April 28, 1998
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University's College of Arts and Sciences will be offering several new language courses this fall for students and community residents alike.
The courses will be in Arabic, Italian and Dutch as well as Middle English.
"These courses are an outgrowth of our college's commitment to the internationalization of the University and the broadening of opportunities for our students," said Dr. Elise B. Jorgens, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Arabic will be offered through the college's new Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages. The department, which already offers Chinese and Japanese, will present Arabic 100 as a four-credit-hour course meeting from noon to 12:50 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, which also offers Spanish, French, German, Russian and Latin, has scheduled Italian 100 for 4 to 5:50 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and Dutch 100 for 4 to 5:50 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each is available for four credit hours.
Jorgens said the Dutch course may appeal to the many residents of Southwest Michigan with Dutch heritage, while the Italian class could be of interest to those who plan to travel or study in Italy as well as opera lovers.
In addition to those three undergraduate classes, a graduate course on Middle English will be presented by the Department of English. The three-credit-hour class will meet from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays. Although offered as a graduate level course, interested undergraduates will be accommodated.
The class will provide fans of "Canterbury Tales" author Geoffrey Chaucer with an opportunity to read his work in the original language. In addition, it should appeal to those interested in studying the language that is a bridge from Anglo-Saxon to modern English.
Those interested may sign up for the classes from now until the start of the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 31. Non-students must contact WMU's Office of Admissions and Orientation at (616) 387-2000. Students at Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College should speak to their respective interinstitutional study adviser. Students at WMU may contact the College of Arts and Sciences at (616) 387-4350.
Media contact: Ruth Stevens; ruth.stevens@wmich.edu
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