Language and Culture

Bachelor of Arts

Introduction

Congratulations on being accepted into a Bachelor of Arts degree program! You are embarking on an academic journey that will offer you the best of a broad liberal education with the ability to specialize in various fields of study. 

The BA in Language and Culture will provide you with a solid training in focused language, literary and cultural studies in one or two language areas (Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures, German, Italian, or Russian) and complement these studies with core coursework in cross-linguistic, cross-cultural, and comparative studies. 

Students completing a BA in Language and Culture will develop skills in language proficiency, intercultural capacity, research and synthesis of knowledge. 

The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered as a B.A. requiring the completion of 120 units and normally four years of full-time study.

Courses required in your first year

1. Only one of Linguistics 201 or Language 200 is required for the program.

2. One language is required to be chosen from Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures, German, Italian or Russian.

3. A second language is required to be chosen from Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures, German, Italian or Russian if you re not planning on completing the minor in your first language. In this instance you will be completing a concentration with two of the listed languages. 

Placement in Language Courses

It is essential that students register in the appropriate level of language course to ensure that they are suited for the level of language instruction in the course and to ensure that all students enrolled in a course are at a similar level of language competence.  See Placement in Language Courses on the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures website. 

Native speakers are not eligible to take language courses by special assessment or to receive advanced credit for them. 

(i) Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures
Students normally register in Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures 202 in the fall term and Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures 204 in the winter term. All students wishing to take a course in Arabic for the first time must contact the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures in order to determine the appropriate course in which to register.  Students who do not complete the online placement form, or who are asked to consult with the advisor but fail to do so, will be removed from the course by the drop deadline 

(ii) German 
Students normally register in German 202 in the fall term and 204 in the winter term. Students who have taken German 30 or 31 should consult with the Department of Linguistics, Languages and Cultures for course registration advice.  Students who register in introductory courses in German are required to complete an online placement form to indicate whether they have taken a previous course in the language or lived in an environment where that language is spoken.  The online placement form will be available to registered students via D2L up to a month before the first day of classes. Students must be registered in the respective course in order to access the D2L site. 

(iii) Italian 
Students with no previous training in Italian will normally begin with Italian 201. Students with Italian 30 should register in Italian 203. Students who register in introductory courses in Italian are required to complete an online placement form to indicate whether they have taken a previous course in the language or lived in an environment where that language is spoken.  The online placement form will be available to registered students via D2L up to a month before the first day of classes. Students must be registered in the respective course in order to access the D2L site. 

(iv) Russian 
Students should register in Russian 201 in the fall term and Russian 209 in the winter term. Students who register in introductory courses in Russian are required to complete an online placement form to indicate whether they have taken a previous course in the language or lived in an environment where that language is spoken.  The online placement form will be available to registered students via D2L up to a month before the first day of classes. Students must be registered in the respective course in order to access the D2L site.

Tip:
Remember to register for both fall and winter semesters at the same time.

For further information, please contact:
Telephone: 403.220.3580 
Email: artsads@ucalgary.ca 
Website: ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/explore-programs/language-culture

Studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree means that you are a student in the Faculty of Arts.

The program that you choose refers to the subject area you’d like your Bachelor of Arts degree to focus on (e.g. Bachelor of Arts, major in History). This is something that you will have indicated when you applied for admission.

To see your program, log into your online Student Centre and under the Admissions menu and within the "My Applications" box, click on "status". You will then be able to see your faculty and program.

From Archaeology to Visual Studies, there are numerous majors and programs to choose from within the Faculty of Arts. If you'd like to see the different majors and programs that the Faculty of Arts has to offer, visit the faculty website.

If you are coming to the University of Calgary with Advanced Placement credit or International Baccalaureate credit, you will follow the same registration process as any first time university student. You may be eligible to use your transfer credit in your degree program depending on the program you have entered and whether or not the courses are applicable. Look for International Baccalaureate credit information here and Advanced Placement information here.

View your transfer credit in your online Student Centre. Once you know the transfer credit you have received, you may contact the academic advisor in your faculty to get advice on course selection.

Generally, students must complete 18 units at the junior (200-level) before they are allowed to register in 300-level courses. However, if you received IB or AP credit for a 200-level course, you may take the 300-level course that has your 200-level course listed as a prerequisite.

Co-op and Internship: Get a head start on your career through our co-operative education and internship opportunities. You will gain valuable work experience in your industry—all before you graduate.

Study Abroad: Experience different cultures, gain a better understanding of world issues, and travel around the globe, all while earning credit towards your degree. The University of Calgary offers exchanges and study abroad programs in 61 different countries.

Community Service-Learning: Combine your classroom learning with volunteer work that achieves community goals, and see first-hand how your academic learning relates to social issues.

Arts and Science Honours Academy: Be part of a unique program that combines collaborative study, global opportunities and academic challenge. The ASHA program brings together 25 like-minded high achieving students to learn and study in six distinct scholars courses. As an Arts and Science Honours Academy student, you will be one of a class of the best and brightest at the University of Calgary.