Language skills do more than provide gateways to whole other cultures and worlds of thought. Students in our program acquire transferable skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication all while becoming engaged global citizens. Students who study in the Department of German and Scandinavian have launched successful careers in:
- Software
- Engineering
- Scientific research
- International marketing
- Mediation
- Education
- Translation
Job Resources for Language Majors
Need help finding job opportunities? In addition to advising within the Department of German and Scandinavian there are many resources at UO and beyond to help guide your career search. Here are some of the websites our graduates have found useful:
Alumni Stories
![GerScan alumni student, Ian Schneider](/sites/default/files/styles/custom_xl/public/2023-07/gerscan_ian_schneider.jpg?itok=QScGbyuX)
Ian Schneider
German major, '15
While at UO working on his economics, German, and business administration degrees, Ian secured an internship at Amazon as a financial analyst. Throughout his career, Ian found that the ability to speak the language of the largest foreign markets for a large global company to be a great asset.
While at UO, he was a part of Alpha Kappa Psi, the largest co-ed business fraternity, and Delta Phi Alpha, the National German Honor Society. In addition to studying German at the UO, Ian also studied at the Economics and German Studies Institutes at the University of Heidelberg.
![GerScan alumni student, Grant Barba](/sites/default/files/styles/custom_xl/public/2023-07/gerscan_grant_barba.jpg?itok=Xdo-p924)
Grant Barba
German and political science major, '11
Grant chose to major in German on a sort of whim, without anticipating it to lead to five years of international work. He applied his German and political science degrees at the German Institute of Global Area Studies, before landing at LegitScript where he analyzes emerging trends in e-commerce risk and detects transaction laundering threats.
Several years ago, Grant received his master's in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Hamburg on a DAAD Graduate Scholarship.
![GerScan alumni student, Carlie Rames](/sites/default/files/styles/custom_xl/public/2023-07/gerscan_carlie_rames.png?itok=X0_vXiAp)
Carlie Rames
German and French major, '09
Working for a global software company in the Alps region of France, Carlie manages a team of four technical writers, three of whom work at the headquarters in France and one in a branch office in India. She also works with the company’s software developers in research and development, helping ensure that the visual presentation of the software is coherent and user-friendly.
She began working at Arcad as a translator of software manuals and documentation from French into English.
Alumni Survey
Alumni like you are traveling the world, building careers, and making an impact in their communities. We'd love to know more about where you are and what you're doing and share success stories of other alumni. We invite you to support current students in making their experience at the UO a strong foundation for future careers.
We’d love to know what you’re doing and how your experience in the Department of German and Scandinavian has made a difference in your career. We're always eager to hear from our alumni. Drop us a line at gsl@uoregon.edu or fill out the survey below.