Careers and Job Placement
Students who earn a major or minor in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese at UCLA graduate with invaluable skills that prepare them for success in a broad variety of future endeavors. Our alumni excel in fields as diverse as education, business, finance, media, technology, marketing, translation, interpreting, politics, public relations, publishing, and the nonprofit sector, to name just a few. Others pursue graduate degrees that lead them to successful careers in academia, medicine, public health, and law.
What gives our graduates their strategic edge in the workplace? For one, the linguistic competency they gain in Spanish or Portuguese (or both), two of the most widely-spoken languages in the world. Portuguese is spoken on five continents and is the national language of Brazil, a country with one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and Spanish is second only to Chinese in the number of native speakers it claims. It is also the third most used language on the internet, which is why proficiency in Spanish is prized by employers in media and technology.
Research has also proven that when students master a second language and gain the cross-cultural awareness that comes with it, their competency in reading, writing, critical thinking, and cultural literacy improves in all languages and areas of study. These are precisely the skills that employers today rank among the most important factors they consider when hiring new college graduates.
When combined with UCLA’s world-leading educational and professional resources and our department’s commitment to intellectual rigor and community-engaged service, an undergraduate degree from the UCLA Department of Spanish & Portuguese will prepare you for success in whatever you choose to pursue.
Possible Industries and Career Paths for Spanish and Portuguese Grads
Industry & Commerce:
Translation/Interpretation, Banking/Finance, Sales, Customer Services, Manufacturing, Engineering/Technical, Research, Import/Export
Arts, Media, Entertainment:
Advertising, Translation/Interpretation, Journalism/Broadcasting, Publishing/Editing, PR
Service & Education:
Translation/Interpretation, Teaching, Educational Administration, Linguistics, Civic Service, Social Work, Mission Work, Library Science, Health Services, Counseling
Government:
Translation/interpretation, Journalism, Diplomacy, Civil Service, Foreign Service, Immigration/Naturalization, US Customs, Intelligence/Law Enforcement
Travel & Tourism:
Translation/Interpretation, Airlines, Management, Booking/Reservations, Travel Services/Guidance
Career Information and Resources
If you are enrolled in one of our Majors and Minors currently, the UCLA Career Center can help you prepare for the future with planning services, advising consultations, events, workshops, and more.
Useful Resources Across Campus
UCLA Handshake is a platform that connects talented Bruins with internships, jobs, and career opportunities. Use Handshake to find workshops, events, and other career development programs hosted by the UCLA Career Center.
Humanities Career Panel Series aims to help UCLA students translate their knowledge into successful careers. Designed specifically for students majoring and minoring in the Humanities, but open to all students, HCPS provides students with the necessary tools to be competitive in today’s job market and gives them the opportunity to connect with professionals in their target career field.
Summer Grad Prep Course is a FREE course available to AAP students and alumni who are interested in applying to graduate/professional school. Weekly workshops offered during Summer Sessions A and C (not for academic credit) prepare students for the graduate school search and application processes.