The study of foreign languages and literature provides valuable experience and a potential edge for future career development for our students. Scientists and engineers function in a global market: they rely on primary sources published in other languages, attend international consortia, and often find themselves interacting across national, cultural, and linguistic borders. Government and industry often give preference to job applicants who are proficient in a foreign language. MIT students are encouraged to work and study abroad in conjunction with university, private, and public organizations.

The faculty of the FL&L Section, the language coordinators, and the Undergraduate Academic Administrator can provide assistance in choosing an appropriate program and granting transfer credit from overseas or domestic programs. MIT provides a unique perspective on foreign languages because of the opportunities available to integrate the study of natural languages with the latest technological advances in multimedia and interactive learning. FL&L-affiliated faculty are exploring and implementing methods in which multimedia technology can be used to make learning a foreign language a more authentic experience.

Although MIT is known throughout the world for its programs in science and engineering, MIT is also an institution where the humanities, arts, and social sciences play an integral role in the educational mission. Together, they help to make MIT much more than just an institute of technology.

对外国语言和文学的研究让我们的学生在未来的生涯规划中拥有潜在的优势。科学家和工程师们所必须面对的是全球的市场：他们所仰赖的资料来源以其他的语言出版、必须参加国际会议，有时必须在国家间、文化间和语言间进行沟通。政府和产业界通常会偏好拥有流利外文能力的申请者。麻省理工的学生被鼓励前往其它合作的外国大学、公私机构工作或是学习。

外国语言与文化系所的教师、语言协调师、以及大学部学务管理者能够协助规划学生参与国内或是国外的计划。麻省理工学院对外国语言的研习提供了独特的角度，因为我们可以将自然语言的研究和最新的多媒体互动科技结合在一起。教师们与本系所合作来规划各种新的尝试，利用多媒体科技来强化学习外国语言的方法。

虽然麻省理工学院是以科学和工程闻名，但人文、艺术和社会科学在我们的教育过程中依旧扮演重要的整合角色。这些不同的学科让麻省理工学院不只是一个单纯的科技教育机构。