Danish Language Pack Office 365

[William Dupere]

Ourgoal is for all Duke students to develop proficiency in a second language in order to fully explore other histories and literatures, to gain an understanding and appreciation for culture as embodied in language, and to bring new perspectives that enhance understanding of issues of similarity and difference.

Many students tend to think of requirements as something onerous, to be gotten out of the way as quickly and painlessly as possible. But research has shown that motivation is probably the most important factor of success in second language acquisition.

There are many good reasons to take Latin, but this should not be one of them. Non-spoken language classes, like Latin or Greek, are often heavy on grammar and translation, and this can often appeal to analytically-oriented learners. But these courses will not necessarily be any easier than modern language courses. Again, language choice should be motivated by your interests, not any perceived notions of ease or difficulty.

Teaching methods have changed tremendously over the last several decades. Our classes are small, highly interactive and high-tech, with lots of individual attention from instructors. Most students, according to student course evaluations, view their beginning language classes to be among the most fun, enjoyable and stimulating experiences of all their courses.

In short, whether it be in your personal, professional, political or social life, the ability you will gain through the study of other languages and cultures to see global and local events from multiple perspectives will always give you an edge over your monolingual, monocultural peers.

If you want to major, second major or minor in the language you studied in high school or speak at home, or if you wish to continue to an advanced level, it might make sense for you to continue study of that language at Duke. However, if knowing two languages is good, knowing more than two is even better, especially since plurilingualism is or is becoming the norm in many parts of the world. Students should choose languages that fit with their academic and personal interests, career goals and other curricular and co-curricular opportunities available at Duke. See the Guidance on Choosing a Language to Study tab.

It is strongly recommended that you begin your language study in your first year, or in the first semester of your sophomore year at the latest. Junior and especially senior years tend to get very crowded with fulfilling major, minor or certificate requirements, non-language related study abroad, etc. Because it is not possible to get FL credit for domestic transfer courses, if you do not finish the FL requirement by your last semester, you will have no other alternative than to take an additional summer or semester at Duke before you can graduate.

Review the Our Language Offerings tab which has links to each department and program website, where you can find placement information for the individual language program(s). If you cannot easily find this information, call the main department number and ask for the number and/or email of the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Language Program Director or Coordinator, who should be able to assist you with placement.

If I use the online guidelines to place into a language class, how can I verify that I am in the right course? What happens if, after the first week of class, the instructor says that I am in the wrong level?

We encourage students not to take a break for a semester or more between your language course sequences. The more time that goes by between courses, the more you are likely to forget, and thus be ill-prepared for the next course in the sequence. Also, if you wait until your senior year to complete the requirement, you may experience scheduling difficulties because you are also finishing up your major and other requirements, not to mention honors theses or other senior projects. Moreover, not all courses in an elementary/intermediate sequence are offered every semester, so a hiatus can in some cases make it difficult or even impossible to schedule the fulfillment of the FL requirement. If you study abroad in your junior year in countries where the language you are studying to fulfill the language requirement is not offered or spoken, you are also vulnerable to the same risks. This is why it you are strongly encouraged to begin your language study early, preferably in your first year, but no later than their third semester, especially if you will need three courses to complete the requirement.

Some departments are unable to offer every language course every semester, and thus offer first semester FL (Elementary I) in fall, second semester (Elementary II) in the spring, third semester (Intermediate I) in the fall, and fourth semester (Intermediate II) in the spring. This is true for Latin, Greek, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Persian, and may be true for other languages as well. Students who wish to study these languages should carefully plan their studies so that the courses can be taken in sequence, preferably with no breaks.

Please note also that some programs, e.g. Russian, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, and French, offer intensive or accelerated elementary and/or intermediate sequences in the spring. These courses are designed for highly motivated students who might wish to progress more quickly to the higher levels. Again, careful planning is crucial.

2-credit courses are intensive courses that cover the work of 2 semesters in a single semester. They count as two full course credits towards the foreign language requirement. For example, if a student takes FL 111 (formerly 14, Intensive Elementary FL, two course credits), they would only need to take one more course, FL 203 (formerly 63, Intermediate I) to fulfill the requirement.

Yes, if the language being studied is the same language that is spoken in the study abroad setting. That is, you may get FL credit for taking Chinese in China, but not for taking Chinese in Australia or in any other country where Chinese is not the main language of communication. Students on non-Duke programs must have the course itself pre-approved through the Global Education office and the relevant Duke department, but if you want to receive FL credit, you must apply for this after they have taken the course. Application forms for the FL mode of inquiry can be found on the Academic Requirements Transfer Credit page.

If you have a compelling reason for wishing to satisfy the language requirement in a study abroad setting with a language that is not offered at Duke, e.g. with Finnish in Finland, you may do so only with permission from your academic dean, and provided you take the required number of approved courses at the required levels.

Because of our inter-institutional agreement with other area universities in North Carolina (UNC-CH, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Charlotte, NC State, and NCCU), you may take language courses at these universities and apply for the FL through the relevant language department upon their return. Please note, however, that while these courses are eligible for the FL, there is no guarantee that the FL will be approved, and some of these courses do not easily integrate with the equivalent program at Duke. Therefore, If you plan to take an inter-institutional course for the FL, you should check with the relevant Duke language program beforehand to determine the likelihood of the FL being approved. Robertson Scholars should also consult widely and carefully plan how they will fulfill the FL requirement well in advance of their semester(s) at UNC.

What is a "native" speaker? Does that definition vary across departments? What are the policies for having native speakers fulfill the FL requirement in their "native" language? What is the rationale for those policies?

The goals of the FL requirement go beyond mere fluency or ability to communicate in another language. They include cultural literacy and intercultural understanding, something that not all native speakers necessarily possess. Language study at Duke includes an intellectual engagement with issues of culturally and linguistically determined difference; the language classroom is a space in which students from different cultures can interact and reflect on these differences.

If you are a native speaker of, or fluent in, a language other than English, you will likely profit most from either beginning or continuing study of an additional language. You may also choose to take an advanced level class in your native language, but you should consult with the department to help you select the right course. Whatever you decide to do, your study will deepen and expand your own knowledge and understanding, and your presence and perspective will enrich the class to the benefit of all.

The Department of Scandinavian offers an undergraduate major with concentrations in five areas: Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Old Norse Studies, and Swedish. Each of these concentrations allows students to explore the major while developing expertise within the language and literature of one of the Nordic languages. While the electives built into each of the five concentrations allow room to explore all phases of Scandinavian literature and cultural history from the medieval to the modern, the core courses for each will emphasize the specific language of choice. Students receive further training in their major language skills by pursuing reading in original Scandinavian languages (when coursework allows) and through special add-on major units (Scandinavian 149). These units allow students the opportunity to work closely with a professor in their major language area. The Old Norse Studies concentration also allows students with strong interests in comparative medieval studies to choose elective courses offered in that field in other departments to complete their course list for the Scandinavian major.

The department is also particularly interested in helping students pursue interdisciplinary interests through its own core courses and through double majors with other fields. Several of the areas in which Scandinavia is of comparative interest or has made a major contribution are as follows: environmental studies, history, drama, medieval literature, folklore, architecture, public policy, linguistics, international studies, peace studies, political science, film, and economics.

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