/Institutions/University-of-Northern-Colorado/json/2025-2026/Undergraduate-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Northern-Colorado/json/2025-2026/Undergraduate-Catalog.json

Department of World Languages and Cultures

Location: Candelaria Hall

Email: HSS@unco.edu

Website: www.unco.edu/hss/world-languages-cultures/

Faculty: Enrique Bernales, Ph.D.; Karla Del Carpio, Ph.D.; Don Holman, Ph.D.; Michelle Low, Ph.D.; Erin Noelliste, Ph.D.; John Ryan, Ph.D.; Kaori Shimizu, Ph.D.

Course(s) Offered (Prefix):

• ASIA — Asian Studies
• CHIN — Chinese
• EUR — European Languages and Cultures
• FL — Foreign Language
• FR — French
• GER — German
• JAPN — Japanese
• SPAN — Spanish
• WLC — World Languages & Cultures

Program(s) Offered:

• Bachelors Degrees
  • Asian Studies B.A.
    • Liberal Arts Concentration
  • Spanish B.A.
    • Liberal Arts Concentration
    • Licensure: World Languages (Grades K-12)
• Minors
  • Asian Studies
  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Spanish
• Undergraduate Certificates
  • Spanish for the Professions

World Languages and Cultures offers students the opportunity to acquire the four language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing, and to study the culture and literature of the country or countries where the languages are spoken. The department of World Languages and Cultures offers undergraduate degrees in Spanish with a concentration in secondary language teaching as an option, as well as an interdisciplinary majors in Asian Studies. Students may also complete minors in Asian Studies, Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish.

Since a high level of proficiency is necessary for most careers in the field of world languages, our classes are taught primarily in the target language and are performance-oriented. Conversational abilities are stressed at all levels. A number of advanced level skill-building courses are offered to promote the greatest fluency.

In addition to courses required for the majors and minors, World Languages and Cultures offers a variety of courses that satisfy the requirements of UNC's Liberal Arts Curriculum. Beginning and intermediate courses are available in Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish, as well as a selection of culture courses taught in English.

Extracurricular programs and activities are offered as an extension of our conventional classroom program. Conversation hours are regularly held at various locations on or near campus, giving students the opportunity to practice their foreign language. There are also several very active student clubs open to all interested parties.

To enhance acquisition of cultural and linguistic skills and to better prepare our students for their lives as global citizens, World Languages and Cultures offers a diverse range of exchange programs in China and Taiwan that provide any UNC student, including majors and minors the opportunity to develop their linguistic and cultural expertise in the country of their choice. Summer study abroad opportunities are also offered in Chinese and Japanese.