World Languages and Cultures Trail Marker

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Components of the World Languages and Cultures Trail Marker

Two successive courses taught in a World Language and one Culture course are required for all Bethany students to provide World Readiness Skills and Global Competence.  These skills are fundamental for success in an increasingly internationalized world.   

Learning Objectives for the Language Courses:  
  1. Students will have an understanding that languages are key to the expression of cultures, and that a deep understanding of another culture is only possible through its language. 
  2. Students will have the ability to communicate effectively at the novice high (for Arabic, Mandarin-Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese) or intermediate-low proficiency (French, German, Spanish) or above (depending on the language difficulty) on the ACTFL proficiency scale.
  3. Students will have the skills and strategies to continue learning world languages more easily as life-long activity in multilingual societies and an internationalized world. 
Eligible World Language Courses:   
  • Any two courses offered by the WLAC section and taught in the world language and succeeding each other qualify to fulfill for the requirement.  

There are five ways to fulfill the requirement: 

  • Students successfully complete at Bethany two courses of a language sequence in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish into which they have been placed based on the results of an internal or external placement procedure.  Acceptable external instruments are the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview, or a certified Common European Framework (CEFR) ranking.  The validity of other external tests will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
  • Students who test above the 110 level in a language available at Bethany College are encouraged, but not required, to continue their study in that language at a higher level (For example, a student testing into FREN 120 can take that class and continue into FREN 130, or start over with FREN 110 and complete the requirement with FREN 120) Alternatively, they have the option to begin the study of an additional world language and culture and take levels 110 and 120.
  • Students who transfer two semesters of college language credit, and students who have achieved a 3 or better on the College Board AP exam, have completed the requirement.
  • Native speakers of languages other than English have the option to continue their study of English as a Second Language. Eligible courses need to be dedicated to skill building (speaking, reading, or writing skills). Courses for native speakers to fulfill the World Languages Requirement: COMM 201 Media Writing, COMM 206 Public Speaking and Announcing, COMM 305 Feature Writing, ENGL 212 Writing for College and Community, ENGL 220 Writing for Business and Industry, ENGL 223 Technical Writing, ENGL 230 Writing and the Environment, ENGL 240 Creative Writing, ENGL 411 Advanced Poetry Writing Workshop, ENGL 412 Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop,  ENGL 413 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop, PSYC 308 Writing Papers in Psychology, THEA 210 Playwriting, and THEA 226 Stage Voice.
  • Students with documented disabilities are offered accommodations and modifications on a case-by-case basis in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Common course substitutions for persons with language learning disabilities are civilization and culture courses taught in English and offered by the World Languages and Cultures program (ARBC 180,  CHIN 180, GRMN 180, GRMN 181, FREN 180, FREN 181, JAPN 180, SPAN 180, or SPAN 181). Please contact the Dean of Student Success to complete the process.  

Upon their request, and based on test results, students may earn up to six credits for prior language study. 

 

Learning Objectives for the Culture Course  

Bethany students further develop their global competence and world readiness by taking a course through which they either become familiar with the contemporary world by exploring the interrelationships of several countries or by comparing two or more countries outside of the United States, or through which they become aware of the nature and significance of one existing culture, ethnic subculture, or cluster of ethnic subcultures.  

  1. Students will develop the skills to interact with cultural competence and understanding by investigating, explaining, and reflecting on the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied with their own culture.
  2. Students will develop the skills to interact with cultural competence and understanding by investigating, explaining, and reflecting on the relationship between the practices and products, and the perspectives of the cultures studied.
Eligible Culture Courses 
  • Classes eligible to fulfill the Culture requirement include more advanced language and culture courses offered by World Languages and Cultures, or courses in other departments, which allow for a deeper, more theoretical treatment of cultures than is possible in beginning World Language courses. The course can be selected from one of these categories. The list of courses approved for satisfying the requirement in each area changes every year.
  • Cultural Awareness Courses (GAC): ARBC 130 Arabic Language and Cultures III, ARBC 180 Civilization of the Arabic Speaking World; BUSI 345 Intercultural Communications; CHIN 130 Chinese Language and Cultures III,  CHIN 180 Chinese Civilization; COMM 345 Intercultural Communication; ENGL 267 Masterpieces of World Literature, ENGL 383 African American Novel; FREN 130 French III, FREN 181 Contemporary France, FREN 220 Conversation and Composition: France; GRMN 130 German III, GRMN 160 German Culture through Film, GRMN 180 Civilization of Germany, GRMN 220 Conversation and Composition: Germany; HIST 329 Islamic Civilization, HIST 330 Modern China, HIST 331 Modern Japan; JAPN 130 Japanese III, JAPN 180 Japanese Culture, JAPN 181 Modern Japan; ITAL 180 Civilization of Italy; MUSI 104 Out of the Blues and Into Rock; PSYC 250 Multi-Cultural Psychology; RELS 210 Yoga and Meditation, RELS 220 Introduction to World Religions, RELS 352 Islamic Civilization; SOCI 210 Human Diversity; SOWO 210 Human Diversity; SPAN 130 Spanish III, SPAN 180 Civilization of Spain, SPAN 220 Conversation and Composition: Spain; THEA 270 Women Playwrights.
  • International Understanding (GAI): BUSI 308 International Business, BUSI 371 International Finance; Communications BUSI 403 Global and International Communication; ENGL 268 Modern World Literature; ECON 113 Comparative Economic Systems; FREN 221 Conversation and Composition: Francophone World; GENS 202 Physical and Cultural Geography; GRMN 181 Civilization of the German-Speaking World; GRMN 221 Conversation and Composition: The German- Speaking World; HIST 210 The Age of Extremes: The Twentieth-Century World, HIST 230 Dilemmas of Diversity, Democracy, and Nationhood in the Twentieth-Century World; INTD 202 World Energy Resources, INTD 203 International Terrorism; INTD 211 Women in the World; POLS 111 Comparative Politics, POLS 112 International Politics, POLS 211 Women in the World; POLS 253 Nature and International Society; RELS 244 Hinduism and Buddism, RELS 260 Religion and Food; SPAN 181 Civilization of Latin America; SPAN 221 Conversation and Composition: Latin America