World Languages & Cultures

French

More than 300 million people speak French on all five continents. It is also the most popular second language after English, and the third-most widely spoken language in the United States. French majors and minors learn not only to communicate correctly and effectively in French, but also to understand and appreciate the diverse cultural perspectives and practices of French-speaking populations. In addition to helping students select classes, program faculty advise and mentor those applying to study abroad programs, internships, jobs, and graduate school.

German

In our changing global environment, communication is the key to understanding other peoples and cultures. More than 220 million people speak German worldwide and the German program prepares its students to thrive as global citizens in a diverse world. Students acquire language proficiency and cultural competence that provide insight into the culture, literature, and history of German-speaking countries and enables them to travel, study, and work in areas where the target language is used.

Scandinavian Studies

We are the only public university in Minnesota offering a major in Scandinavian Studies. The Scandinavian Studies Program offers students an opportunity to combine Norwegian or Swedish languages with study of the greater Nordic cultural region. It provides students with a familiarity of Scandinavian heritage and history. And it prepares students to live and work in any of the Scandinavian countries—Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

Spanish

Close to 500 million people speak Spanish and 20 countries have it as their official language. Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the U.S. (41 million Spanish speakers), giving you a local and a global advantage when it comes to job and business opportunities, travel, and life experiences.

Chinese Courses

We offer one-year courses in beginning Mandarin Chinese, the language with the largest number of native speakers in the world.

These courses will help you develop skills in Mandarin Chinese to communicate across ethnic, cultural, ideological and national boundaries and to develop an understanding of Chinese interpersonal behavioral culture and related thought patterns.

Dakota Courses

We offer courses in elementary and intermediate Dakota.

The elementary courses will help you develop basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the Dakota language.  The intermediate courses will help students with grammar review, oral practice, written composition, and development of reading and listening skills within a cultural context.

Advantages of Learning a Language

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