Curriculum

CLA Chinese language class

The College of Liberal Arts is home to courses in language, culture, and society that prepare our students to be global citizens—joining a world with 7 billion neighbors. As a college we are committed to enhancing our students’ global knowledge base. We have more than 300 faculty members across 31 academic units offering over 1,400 courses with globally-focused content.

The languages we teach represent cultures found around the globe and right here in Minnesota. World languages connect our students to new cultures or deepen their understanding of their own past, and give them a competitive advantage.

Through vibrant curriculum and diverse experiences on campus and abroad, our graduates will enter the world prepared to succeed in a global community.

  • Each semester there are over 240 global perspective courses offered, such as Geography 3331: Geography of the World Economy
  • Every year visiting faculty from around the globe enhance course offerings in our college.
  • We teach 28 languages. Second language study is a requirement in CLA.
  • We offer an innovative interdisciplinary major in global studies.
  • We are a leader in human rights education.
  • The CLA Language Center supports second language, literature, and culture education for the College, the University of Minnesota, and the state.
  • The Chinese Flagship program is an innovative partnership between the federal government, education, and business. Chinese Flagship students immerse themselves in the study of Chinese language and culture, in one of the most highly ranked programs in the US. The Confucius Institute provided ongoing support for the
    Chinese Flagship Program in the form of study space and funding of language proficiency assessments: 26 students/exams (Spring 2016), 26 students/35 exams (Fall 2017).
  • The TandemPlus program matches native speakers of two different languages. Students learn each other's language and help one another to learn.
  • The U of M Learning Abroad Center and the José Ortega-Marañón Foundation worked with the Department of Psychology to create a new semester-based program in
    Madrid, Spain that will provide a research course and research placements in neuroscience and psychology.
  • The team working on International Student Academic Integration is partnering with the Department of Psychology to support their efforts to integrate international students in the classroom. This project is a collaboration between the GPS Alliance and the Center for Educational Innovation, and funded by the International Student Academic Services Fee.