Welcome to the Department of Modern Languages and

Cultural Studies

Welcome from our Chair

MLCS occupies a central location, in the historic Old Arts building, appropriate to our centrality to the mission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta. We are passionate about the benefits of a liberal arts education and commit to offer the best to our students. Through our various graduate and undergraduate programs, we encourage and cultivate literary, linguistic and intercultural competences, academic achievement, critical thinking, and a broader understanding of the complex issues of our world.

Arts in Autumn

Postcards from around the world!

Russ Swanson¡Hola from Bogotá, Colombia!

It's been almost 5 months since I graduated from the U of A and moved to Bogotá to work and to be closer to my girlfriend! Time sure flies! Thanks to the my experience with languages that I earned from my degree in MLCS, I had no trouble finding work. When I'm not at work I pass my time admiring Bogotá's beautiful mountains and trying out all the delicious fruit you can find here! I think back to my time at the U of A all the time. I was so lucky to have access to amazing professors, to have studied for six months in Guadalajara, Mexico, undergraduate research opportunities, the opportunity to study an honours degree and write a final thesis paper, and scholarships to help me along the way. I'm looking forward to putting the knowledge and skills I learned at the UofA to good use in a online magazine that I'm working on here in Bogotá with some friends! I can't wait to see it on its feet.

Thank-you MLCS, I couldn't be here without you!

Sandra Navarro

My most meaningful interactions in the MLCS department are undoubtedly those I had with the faculty in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Through their intriguing and unconventional classes, I was able to attain knowledge about different historical, cultural, and literary traditions throughout Latin America. These lessons eventually lead me to plan a backpacking trip through Mexico with a fellow student in the summer of 2002. We spent a month traveling through Mexico City, Oaxaca, Palenque, Merida, and Tulum visiting historical sites and ancient ruins. Having taken a number of classes related to Latin America, I was able to understand the nuanced differences between regions and peoples that we encountered over our journey and this contributed to the richness of the experience. I have since travelled to many countries throughout the world and am currently teaching my own university classes in hopes of inspiring students to explore other cultures and languages.

Hannah Turner

My Spanish language and culture classes have been the most important classes I have taken at the University of Alberta because they have taught me how to communicate in Spanish, how to write and read critically in any language and most importantly they have opened my mind to new cultures. As a result of my Spanish language skills I have had the opportunity to travel to Ecuador twice as a translator for a medical team performing orthopaedic surgeries. Undoubtedly my Spanish classes, as a whole, have taught me the most useful practical and social skills of all my other university classes. I am so thankful to have been a part of this incredible program.Hannah Turner4th year BScMajor in biologyMinor in Spanish language and culture

on a medical mission to Ecuador

NON-Majors share the love… Note from Sydney Budgeon

NON-Majors share the love…• I like to consider myself a student with a variety of interests, so when the MLCS Holocaust-

focused class German 399: Representing the Unrepresentable came up as new course on my email, I deliberated no more than five minutes as whether to enroll. Although I am majoring in History and English, I was really happy to have something a bit different in my schedule.

• I cannot stress enough how important it is to sometimes to try something out of your course concentration once in awhile, because sometimes it is that class that completely changes your entire life direction. German 399 was fast-paced and often very intense course, but I learned quickly what I was truly passionate about: Holocaust history and its legacy. As I finish up my last year here on campus, I am completely intent on applying to Grad school in Haifa, Israel so I can study Holocaust Studies up close and personal.

• I am also so happy that I have stayed in touch with Prof. Elisabeth Hermann. Her unique teaching methods and easy-going nature made German 399 such an easy class to go to everyday. She is someone who is so incredibly passionate for the subjects she teaches. I know that through her I have made a contact for life; one day I hope to be sending her emails from Israel, and hearing from her about every class of German 399.

We have award winning faculty and instructors

Recent examples include:

• Dr. Anna Gural-Migdal, winner of the 2013 Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Teaching Award (Award for Excellence)

• Dr. Carrie Smith-Prei, winner of the 2013 Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Teaching Award (Early Achievement)

• Andrea Hayes, winner of a 2013 Faculty of Arts Contract Instructor Teaching Award

• Sandra Gaviria-Buck, Alexandra Popescu, and Evgeniya Tretiakova, all winners of 2013 Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Teaching Awards

• Dr. Ann De Leon, winner of a 2012 Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Teaching Award

• Mr. Mathieu Martin-LeBlanc, winner of the 2012 University of Alberta’s William Hardy Alexander Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

• Lars Richter, Valerio Borchiellini and Jeff Longard, who all won 2012 Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Teaching Awards

Dr. Anna Gural-Migdal receiving the Order of Academic Palms for exceptional promotion of French culture across the world

Top 10 reasons to study another language

• 10. Develop skills needed to be a global leader. Global leaders need cultural empathy. Check it out in the Harvard Business Review.

• 9. Stay sharp longer! Scientific studies have shown that learning another language may help to ward off the mental decline that comes with age.

• 8. Stay focused on what’s important. Bilingual people filter out background noise better.

• 7. Knowing another language improves critical decision-making and helps you make better decisions.

• 6. Speaking another language makes you smarter!• 5. Prepare you for travel, work or study in another country.• 4. Be ready to communicate with others in their language.• 3. Study with professors whose research takes them around the world.• 2. Exploring languages, literatures, folklores and cultures gives you a better

perspective on your own.• 1. HAVE FUN!!

• What language(s) have I already studied? How far along am I (barely started, intermediate, fluent, etc.) Do I enjoy this language? Do I want to continue? Do I want to try something new?

• What is my family background? Does anyone in my family speak another language? Am I intrigued by the sounds of the language? Would I like to learn a heritage language?

• Have I traveled abroad or met someone from another country and become interested in learning the language and culture of that country?

• What international study programs am I considering? What language will I need for study abroad?

• Would I like to learn a less commonly taught language, thus gaining an unusual skill (Russian, Portuguese, Punjabi, American Sign Language)?

• Am I considering a career in the health professions or law or conflict resolution? Do I want to go into the Peace Corps or Teach for America or travel for a religious organization or an NGO? If so, should I learn Spanish, or Russian, or French? Am I interested in international business and politics? If so, might I consider, for example, French or German or Russian or Spanish?

• Am I fascinated by art, or art history,? Which national literature, culture or sport interests me? Should I consider studying the language of that country?

Find your language… Take this quiz.