Careers in Linguistics
Training at CanIL can be used in a number of different job roles or as a stepping stone to future training toward other language-related careers. Here is a sampling of possibilities.
Language-related field work*
- Anthropology Specialist
- Ethnomusicologist
- Intercultural Community Worker
- Language Surveyor
- Linguist-Translator
- Literacy Specialist
- Scripture Use Worker
- Vernacular Media Worker
- Language software development and support
Language-related job and educational futures**
- Work in the computer industry
- Teach at the university level
- Work in education
- Teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in Canada or abroad
- Work as a translator or interpreter
- Work on language documentation or do fieldwork
- Teach a foreign language
- Work in the publishing industry, as a technical writer, or a journalist
- Work for a testing agency
- Work with dictionaries (lexicography)
- Become a consultant on language in professions such as law or medicine
- Work for a product-naming company
- Work for the government
- Become an actor or train actors
Linguistics training also provides solid preparation for other graduate and professional programs such as:
- Law school or library/information science
- Clinical programs such as speech and language therapy and audiology
- MA and PhD programs in fields such as linguistics, cognitive science, psychology, computer science, anthropology, philosophy, communication sciences, education, and the study of particular language(s)
- TESOL programs and other programs associated with teaching English or other langauges to nonnative language users
* compiled from SIL International: Training for Roles in Language Work. Available at: http://www.sil.org/training/tracks.htm
** compiled from Macaulay, Monica and Kristen Syrett. 2005. Why major in linguistics (and what does a linguist do)? Linguistic Society of America informational pamphlet. Available at: http://www.lsadc.org/info/ling-faqs-whymajor.cfm