For-Credit Classes

Along with providing the first-year language experience for students, the Center for World Languages and Cultures has three primary for-credit programs for you to explore during your First-Year Experience at DU. After your first year, the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures and the Department of Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies offer traditional credit-bearing undergraduate courses in many languages that can count toward a major or minor.

Our three programs include online/hybrid courses, Directed Independent Language Study, and our Cultures and Languages Across Curriculum courses.

 

 

Traditional Undergraduate Language Courses for Credit

First-Year Experience

Undergraduates at DU must complete their Common Curriculum requirements, which include an elementary sequence of a foreign language or one four-credit course at their level if they place beyond the elementary sequence (level 2001 or higher). See what credited courses we offer using the link below.

Learn More

After Your First Year...

Beyond your first-year experience at the Center for World Languages and Cultures, you can continue your traditional language courses in one of DU's language departments. They offer major and minor courses in Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian and Spanish. They also offer intermediate classes in Arabic and Arabic culture courses taught in English.

Explore Majors and Minors with a Language Component

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Online and Hybrid Courses

Our online and hybrid courses are taught by faculty from DU's International Strategic Partner Institutions and emphasize listening and reading, speaking and writing, and interpersonal communication skills.

  • Korean

    INTZ 1201, Korean: Beginning Level 1

    This course consists of teaching and practical exercises pertaining to vocabulary, pronunciation and sentence structure of the Korean language. Cultural topics pertaining to Korean society aim to facilitate students' transition into study abroad.

    This is a hybrid course with lectures delivered synchronously via an online meeting software platform (Zoom) by a Korean Instructor at the University of Western Australia and face-to-face classes with a Korean Teaching Assistant on campus at DU. Attendance in both online and in-person class sessions is mandatory.

  • Swedish

    INTZ 1101, Swedish as a Foreign Language: Level 1

    This course consists of teaching and practical exercises pertaining to vocabulary, pronunciation and sentence structure of the Swedish language. Cultural topics pertaining to Sweden and Swedish society aim to facilitate students' transition into study abroad at Lund University.

    This course is delivered synchronously via an online meeting software platform, such as Zoom, by a Swedish as a Foreign Language instructor at Lund University in Sweden. Students engage as a class remotely through both audio and video connection; students receive login instructions prior to week 1. Remote attendance and participation during class sessions is mandatory.

    NOTE: This course is offered for elective credit only.

student with a laptop

Directed Independent Language Study (DILS)

The DILS program focuses on languages not traditionally taught in classrooms at DU and students design the goals of their study while working with a private Language Partner. Participation in our program helps you shape your academic and career goals, prepare for study abroad and field experience courses, enhance your application for internship experiences and cultivate rewarding intercultural relationships.

Please note that participation in our DILS program requires time and dedication. As a DILS student, you must be self-motivated and willing to assume full responsibility for your learning. As a guideline, you should spend approximately 9-12 hours per week working on DILS, including language partner meetings.

  • DILS is open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Denver for undergraduate elective credit.
  • DILS does not fulfill the undergraduate common curriculum foreign language requirement. Students must complete their foreign language requirement before registering for a DILS class.
  • Undergraduates are advised to complete their first year at DU before registering for DILS.
  • DILS classes qualify for the University of Denver employee tuition waiver benefit. 

Please note that due to program revisions, we have suspended the DILS program for the 2021–2022 academic year.

  • Resources and Assessment

    The DILS program provides mentoring and materials to support you in your language study through the following resources:

    • Language Partners–DILS students regularly meet with a Language Partner, a native speaker of the target language. The sessions aim to develop linguistic and cultural competence through active conversation, with limited instruction and correction.
    • Coaching–A language coach is assigned to each DILS student. The coach provides guidance and advice on learning strategies and techniques, study abroad opportunities and additional language resources.
    • Instructional Materials–The DILS program works to build a bank of instructional materials for students and Language Partners to borrow.
    • Assessment–Students are tested to determine language placement and progress. Whenever possible, tests are administered and evaluated according to national and standardized ACTFL testing scales.
  • Expectations

    You will be expected to:

    • commit to a regular schedule of independent study created with your coach and Language Partner
    • attend two weekly language sessions with your Language Partner
    • complete mid-term and final oral and/or written proficiency assessments with the Language Examiner
  • Register

    All students who would like to register for DILS must complete the DILS Language Application online and gain instructor approval prior to registering. Please contact the Center for more information.

    Graduate students, faculty, and staff who wish to enroll in DILS classes may be required to complete the Special Status Student Application prior to registration.

    Please follow the Registrar's instructions for independent study to register for any of our DILS classes. You will find the classes listed in the schedule under the subject "Internationalization."

    Please note that due to program revisions, we have suspended the DILS program for the 2021–2022 academic year.

students reading

Cultures and Language Across Curriculum (CLAC)

Our CLAC program lets students earn additional credit toward their degrees by integrating cultural and linguistic elements into courses in other disciplines outside the language classroom. We encourage faculty and students to engage with multiple cultural perspectives in their fields of interest through their broadened cultural knowledge and language abilities developed in this program.

  • Who Can Participate and What are the Benefits?

    We invite undergraduate and graduate students, faculty at DU, second-language learners of all levels, non-native English speakers and heritage language speakers to participate in our program.

    In CLAC, you develop transferable language and intercultural skills that help you in your study abroad experiences and professional careers. We provide structure for international students to share their knowledge and experience as well as allow for exploration of other English-speaking cultural perspectives.

  • What Are Some Examples of Courses at CLAC?

    We offer a number of courses at CLAC such as:

    • History of the Middle East | French, German
    • Islamic Empires | Arabic
    • Geography | Spanish
  • How Can Faculty Benefit from CLAC?

    By participating in CLAC, faculty can incorporate languages and cultures into the classroom by:

    • Providing options for students to use other language sources in assignments (e.g., papers, presentations, discussions)
    • Creating assignments or discussions where students contribute materials and perspectives from other languages and cultures
    • Facilitating discussion sections conducted in other languages (may be led by faculty or grad students). Students research and discuss the class content in another language
    • Linking content classes and language classes across departments
  • How to Register at CLAC

    Students may participate in CLAC at DU by registering for the parent course and the corresponding 1-credit INTZ 2700 or INTZ 3700 discussion section. Please follow the Registrar's instructions to register for a CLAC class. You will find the classes listed in the schedule under the subject "Internationalization." Registration in CLAC classes requires instructor approval. Please contact the instructor or CWLC for more information.

    Undergraduates: If you are interested in participating in a CLAC discussion add-on for a non-language course, please email us and let us know your year, major and language(s) of interest.

    Graduates: If you are interested in facilitating an undergraduate discussion group in your field of study, please email us with your area of study and language abilities.

    Faculty: If you would like to add a 1-credit discussion section in another language to a class, contact us with the class, term(s) and language(s). If you already provide students with an opportunity to incorporate other languages and cultures into your classes, please let us know! We would love to share the work that is already happening.