FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

Linguistics & Languages

'Hello' being written in different languages on a chalkboard
Man studying a language on a computer

STUDY A LANGUAGE

Why not use your time at McMaster to learn another language? Canadians are becoming increasingly multilingual, both in terms of diverse heritage languages and the ability to speak both official languages. You can read about some interesting facts on this CBC News article titled ‘Canadians becoming more bilingual, linguistically diverse, census data shows.’

Why Study a Language?

While government jobs in Canada require fluency in both official languages, other employers value competency in languages other than English and French. You can find many language courses offered at McMaster. Language courses in German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Farsi and American Sign Language are offered by the Department. You can take courses in French through the Department of French, Arabic, Sanskrit and Hebrew through the Department of Religious Studies, and Latin or Greek through the Department of Classics. You can also check the language course offerings of the Indigenous Studies Department (Inuktitut Ojibwe, Cayuga, Mohawk).

Language Courses

GERMAN COURSES

  • German 1Z06: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in German.
  • German 2Z03/1BB3: Expand German linguistics skills through practice in reading, writing, listening and speaking, promoting intercultural learning and international awareness.

 

ITALIAN COURSES

  • Italian 1Z06: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in Italian.
  • Italian 2Z03/1A03: Review and extend Italian vocabulary for composition and group oral practice through short presentations and learn more about regional identities through Italian film and music.

 

SPANISH COURSES

  • Spanish 1Z06: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in Spanish.
  • Spanish 2Z03/1A03: Emphasis on the composition, expansion of vocabulary and oral practice integrated with the study of original written works.

 

CHINESE COURSES

  • Chinese 1Z06: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in Mandarin Chinese.

 

JAPANESE COURSES 

  • Japanese 1Z06: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in Japanese.

 

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES

  • Linguist 2SL3: Introduction to American Sign Language.
  • Linguist 3SL3: Intermediate American Sign Language.

 

RUSSIAN COURSES

  • Russian 1Z03/1ZZ3: Learn the basics of everyday communication, reading and writing in Russian.

 

Find these and other courses on the McMaster Course Calendar.