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University News

New Undergraduate Language Programs for Fall 2019

Students can minor in Asian Languages or major in Language, Business and Culture

Posted in: Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, University

Hello written in English and Korean

Foreign language learning is more relevant than ever in today’s increasingly globalized marketplace. Montclair State University has recognized this by introducing two dynamic new language programs for fall 2019.

“The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers nine language programs, while the Department of Spanish and Latino Studies offers courses in Spanish and Portuguese. These offerings make Montclair State a go-to school in New Jersey for language study,” says Department of Modern Languages and Literatures chairperson Lois Oppenheim.

Her department’s new 18-credit Asian Languages minor gives students the opportunity to study two languages – choosing from Chinese, Japanese and Korean – in one program. They can concentrate in either Chinese or Japanese and study any of the three as a secondary language.

According to Oppenheim, the minor was created in part as a response to student needs. “Japanese and Chinese already existed as minors, and Korean – while not yet a minor – was recently added in response to a very large student request,” she explains. “Interest in K-pop, for example, is huge. Students were knocking the door down for Korean.”

The Asian Languages minor will give students who wish to study more than one Asian language the curricular flexibility to do so. “They can also double-minor in Asian Languages and in Chinese or Japanese.”

While all language courses have a built-in cultural component, students will also be able to earn Asian Languages minor credits for classes covering topics such as Chinese cinema, Japanese kanji and calligraphy, and business Chinese.

Oppenheim notes the versatility of language degrees. “A language degree can open the door to any number of careers – in government, business, teaching, entertainment, translation and more,” she says.

Montclair State’s innovative new interdisciplinary Language, Business and Culture major will prepare students for exciting careers both in the U.S. and abroad in today’s global business environment.

“Its combination of language skills and a foundation-level knowledge of business should make these students solid hires,” says Feliciano School of Business Vice Dean Kimberly Hollister. “They should be in a strong position to work for international companies located in the greater New Jersey area.”

Director of the Language, Business and Culture program Enza Antenos, notes, “A groundbreaking industry study recently released on the value of language skills among U.S. employers reveals that 9 out of 10 of them report a reliance on U.S.-based employees with language skills other than English. Every business on some level is global so we will have students prepared for that reality.”

Graduates will gain a competitive edge in pursuing careers in everything from banking, finance and publishing to translation, marketing and human resources. They will also be prepared to further their studies in graduate programs in fields such as law, business, social work, technology, language, linguistics and cultural studies.

The collaborative degree offering from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Feliciano School of Business combines cultural and language study in one of five languages – Arabic, French, German, Italian or Spanish – with a foundational grounding in accounting, economics, finance, technology and international business.

Language, Business and Culture majors will also gain invaluable first-hand experience by participating in a required international experience – such as an internship abroad or with a U.S.-based international company, or study or travel abroad.

Learn more about the Asian Languages minor

Learn more about the Language, Business and Culture major