Modern Languages degree vs Translation and Interpreting (French and Spanish) degree?

To sum it up briefly, a Translation and Interpretation degree will require you to specialize whereas a Modern Languages degree is really quite general. ML degrees, often called Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics where I live, do as the name suggests: teach you some modern languages by requiring you to learn about their respective literature while taking a few Linguistics courses. A lot of language professors also incorporate linguistic concepts into their lectures without it necessarily being a linguistics class. Most ML programs will require you to study two or more foreign languages (along with the "main" language that everyone already speaks - usually your native language), while a TI program usually involves just one foreign language with your main/native language. You'll also need to take a lot of culture courses with your ML degree: classes that focus on the societies and people who speak that foreign language and not just the language itself. In TI programs, the courses you take are going to focus specifically on translation and formal writing. You'll have to take classes on stylistics, documentation, professional writing, etc. You'll also have to learn about very specialized forms of writing, such as writing for business, medicine, law, and others. It's a good idea to figure out what industry you want to translate for so that you can (hopefully) take a double major for it (i.e. Translation & Business or French & Business or BA in Spanish with a BeD in Second Language Teaching). Both programs will usually give you the option of going on an international exchange, but I believe it's more strongly recommended for translation majors (not sure). If you're going to major in Modern Languages, it's a good idea to double major in something else that is more lucrative.