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University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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Programs

Minors

The department of Modern Languages offer minors in Chinese Studies, French, German and Spanish.

Getting a minor can help build your skills in your field of study when correctly applied to a complementing major.

A minor degree can also be beneficial when you know what type of career you want to get into after graduation. In many cases what you major in does not necessarily reflect what kind of career you will go into. But if you see yourself leaning toward a certain career, you can pair this somewhat unrelated major to a minor that correlates between the two.

Minoring in a language can be a great way to help you stand out from your competition in the job market.

Chinese Studies Minor

Director: Stephen C. Thomas
Office: Political Science, Campus Box 190, KC 520
Telephone: 303-556-5259
E-mail: Stephen.Thomas@ucdenver.edu

Faculty Advisors:

Ji Chen, College of Business, LSC 390K, 303-556-6611

Stephen C. Thomas, Department of Political Science, KC 520, 303-556-5259

The Program in Chinese Studies

This innovative program offers specialized study of China through coursework in the related disciplines of language, anthropology, history, geography, literature and political science. China's economic and political presence is increasingly prominent in the United States. According to a recent national survey, Chinese is the fastest-growing foreign language in American colleges and universities. UC Denver is uniquely positioned to make use of its location as the cultural, economic and political center of the Rocky Mountain region and of its diverse, well trained and highly qualified faculty to offer a course of interdisciplinary studies related to China.

The increasing prominence of China in world affairs has made knowledge of Chinese language and cultures a valuable asset in numerous fields. Today, career opportunities abound for Chinese studies graduates in government, international business, banking and financial services, law, medicine, journalism, and graduate study in Sinology. The breadth of the program's course offerings, coupled with the resources of the faculty, ensures that its graduates will be especially well prepared for any of these professional pursuits.

Study Abroad Opportunities

The program in Chinese studies offers a host of study abroad opportunities throughout the academic year and every summer. UC Denver has ongoing programs in Beijing and Taipei, as well as an association with Yunnan University in Kunming. Study abroad programs of five weeks to one year in length may be arranged, and program faculty can help students enroll in intensive Chinese language programs in Taiwan or on the mainland. Students pursuing the minor in Chinese language and area studies are encouraged to complete the program with a period of residence and study in China.

Requirements for the Minor

The minor requires a total of 21 credit hours. A minimum of 15 credit hours must be taken from Downtown Campus faculty. All courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

All students must complete the following three courses:

  • CHIN 1010, Beginning Chinese I (five credit hours)
  • CNST 1000, China and the Chinese (three credit hours)
  • CNST 4000, Senior Seminar in Chinese Studies (three credit hours)

Note: CNST 1000 should be taken toward the beginning of the minor, and CNST 4000 should be taken toward the completion of required coursework. Students must take a minimum of five credit hours of Chinese language courses.

An additional 10 hours of coursework should be selected from the following list of courses:

  • ANTH 4000, Food in China and Beyond (three credit hours)
  • ANTH 4995, Travel Study: The Arts of Self and Society in Contemporary China (three credit hours)
  • CHIN 1020, Beginning Chinese II (five credit hours)
  • CHIN 2110, Second Year Chinese I (five credit hours)
  • CHIN 2120, Second Year Chinese II (five credit hours)
  • FA 4750, Arts of China (three credit hours)
  • GEOG 3160, Geography of China (three credit hours)
  • HIST 4420: Traditional China: China to 1600 (three credit hours)
  • HIST 4421, Modern China (three credit hours)
  • PSC 4186, East Asia in World Affairs (three credit hours)
  • PSC 4615, Politics and Government of China (three credit hours)
  • PSC 4726, Russian and Chinese Foreign Policy (three credit hours)
  • PHIL 3666, Asian Philosophies and Religions (three credit hours)
  • PHIL 3981, Chinese Philosophy (three credit hours)
  • RLST 3600, Comparative Religion: Religions of China (three credit hours)

New courses may not appear in the course description section of the catalog. Contact the department for further information.

French Minor

The French program offers courses in advanced language, linguistics, literature, civilization, culture and business, all taught exclusively in French. Students benefit from a state-of-the-art language lab with Internet access and multimedia software programs, as well as technologically "smart" classrooms.

French minors are strongly encouraged to participate in one of UC Denver's Study Abroad Programs. Please see a faculty member in French for information about opportunities to include study abroad as part of your minor.

Admission and Grade Requirements

To be admitted to minor status in French, students must have an overall GPA of C+ (2.3). The minimum grade acceptable in any French course applied to a French minor is C (2.0). The average grade in all courses applied to a French minor at UC Denver must be 2.5. No courses taken on a pass/fail basis may be credited toward a French minor.

Upon declaring a minor in French, each student will be assigned to a faculty advisor with whom the student should consult at least once per semester thereafter. It is especially important that students have their transcripts reviewed by their advisor before enrolling in their final 30 credit hours at UC Denver. Failure to do so may result in delay of graduation.

Students presenting four years if high school French (Level IV) for admission to UCD must see a French advisor before enrolling in courses for the minor. Students with Advanced Placement credits from high school should see a French advisor about courses equivalencies. The Department of Modern Languages does not accept CLEP credits.

Requirements for the French Minor

Students minoring in French must complete 15 semester hours of upper division French courses (courses numbered 3000 and above). A minimum of nine of these semester hours must be taken from the faculty in French at UC Denver. Courses taken at other institutions while a student is enrolled at UC Denver may be applied to the minor only with departmental approval before enrollment in those courses.

The minor in French must include at least one language skills class, chosen from the following (all are three credit hours):

  • French 3010, French Phonetics and Pronunciation
  • French 3020, Oral Practice
  • French 3050, Advanced Grammar & Composition
  • French 3060, Advanced French Language Skills

In addition, students with a minor in French must select and complete 12 hours of French electives.

German Minor

Course Requirements

Students minoring in German must complete 15 semester hours of upper division German courses (courses numbered 3000 and above) including at least one of the following skills courses:

  • GER 3030, German Conversation
  • GER 3050, Phonetics & Pronunciation
  • GER 3060, Advanced German Language Skills I
  • GER 3070, Advanced German Language Skills II
  • GER 3080, Advanced German Language Skills III
  • GER 3090, Advanced German Language Skills IV

Courses Taught in English

Students taking a German course taught in English must complete a portion of the coursework (e.g., papers and/or exams) in German in order for the course to count toward the minor.

Course Substitutions

Course substitutions for required courses are possible, but students must consult with and receive approval from the German faculty before any substitutions are accepted.


General Requirements

Minimum Grades

The minimum grade acceptable in any German course applied to the German minor is a C or (2.0). The average grade in all German courses applied to the UC Denver German minor must be 3.2 or higher.

Residency Requirements

All students minoring in German must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of upper division German from UC Denver German faculty. Students who participate in a departmentally approved study abroad program may apply additional credits towards the residency requirement for the German minor with prior UC Denver German faculty approval.

Advising

Upon declaring a minor in German, each student will be assigned to a faculty advisor with whom the student should consult at least once per semester thereafter. It is especially important that students have their transcripts reviewed by their advisor before enrolling in their final 30 credit hours at UC Denver. Failure to do so may result in delay of graduation.

Study Abroad

Students learning German are encouraged to study abroad in a German-speaking country. Please see a faculty member in German about including study abroad in your curriculum and about the application of courses taken abroad to your program.


For More Information Please Contact:

Carsten Seecamp, Advisor for German Minors

Plaza Building, 118-S

303-556-3444

Carsten.Seecamp@ucdenver.edu


Tim Phillips, Advisor for German Certificate

Plaza Building, 118-C

303-556-8465

Tim.Phillips@ucdenver.edu

Spanish Minor 

A minor in Spanish requires 15 credit hours of upper division courses. A minimum of one course 3 credit hours is required from the Culture and Civilization category. The remaining 12 credit hours can be chosen from any of the four listed categories: Culture and Civilization, Literature of Spanish or Spanish America, Language Skills and Theory, or the 4000 Level courses.

Admission and Grade Requirements

Students minoring in Spanish must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.3, and a GPA of 2.5 in Spanish. The minimum grade acceptable in courses applied to the minor is C (2.0). No course taken on a pass/fail basis may be credited toward the minor in Spanish.
Upon declaring a minor in Spanish, each student will be assigned to a faculty advisor, with whom the student should consult at least once per semester thereafter. It is important that students minoring in Spanish have their transcripts reviewed by a departmental advisor before enrolling in their final 15 credit hours at UC Denver, to preclude a delay in graduation. Students presenting four years of high school Spanish (Level IV) for admission, or Advanced Placement credits from high school should see a Spanish advisor about course equivalencies before enrolling in courses for the major. The Department of Modern Languages does not accept CLEP credits.

For detailed information please download the Spanish Minor Flyer.

Course Requirements

Culture and Civilization of Spain or Spanish America

1. A minimum of one course is REQUIRED from the list below - 3 credits per course 

  • SPAN 3070 Bilingual Communities 
  • SPAN 3212 Spanish American Culture and Civilization 
  • SPAN 3213 Contemporary Latin American Culture and Institutions 
  • SPAN 3221 Culture and Civilization of Spain I SPAN 3222 Culture and Civilization of Spain II 
  • SPAN 3223 Contemporary Spanish Culture and Institutions 
  • SPAN 3225 Special Topics In Hispanic Culture 
  • SPAN 3230 Ibero-American Culture Through Film

Choose 12 credit hours (four courses) from the following courses: 

  • SPAN 3010 Advanced Conversation and Composition I 
  • SPAN 3020 Advanced Conversation and Composition II 
  • SPAN 3060 Hispanic Phonetics: Theory and Practice
  • SPAN 3070 Bilingual Communities 
  • SPAN 3082 Introduction to Translation I 
  • SPAN 3092 Introduction to Translation II 
  • SPAN 3212 Spanish American Culture and Civilization
  • SPAN 3213 Contemporary Latin American Culture and Institutions 
  • SPAN 3221 Culture and Civilization of Spain I
  • SPAN 3222 Culture and Civilization of Spain II
  • SPAN 3223 Contemporary Spanish Culture and Institutions
  • SPAN 3225 Special Topics In Hispanic Culture
  • SPAN 3230 Ibero-American Culture through Film
  • SPAN 3252 Introduction to the Study of Literature in Spanish
  • SPAN 3300 Twentieth Century Spanish Literature
  • SPAN 3400 Survey of Spanish Literature I

These courses are only a sample of the courses available. For a detailed list of all the courses offered please download the Spanish Minor Flyer.

For More Information Please Contact:
Mike Abeyta
Graduate Advisor
Plaza Building, 118-D
303-556-4008
michael.abeyta@ucdenver.edu


Devin Jenkins, Chair
Advisor for G-O
Plaza Building, 118-R
303-556-2848
devin.jenkins@ucdenver.edu


Maria Fernandez Martinez
Advisor for P-R
Plaza Building, 118-A
303-556-4308
maria.fernandezmartinez@ucdenver.edu


Andrés Lema-Hincapié
Advisor for A-F
Plaza Building, 118-B
303-556-3443
andres.lema-hincapie@ucdenver.edu


Spanish Minor Flyer


Revised 10/2011