2015 cllc.osu.edu
EXPAND YOUR WORLD!
LANGUAGES AT OHIO STATE
Apply your language skills to more than 100 study abroad programs in 40+ countries. With more than 30 languages, you have unparalleled opportunities to study and intern abroad; access to top international faculty and scholars and stateof-the-art teaching and learning facilities; and unlimited options to expand your horizons. Do you want to learn French and study fashion in Paris? Japanese so you can create anime for a Japanese production company? Quechua to do field work on subsistence farming techniques? Hindi to do business overseas with a rapidly growing superpower? Whatever your dreams, consider the benefits of double majoring with a language. Choose a language minor to broaden your learning experience and enhance your skillset.
More than ever, it is important to understand other languages. In the global economy, one of the most valuable traits you can possess is the ability to speak a second or multiple languages. You will not only be more marketable professionally, but will increase your worth and effectiveness to future employers. Knowing an additional language makes you a better global citizen, enriches your personal life and gives you a strong voice in the world.
Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people came from and where they’re going. – Rita Mae Brown, author
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY HERE… Explore our guide to find a language that appeals to you.
Please note the defined meaning of the symbols below :
Major Available
Minor Available
Courses Available
ASL is a naturally created language used by a linguistic and cultural minority that emphasizes the needs and goals of the group as a whole over the needs and wishes of each individual. It is used in Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in the United States and English-speaking parts of Canada.
70 Million Users ASL is offered as a series of courses (1101 through 1103) and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement.
Arabic is the 5th most spoken language in the world. It is one of six official U.N. languages. The U.S. Department of State considers Arabic a critical language. It is the language of scripture for more than a billion people.
237 Million Speakers Arabic is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the foreign language requirement. Arabic is also available in both classroom and individualized instruction format. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
The Balkan region where these languages are spoken has always been a critical crossroad between eastern and western culture. The uniqueness of this region is well demonstrated by the many accomplishments in music, architecture and sports.
19 Million Speakers Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian is available from beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement.
Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
With 1.36 billion people, China is the most populous nation in the world; one fifth of the planet speaks Chinese. China is one of the largest trading partners of the United States and , the world s second largest economy.
2
Billion Speakers
Mandarin is offered at beginning through the most advanced levels and can be used to fulfill the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Mandarin is available in both the classroom and individualized instruction formats, and the first level is also available through Summer Programs in East Asian Concentration (SPEAC). Study abroad opportunities are available in Suzhou and Shanghai, Suzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and other exciting places. Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures
Czech is a gateway to other European languages. It is closely related to Polish and Slovak. Learning Czech will make learning these other languages much easier.
12 Million Speakers Czech is offered at beginning and intermediate levels and can be used to fulfill the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. There are numerous study abroad options in different disciplines in the Czech Republic such as the Prague Theatre Program. Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
French is spoken in more than 42 countries and is a working language of the U.N., the European Union and dozens of international organizations.
110 Million Speakers French is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirements. French is available in both classroom and individualized instruction format. Study abroad opportunities are available in France at Nantes, Dijon, Nice, Paris, ISA French Program at the Sorbonne, Rennes, Montpellier, Québec and Senegal. In Canada, students can study at Laval University. Department of French and Italian
German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union. German is one of the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world. One fourth of the tourists in the United States are German speaking, making it a great language to learn for the hospitality industry.
100
Million Speakers
German is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. German is available in both classroom and individualized instruction format. Study abroad opportunities include programs in Dresden, Bonn and Berlin. Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures
Knowledge of Modern Greek is a great asset to students interested in studying medicine and mathematics. Many of the common terms in those areas are taken from Greek.
17 Million Users Greek (both ancient and modern) is available at beginning through advanced levels and can fulfill the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad opportunities are available in Isthmia or Athens. Department of Classics
Hebrew ​is the language of the Bible and and a vital component of the Jewish and Christian faiths. It is the official language of Israel, one of , the world s most advanced high-tech economies.
8
Million Speakers
Hebrew is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad opportunities include programs at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University and the University of Haifa. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Hindi is the third-most-spoken language and is expected to pass English and take second place within the next two years. Hindi pronunciation and spelling are made easy with each letter of the alphabet having an independent sound.
310 Million Speakers Hindi is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Students can also study abroad and take Hindi courses at the University of Hyderabad. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Italy is one of the top economies in the world with employers seeking people who speak both Italian and English. It is greatly beneficial in many career fields such as culinary arts, design, fashion, manufacturing, robotics and engineering.
90
Million Speakers
Italian is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad opportunities include programs in Lecce, Siena, Florence and Rome. Department of French and Italian
Want to go into international business? Japan has the third-largest economy in the world and offers many business opportunities. Japanese language skills are a great inroad into the multinational job market.
122 Million Speakers Japanese is available at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Japanese GEC courses are offered in both the classroom and individualized instruction format. Intensive Japanese is available in levels 2 and 3 during the academic year and in levels 1, 2 and 4 through the Summer Programs in East Asian Concentration (SPEAC). Study abroad opportunities are available at International Christian University, Nazan University, University of Tsukuba, Tenri University, Waseda University, University of Hokkaido and Kobe. Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures
The Korean alphabet script is one of the youngest writing systems in the world and was created in the mid-15th century. The simplicity of the writing system is widely thought to have contributed to Korea’s exceptionally high literacy rate at close to 100 percent. South Korea has a strong economy and a dynamic popular culture.
77.2 Million Speakers Korean is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad opportunities include programs at Sogang University, Soonchunhyang University and Yonsei University. Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures
Almost half of the words in modern English have been borrowed from Latin. Studying Latin will improve your vocabulary and your understanding of English and the Romance languages. Latin has had a major influence on many languages that are still thriving, and continues to see wide use in areas such as academia.
Latin is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Classics
Persian ​was the major international language in Asia for a thousand years. It is considered a critical language with employment opportunities in security, journalism and diplomacy. The language holds official status in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
110 Million Speakers Persian is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Polish is the second-most-widely spoken Slavic language. Poland has a vibrant economy and is experiencing rapid political and social change. A key member of the European Union and NATO, Poland also offers a thriving cultural and art scene.
46
Million Speakers
Polish is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
Portuguese is the native and/or official language of Brazil, Portugal, and five countries in Africa and one in Asia. It is a prime language for the study of economics and bio diversity, and one of the fastest growing economic-linguistic blocs.
230 Million Speakers Portuguese is offered as a series of courses (1101 through 1103) and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. It is offered in both the classroom and individualized instruction format. An accelerated series of courses for speakers of Spanish is available. Study abroad trips are available in Rio De Janeiro and Universidade do Sul de Santa. Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Quechua is an indigenous language from South America. Quechua is of special interest to students who want to learn about the language, culture and society of the Andes or are studying or working in areas such as Spanish, Portuguese, history, anthropology, archeology, geography, international studies and political science.
8.9
Million Speakers
Quechua is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad opportunities are available in Lima. Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Romania has been a member of the European Union since 2008 and is popular tourist destination. It is home to six World Heritage Sites including Dracula’s Castle.
24
Million Speakers
Romanian is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. GE requirements can be completed within one year with intensive courses
Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
If you have an interest in working for the U.S. government, federal agencies have identified Russian as a priority language of national need and have called for more Russian-language specialists.
260
Million Speakers
Russian is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Russian is offered in both the classroom and individualized instruction format. Study abroad opportunities are available in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures
Since the 1990s, when Somalia was torn apart by Civil War, the United States has seen an increasing number of Somali immigrants. If you are interested in working in the public sector, Somali language skills are highly valued.
17 Million Speakers Somali is offered at beginning though intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of African American and African Studies
Spanish is the second-most-widely spoken language in the world. Speaking Spanish can lead to international opportunities in business, diplomacy, interpretation and security applications.
470 Million Speakers Spanish is offered at beginning through advanced levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Spanish is offered in both the classroom and individualized instruction format. Study abroad opportunities are available in Peru, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica and Ecuador. Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Swahili is one of the most widely spoken languages that crosses many borders in Africa. As a “lingua franca,” Swahili language skills open many opportunities in fields such as research, diplomacy and work in the travel industry.
140 Million Speakers Swahili is offered at beginning through advanced courses and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad is available in Kenya. Department of African American and African Studies
Learning Swedish gives you access to educational and career opportunities in the Nordic region in fields as diverse as biotech, genetics, environmental sciences, peace studies, energy, design and architecture, and advanced studies in Scandinavian literature, language, culture, history and archaeology.
9 Million Speakers Swedish is offered as a series of courses (1101-1103) and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Study abroad is offered at Uppsala University in Sweden. Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures
The product of a strategic alliance formed in 2006 with the University of Michigan Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Tibetan courses are delivered via live video and therefore available to students on both campuses. Tibetan art and drama are unique and unparalleled in their style and history and would give students of the arts a unique set of skills.
5 Million Speakers The Tibetan Language Program includes two levels of instruction in two categories, Colloquial (modern) Tibetan and Literary (Classical) Tibetan, and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures
Turkey, the seat of the former Ottoman Empire, is strategically connected culturally, geographically and politically to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Knowing how to speak Turkish is advantageous for students pursuing careers in business, government, scholarship, or diplomacy.
8
Million Speakers
Turkish is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Urdu is the official language of Pakistan and one of the 15 officially recognized languages of India. It is mutually intelligible with Hindi, which opens learners up to a much larger experience. The U.S. Department of State considers Urdu a critical language.
110
Million Speakers
Urdu is offered as a series of courses (1101 through 1103) and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Uzbek is the language of Uzbekistan, one of the most developed countries in Central Asia and has a growing importance in the world economy, particularly in the areas of cotton, gas, coal, oil and important minerals. Ohio State is one of the few universities offering the opportunity to study this rarely taught language.
26 Million Speakers Uzbek is offered at beginning through intermediate levels and fulfills the university’s General Education (GE) foreign language requirement. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures The Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures (CLLC) brings together scholars and experts from across the university and around the world to increase our understanding of diverse cultures, expand our competence in foreign languages and investigate the impact and creative potential contained in established and emerging media technologies. Globalization, democratization and rapidly changing technology continually transform our increasingly interconnected world, posing new challenges and opportunities; in response, the CLLC offers graduate and undergraduate students the intellectual, linguistic and cultural tools they need to succeed personally and professionally in our complex global economy. We hold the collective belief that the knowledge of one or more languages and the literatures and cultures they represent are essential components of a 21st century education.
Over the next decade, proficiency in languages will be among the most critical skills sought by recruiters. {Wall Street Journal}
CENTER FOR LANGUAGES, LITERATURES AND CULTURES 100 Hagerty Hall 1775 College Road Columbus, OH 43210-1340 (614) 292-4361
cllc.osu.edu