Other Studies
Modern Language Courses
French Courses
Offered at Richmond, and Surrey
Kwantlen offers various levels of French courses. Since not all courses are offered in every semester or on every campus, language students are strongly advised to seek counseling from members of the Modern Languages department before planning their program.
All courses are designed as the first or second half of a one-year unit. It is recommended that the second half should be taken immediately after the first to maintain continuity. Courses offered during the Fall and Spring semesters consist of four hours of class instruction and one hour of lab/conversation per week.
Intensive courses offered during the Summer session consist of eight hours of class instruction and two hours of lab/conversation per week.
Students with a competence in the language beyond the level of the course in which they are registered will be required to withdraw. Students who are not sure of their language level should contact an instructor.
Since FREN1100 is an introductory language course, there is no need for an assessment.
For course prerequisites, see courses/frencrs.html.
For assessment or placement test information, please call: 604-599-2222 (voice mail: 9655) or e-mail: olivier.clarinval@kwantlen.ca. For Surrey Campus, call: 604-599-2222 (voice mail: 9538) or e-mail: patrick.karsenti@kwantlen.ca.
For credit transfers, please check the B.C. Transfer Guide for further information.
German Courses
Offered at Surrey, Richmond, and Langley
Since not all courses are offered in every semester or on every campus, students planning to take a German course are strongly encouraged to contact a German instructor before planning their program.
*Note: Native speakers of German who wish to take a first- or second-year German course must consult with a German instructor first. Students with a German ‘Abitur’ are not permitted to enrol in the courses. Students with a competence in the language beyond the level of the course in which they are registered may be required to withdraw. Students who are not sure of their level of language competence should contact an instructor.
For assessment or placement test information, please email to: bea.pires@kwantlen.ca. Since GERM 1100 is an introductory language course, there is no need for an assessment.
Japanese Courses
Offered at Richmond and Surrey
Students with competence in the language beyond the level of the course will not be allowed to register for the course. Students who have previously taken Japanese must contact the instructor before registering for JAPN 1101, 2200,2201, 3300, or 3301.
For assessment or placement test information, please email: sumiko.nishizawa@kwantlen.ca; seiko.roberts@kwantlen.ca.
Since JAPN 1100 is an introductory language course, there is no need for an assessment for anyone without prior knowledge of Japanese. Anyone who has prior knowledge of Japanese must contact the instructor for assessment purposes prior to registration.
Linguistics Courses
Offered at Richmond and Surrey
Linguistics is the methodical and systematic study of human language. It investigates all aspects of how people use language and what they must know in order to do so. In examining the general structural properties of language, students learn how words and sentences are formed, how sounds are articulated and patterned, how words and sentences are interpreted and how context affects meaning. Students analyze examples from a variety of languages, not only English. Subfields of linguistic study examine first and second language acquisition, the neurological foundations of language, the interrelationships between language and various social factors, the historical changes of language, as well as linguistic typology and universals. Knowledge of linguistics is highly beneficial for the study and teaching of any language, but linguistic research also shares concerns with practically every human science, from psychology and neurology to literary study, anthropology, sociology, history, political science and criminology.
For assessment or placement test information, please call 604.599.2222 (voice mail: 9346) or email: paivi.kowkinen@kwantlen.ca.
Mandarin Courses
Offered at Richmond
To help students register in the right course level, the Modern Languages Department of Kwantlen, in consultation with the Chinese programs at other BC universities and colleges to which our courses are transferable, institutes some guidelines for Mandarin course admission. These guidelines are available at http://www.kwantlen.ca/mandarin. You are strongly advised to refer to these guidelines for self-assessment before registering for a course. Should your language level be found higher than the course level after classes start, you will be placed in a higher level course (if space is still available) at the discretion of the instructor; alternately, you may be dropped from the class. It is therefore to your advantage to read and follow the guidelines carefully. You are also encouraged to take a look at the textbooks at the bookstore to ascertain your level for course registration.
Registration tip: Mandarin courses are always popular and fill up quickly. Register early to avoid disappointment.
To Contact the Instructor for an Assessment:
Please note that the guidelines are for general information only. If you are unsure of your language level or if you have extenuating circumstances for special consideration, please email the following information to yanfeng.qu@kwantlen.ca:
- Your full name, student number and phone number;
- Your birth place and languages you speak (including various Chinese dialects);
- Your age when you immigrated to Canada (if you were born overseas);
- Your grade(s) for high school Mandarin (e.g. Mand 11 and/or Mand 12) AND the year in which you completed it.
- Extenuating circumstances that are not covered by the course admission guidelines presented above and that deserve special consideration.
(A formal placement test may be administered and official documents may be requested for verification purposes at the discretion of the department.)
Punjabi Courses
Offered at Surrey
Any student with Grade 12 Punjabi is not permitted to register in the introductory courses PUNJ 1100 and 1101.
PUNJ 1100 is designed for students who have little or no previous knowledge of Punjabi (Gurmukhi). They will use the communicative approach to develop the ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write Punjabi at the basic level while exploring the Punjabi culture. In PUNJ 1101 students will continue to build on basic reading and writing skills learned in the lower level course as well as improve their oral and listening skills while further exploring the Punjabi and Indian cultures.
For assessment or placement test information, please call 604.599.2222 (voice mail: 9354) or email: ranbir.johal@kwantlen.ca
Spanish Courses
Offered at Richmond, Langley, and Surrey
Kwantlen offers various levels of Spanish. Since not all courses are offered in every semester or on every campus, language students are strongly advised to seek counselling from members of the Modern Languages discipline before planning their program.
Students with a competence in the language beyond the level of the course in which they are registered will be required to withdraw. Students who are not sure of their language level should contact an instructor.
All courses are designed as the first or second half of a one-year unit. It is expected that the second half should be taken immediately after the first to maintain continuity. Courses offered during the Fall and Spring semesters consist of four hours of class instruction and one hour of lab/conversation per week.
Intensive courses offered during the Summer session consist of eight hours of class instruction and two hours of lab/conversation per week.
For assessment or placement test information, please call: 604.599.2222 (voice mail: 9290) or email: constanza.rojas-primus@kwantlen.ca; or please call 604.599-2222 (voice mail 9538) or email: patrick.karsenti@kwantlen.ca.
Since SPAN 1100 is an introductory language course, there is no need for an assessment.
