Take online courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish.
Study a foreign language at University of Maryland Global Campus and polish a well-rounded skill set with the communication skills you need to traverse today's world. UMGC offers undergraduate-level courses in several languages.
Arabic
In your Arabic courses at UMGC, you will focus on learning how to read, write, and speak Modern Standard Arabic. You will focus on mastering these skills as well as typing within the first few weeks of the introductory Arabic course. In addition, you will learn and practice using Arabic in everyday situations.
Chinese
In your Chinese courses at UMGC, you begin by learning the pinyin transliteration system, followed by study of both simplified and traditional characters. You can expect to read approximately 70 new characters per term, and at the same time, you will learn important vocabulary and essential grammar needed to communicate in Chinese. Our introductory course, CHIN 111, features animated videos with multiple playback options.
French
French courses at UMGC are rich with media and feature video shot in France and Quebec with professional actors. You will have ample opportunities to listen to and speak French and practice your reading and writing.
German
German courses at UMGC can help you navigate the differences between colloquial spoken and formal written German. If you successfully complete GERM 111 and GERM 112, you can expect to master most of the tenses and cases in German and have a sound grasp of essential aspects of the language. GERM 211 and GERM 212 continue to develop skills and fluency.
Japanese
In your Japanese courses at UMGC, you begin by reading and writing hiragana in JAPN 111, katakana in JAPN 112, and about 150 Chinese characters (kanji) in JAPN 114. In JAPN 115 and beyond, you continue to develop character recognition and solidify grammar structures in applied situations. The courses aim to introduce essential vocabulary and grammar that provide a sound base for everyday conversation and continued study.
If you are interested in Japanese language courses, you may consider taking ASTD 135, a language and culture familiarization course that teaches basic Japanese pronunciation, common greetings, and a few essential expressions. If you have taken JAPN 111 or higher or have prior experience with Japanese, you are not permitted to take Introduction to ASTD 135.
Korean
UMGC's Korean language courses are only available at specific UMGC Asia locations. If you are stateside and interested in Korean language courses, you can take ASTD 155, a language and culture familiarization course that teaches basic Korean pronunciation, common greetings, and a few essential expressions. If you have taken an elementary Korean language course or higher at UMGC or another institution, or have prior experience with Korean, you are not permitted to take ASTD 155.
Spanish
In UMGC's Spanish language courses, you will find instruction for students of all levels, from beginners to native speakers. Native speakers are not allowed into most UMGC language courses, with the exception of SPAN 314, SPAN 418, and SPAN 419. If you plan on taking multiple UMGC Spanish language courses, you may be interested in the Undergraduate Certificate in Spanish for Business and the Professions, a 16-credit program that consists entirely of Spanish courses.