USA Foreign Language Requirement for College

[futurecma]

I have a dilemma. I need to take two years of a foreign language. I want to choose something appropriate to Accountancy and have heard the three most important to learn are Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. I am in Texas (Austin) which has a significant population of people of from Hispanic and Asian decent (most recently, Syrians are also moving here).

From a practical point-of-view, I will probably never use any language but English. Entry-level, unless a first-generation resident gets lost and wanders around the cubicles, everyone I will run into will speak English. Accounting clerks don't have much interaction with the public (right?) my coworkers will all speak English. Trying to converse in another language like they don't speak it seems... pompous.

I've been told that employers are most impressed by challenging courses the applicant has taken. Spanish is great, but easy to learn. I am not sure increased trade with Cuba will increase demand for speakers. That leaves Arabic and Mandarin. China is a major trade-partner so that may be good, and Arabic may be helpful for the oil industry in Texas (also Spanish for this reason). Yet, when would I actually use it?

Personally, I'd like to swap out the foreign language for more classes in English grammar and a class in VBA or app design. These would improve my value to an employer. Still, I don't control the curriculum (yet, haha). Still, have to take a language so which one do you suggest?

 

[kirby]

If you can learn any one of the three with equal ease I would pick Mandarin. In practical terms, Spanish would serve a Texas resident better.

 

[futurecma]

I agree, in theory. In practice an employee entering corporate invoices and not doing bookkeeping for the public will probably never need to know any other language.