Modern Languages and Intercultural Communication, B.A.
The Saint Louis University Modern Languages and Intercultural Communications B.A. is the first major of its kind in the U.S. and can be studied either on the St. Louis or Madrid campuses, a collaboration between the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures in St. Louis and the Department of ESL, Modern Languages and Education in Madrid. The major is aimed at students who love languages and culture and seek proficiency in multiple languages. This is also an interesting option for students majoring in International Business, International Relations, Communication and Health Sciences who may wish to enhance their career opportunities on the international market or working with international companies in their home country. Our classes are based on developing plurilingual and pluricultural competencies that enable you to transfer these skills into many careers in the global workplace.
In our globalized world, knowledge of other languages and cultures is important to a growing variety of professions, and this major is targeted at students who realize the need not only for learning more than one foreign language but also for using effective communication skills when speaking to people from other cultures. In addition, employers are seeking graduates who are able to engage in multiple languages in culturally appropriate ways to further their business goals.
The major can be completed on either the St. Louis or Madrid campuses or through coursework on both campuses depending on what languages students wish to pursue: for example, Arabic and Portuguese are only offered in Madrid, and Chinese, German and Russian are only offered in St. Louis. Our aim for this major is to encourage students to move between the campuses and to facilitate the fulfillment of the Billiken Promise.
Curriculum Overview
Program highlights include:
- Small class sizes and close connections to faculty
- Many professional development opportunities through experiences such as study abroad or an internship that counts towards the major
- Opportunities to study both in Madrid and St. Louis or to take advantage of our study abroad agreements with institutions in other countries thereby engaging deeply with several cultures and languages
- The opportunity to become a true global citizen
It consists of 32 credits that include three foreign languages, linguistics and intercultural communication classes, and a practicum experience abroad or in a context in which a foreign language predominates. It is broader and more practical than a pure language major and is designed to complement other majors, which affords many students the possibility of a double major.
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
Benefits of the MLIC major also include practicum, internship and career readiness opportunities. Department faculty assist students in finding internships both in the St. Louis area, Madrid and other study abroad locations. Being plurilingual and being able to interact effectively with people from other cultures provides you with a wider range of fieldwork and job opportunities to choose from because you are no longer limited to locations and workspaces that use English, but can think, work and travel globally.
Careers
A degree in Modern Languages and Intercultural Communication will enhance employment prospects in any area in which communication with people from other cultural backgrounds is required, for example:
- Administrative work
- Diplomatic Service
- Foreign service
- Healthcare
- International business
- International law
- Law enforcement
- Media
- Scientific research
- Translation and interpretation
- Travel and tour guides
- United Nations
Tuition
| Tuition | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Tuition | $54,760 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:
- Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
- Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.
- Students will be able to communicate at least at an intermediate mid/B2 level in one foreign language, at an intermediate low/B1 level in a second foreign language, and at an elementary/A2 level in a third foreign language.
- Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the different aspects of human communication, including the relationship between language, behavior, culture and mind.
- Students can communicate with speakers of other languages in culturally appropriate ways.
- Students will articulate the self-development of an intercultural identity and demonstrate how this is impacted by multiple cultural influences.
The Modern Languages and Intercultural Communication B.A. requires 32 credits for the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate University Core | 32-35 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Language Requirement | 18 | |
Students are required to take six (6) credits in 3 different languages carrying the "MLIC Language" attribute, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. | ||
| Communication Requirement | 3 | |
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Linguistics Requirement | 3 | |
Choose from the following courses which will carry the "MLIC Linguistics" attribute: | ||
| How Language Works: Introduction to Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to Linguistics | ||
or SPAN 4110 | Language and Linguistics | |
or FREN 4110 | Language & Linguistics | |
| Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | ||
| Spanish Pronunciation | ||
| Linguistic Anthropology | ||
| Cultural Linguistic Diversity | ||
| Intercultural Requirement | 3 | |
Choose from the following courses which will carry the "MLIC Intercultural" attribute: | ||
| Speaking in (Inter)Cultural Context | ||
| Modern Languages and Intercultural Competence | ||
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology of Human Development | ||
| Elective Course | 3 | |
Choose from the following courses which will carry the "MLIC Elective" attribute: | ||
| World Archaeology | ||
| Art and Politics: From Goya to the Cold War | ||
| Modern Chinese Fiction and Film 1 | ||
| Global Media | ||
| Spanish Dance: Flamenco | ||
| Curriculum and Methods in Teaching World Languages | ||
| Film, Culture and Literature | ||
| French Cuisine: Culture, Text, and Context 1 | ||
| German Cultural History 1 | ||
| Cultural Encounters 1500-1700 | ||
| Engaging Difference in a Pluralistic World | ||
| Cultural Differences in International Business | ||
| Music of Cultures of the World | ||
| Public Opinion and Mass Communication | ||
| Soviet and Russian Cinema: Traditions and Innovations 1 | ||
| World Geography | ||
| Spanish Culture & Civilization 1 | ||
| Capstone Requirement | 2 | |
Practicum experience approval is a prerequisite or co-requisite for enrolling in LLC 4500. Students will need to provide evidence of the practicum experience to the instructor to receive instructor approval to register. | ||
| Reflection on Intercultural Experiences | ||
| General Electives | 53-56 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
From the LLC Department, taught in English.
Non-Course Requirements
Languages 1, 2 and 3
Once students have fulfilled the 18-credit language requirement and have completed (or validated by way of an official language certificate) a first foreign language at a 3xxx + level, a second foreign language at a 2xxx + level, and a third foreign language at a 1xxx + level, then the program director will check this non-course requirement.
Language Proficiency
Students must demonstrate proficiency in three distinct languages. Program directors will confirm the achievement of these language requirements.
Proficiency in Language 1 can be proved by any of the following:
Completion of 6 credits at a 3xxx level or higher.
Achievement of ACTFL Intermediate Mid or higher.
Achievement of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) B2 or higher.
Proficiency in Language 2 can be proved by any of the following:
Completion of 6 credits at the 2xxx/3xxx level or higher.
Achievement of ACTFL Intermediate Low or higher.
Achievement of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) B1 or higher.
Proficiency in Language 3 can be proved by any of the following:
Completion of 6 credits at a 1xxx level or higher.
Achievement of ACTFL Novice High or higher.
Achievement of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) A2 or higher.
Practicum
The program director/coordinator will check this non-course requirement once a student has shown evidence of having completed a practicum experience.
Examples of approved practicum experiences include the following:
- A study abroad experience that lasts a minimum of five weeks in a country where one of the student’s target languages is spoken.
- A semester-long service learning/ community-based project or internship conducted predominantly in one of the student’s target languages.
Students wanting to undertake practicum experiences not listed here must obtain prior approval from the program director/coordinator.
Continuation Standards
A grade of “C or better is required in every course counting for the Major. Students who do not achieve the “C” or better grade in any required course for the major will be expected to repeat the course in an attempt to achieve the “C” or better grade. Students may repeat a required course one time. Students who fail to achieve the “C” or better grade after one repeat attempt will not be permitted to complete the major.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 2-3 |
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| Core and Elective courses | 9-10 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| LLC 1250 |
Speaking in (Inter)Cultural Context or Modern Languages and Intercultural Competence or Cultural Anthropology or Cross-Cultural Psychology of Human Development |
3 |
| Core and Elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| MLIC Elective attributed course | 3 | |
| Core and Elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CMM 3300 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| Core and Elective courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| MLIC Linguistics attributed course | 3 | |
| Core and Elective courses | 10 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Practicum experience | ||
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| Core and Elective courses | 11 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| LLC 4500 | Reflection on Intercultural Experiences | 2 |
| Core and Elective courses | 13 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Core and Elective courses | 15 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Program Notes
Please note, that courses offered by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures that satisfy the language requirement or the elective requirements in the MLIC major also count for many of the required core components and a student may wish to look for such courses specifically to enrich their experiences in multiple areas of their education at the same time. For example, courses that are attributed as Dignity, Ethics and a Just Society, Writing Intensive or Creative Expression. Be sure to confirm with your academic advisor and your degree mentor that you will complete all the MLIC and core requirements.