about the kind of work that I want to make, I always think of those books that I read time, and time, and time again.