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World Languages & Cultures Department
As U.S. population and business interests diversify, you’re probably going to encounter people who primarily speak languages other than English. The World Languages & Cultures Department gives students a place to build a strong foundation and a complete understanding of global communities. Majors, minors and two-year sequences equip you to understand cultures as well as write and speak the languages.
All programs are designed to enhance your studies in other academic programs, with business, communication, English, history, and psychology popular majors or minors. Study abroad options and Bradley’s Global Scholars Program add unique cross-cultural experiences to the coursework.
Majors
Spanish
Take a deep dive into culture and linguistics with the opportunity to personalize your degree with minors available in Spanish, French and Spanish for Business.
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Spanish Education (K-12)
Build the expertise to educate students and empower their multilingual skills and specialize your learning with minors available in Spanish, French and Spanish for Business.
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Minors
Explore the French-speaking world through language, culture, history, literature, and film. You’ll build speaking and writing skills in class while engaging in conversation tables, the French Club, and study abroad programs.
Open to all students, this minor pairs well with business, communication, psychology, sociology, computer science, and other world languages.
Enhance your Spanish language skills while exploring the diverse cultures, literature, and film of the Spanish-speaking world. Engage in conversation tables, the Spanish Club, and study abroad opportunities to practice your skills in real-world settings.
Open to all students, this minor pairs well with majors like business, communication, psychology, sociology, international studies, and other world languages.
The Spanish Minor for the Professions affords students valuable language and cultural skills for a variety of professional fields, such as health care, business and social work. Students will build proficiency in Spanish in the classroom as well as get experience working with the local Hispanic community.
Philosophy & Religious Studies
Ethics and morality are important not only because of their possible benefits to your career, but also because they are essential to being a human being. The Ethics minor places emphasis on the academic study of ethics and values. The goal is to afford the student with the opportunity to analyze the foundations, the background, and consequences of our moral behavior.
Departmental Resources
The following options outline ways in which world languages and cultures credit may be earned at Bradley University:
- Complete a given course at Bradley with a grade of ‘D’ or better.
- Pre-approved coursework from another American college/university.
- Many colleges, especially community colleges, are no longer offering courses that are equivalent to the World Languages and Cultures courses that are offered at Bradley University. Before enrolling in any language course at another college for transfer credit to Bradley, you must obtain transfer approval from Bradley’s Department of World Languages and Cultures.
- Receive 3 hours of transfer credit for Advanced Placement test scores of 3 or above. See chart below for details.
|
AP Score of 3 |
AP Score of 4 |
AP Score of 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chinese Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for Chinese 201 |
3 hrs. for Chinese 202 |
3 hrs. for Chinese 202 |
|
French Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for French 201 |
3 hrs. for French 202 |
3 hrs. for French 202 |
|
German Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for German 201 |
3 hrs. for German 202 |
3 hrs. for German 202 |
|
Italian Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for FLX 201 |
3 hrs. for FLX 202 |
3 hrs. for FLX 202 |
|
Japanese Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for FLX 201 |
3 hrs. for FLX 202 |
3 hrs. for FLX 202 |
|
Latin |
3 hrs. of FL elective credit |
3 hrs. of FL elective credit |
3 hrs. of FL elective credit |
|
Spanish Language and Culture |
3 hrs. for Spanish 201 |
3 hrs. for Spanish 202 |
3 hrs. for Spanish 202 |
|
Spanish Literature and Culture |
3 hrs. of 300 Level Spanish credit |
3 hrs. for Spanish Literature 315 |
3 hrs. for Spanish Literature 315 |
- Receive 3 hours of transfer credit for International Baccalaureate scores of 4 or higher on Language B HL exams.
- Receive 3 100-level elective transfer credits for any State Seal of Biliteracy in the language for which you have the Seal.
- Receive 3 hours of transfer credit for having taken the entire AAPPL (Assessment of Performance towards Proficiency in Languages) exam according to the following scale.
- Note that all four areas (interpersonal listening and speaking, interpretive reading, interpretive listening, and presentational writing) must be completed in order to receive credit. An average of individual area scores will be used to determine credit granted.
- Novice (score of N-1 or N-2) = no credit
- Novice High (score of N-3 or N-4) = 101 credit
- Intermediate Low (score of I-1 or I-2) = 102 credit
- Intermediate Mid (score of I-3 or I-4) = 201 credit
- Intermediate High (score of I-5 or higher) = 202 credit
- Receive 3 hours of transfer credit under the auspices of the (CLEP) College Level Examination Program.
- Students who receive a passing score on the French, Spanish or German CLEP examination, and who have not taken language coursework at Bradley, are awarded 3 hours of elective credit and have satisfied the language requirement for the B. A. degree.
- Students who place in a language at the 102 level or higher and take a course in the same language in the World Languages and Cultures Department at Bradley University can receive Retroactive Credits.
Students who studied a foreign language in high school or at another college or university and who wish to continue studying the same language at Bradley University must take a placement test before enrolling in a language course. If you have no experience in a language, you do not need to take the placement exam for that language. Students must register for coursework at the level of placement or higher to receive credit for language coursework. Students must complete a language requirement to qualify for the B. A. degree. Please see the World Languages & Cultures webpage for options.
Students who test at the 202 level or above are required to complete only one course at that level to qualify for the B. A. With the consent of the instructor, students may elect to take a course at a higher level than the indicated placement level. Native and near native speakers of languages offered by the department are placed individually based on the level of language competence in their native language.
Placement Tests
- Students new to Bradley will need to take the placement test prior to coming to orientation.
- Please allow yourself 30-45 minutes to take the test.
- Before clicking on the link below to take the test, please contact the WLC Department to get a test code and password allowing you to log in to take the exam (309-677-2500 or [email protected]u).
- Once you have logged on to take the exam, you will complete a language self-assessment to measure your language ability. Please be completely honest when filling it out.
- When the test has been completed, the department office will notify you of your score and then submit your recommended placement level information to the Registrar’s Office which allows registration.
- Your placement score does not give you course credit; it only indicates the level at which you should begin your studies. If you have questions about your score, please contact the department to connect with a faculty member (309-677-2500).
- It is never to your advantage to begin at the 101 level if you are more advanced in your studies – you will simply have to take more courses to fulfill your language requirement. The 101 course is primarily for those students who have never taken the language before.
Resource Center
- Monday – Friday – 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Bradley Hall 310
The World Languages and Cultures Center offers space for student and faculty collaboration. It is equipped with a mobile TV and a region-free DVD player. We have a variety of materials for student instructional use including audio files, CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs, magazines, dictionaries and newspapers.
Language Tutors
- Lena Miller – Spanish
- 12:00–1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays
- BR 311
- Martin Watson – Mandarin
- 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays
- BR 311
- Ash Westbrook – French
- By Appointment Only
- [email protected]
Students who place in a language at the 102 level or higher and take a course in the same language in the World Languages and Cultures Department at Bradley University can receive retroactive credit (“retrocredits”). Upon successfully completing a course, students will need to complete the Retroactive Credit form (found at the bottom of this page), obtain signatures, pay a fee, and submit to the Registrar’s Office.
In order to receive retrocredits:
- The course must be the first college-level course in the language.
- The course must be taken before the student has earned 60 credit hours.
- The course must be designated as retrocredit eligible.
- The student must receive a “B” or higher in the course.
Upon successful completion of an approved course, students will receive:
- 102 = 4 retrocredits (101)
- 201 = 8 retrocredits (101, 102)
- 202 = 12 retrocredits (101, 102, 201)
- 222 (WLS only) = 12 retrocredits (101, 102, 201)
- 303 = 15 retrocredits (101, 102, 201, 202)
- 304 = 15 retrocredits (101, 102, 201, 202)
- 306 (WLF and WLG only) = 15 retrocredits (101, 102, 201, 202)
- 308 (WLF only) = 15 retrocredits (101, 102, 201, 202)
Conditions for receiving retroactive credit:
- Grades will not be given for retroactive credit nor will they figure in a student’s GPA.
- Retroactive credit will not count towards residency.
- Retroactive credit will count towards the 120 credits necessary for graduation.
- Retroactive credit received for 202 will not count for GP in the Bradley Core Curriculum.
- Native speakers cannot earn retroactive credit in their native language (as determined by WLC faculty).
- In order for a student with AP or IB credit to receive retroactive credit, the student would need to take an appropriate language course at Bradley. Students cannot receive additional retroactive credit for a course for which they already received AP or IB credit.
- Students could earn retroactive credit in more than one language as long as they have not earned more than 60 credit hours at the time the course will be taken.
- Note: The Department of World Languages cannot guarantee that retroactive-credit-eligible classes will be offered at all levels in every language every semester.
- Upon successfully completing a course and receiving a grade of A or B, students will need to complete the retroactive credit form available below.
Complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the fillable form and print out. - Submit to the WLC office for approval and signature.
- Submit to the LAS Dean’s office for approval and signature.
- Submit to Financial Services – Cashier Window for payment.
- Submit to Registrar’s office for posting credit to your record.
Remote Learning Students
Complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the fillable form and email to [email protected] in the World Languages and Cultures Department for approval and signature.
- WLC office will email form to the LAS Dean’s office for approval and signature.
- LAS Dean’s office will email form back to student.
- Student will mail form and payment to:
Bradley University
Financial Services – Cashier
Swords Hall – Room 100
Peoria, IL 61625 - Financial Services will send to Registrar’s Office for credits to be posted to the student record.
All majors and levels are welcome to attend. The conversation tables are also open to the Bradley Community. Anyone who would like to come is welcome.
Table Française – French Conversation Hour
Bradley Hall 310
For more information, contact: Dr. Alexander Hertich at [email protected].
Mesa Hispánica – Spanish Conversation Hour
Bradley Hall 310
For more information contact Dr. Deborah Kessler at [email protected] or Dr. James Courtad at [email protected].