300 Level Language Courses

ARAB 399 LEC B01: Special Topics, Instructor: Iman Mersal

Drawing on literature, film, music, and popular media, Arab 399 provides an interdisciplinary introduction to Arab cultures as both situated geographies and evolving intellectual formations. The course examines how cultural production negotiates colonial and postcolonial conditions, navigates tensions between tradition and modernity, constructs national identities, and engages contemporary discourses on feminism, gender, and sexuality.

FREN 300 LEC A01-02 & LEC B01: Advanced French (DELF B2.1), Multiple sections, Instructors: Hela Hammami or Geraldine Barandiaran-Munoz (Fall 2026)/ TBA (Winter 2027)

Deep dive into modern culture, society, and conversation as a global citizen
Immerse yourself in contemporary global conversations with FREN 300. Driven by advanced task-based learning and a robust blended learning format, this course invites you to revisit complex French structures through stimulating, authentic communicative contexts. You will draw on advanced linguistic tools to enhance your fluency and discuss modern society with nuance. Plus, you can gain hands-on experience by taking advantage of our unique Community Service-Learning (CSL) option!

Prerequisite: FREN 212 or consent of the Department.

Fren 301 LEC A01: Introduction to French Literary Studies, Instructor: Aude Jehan

This course takes you on a journey through the milestones of French literature and culture! Meet rebellious writers, bold thinkers, and literary troublemakers—women and men who challenged social norms, questioned authority, and sometimes risked everything for their ideas! Taught entirely in French, this course invites you to discover how literature can be a powerful tool for protest, persuasion, and change—all while learning the essential tools of literary analysis in French.

In this course you’ll:

• Travel through time and discover the major milestones of French literature and culture
• Meet literary rebels who challenged political, religious, and social conventions
• Discover early feminist and activist voices who used their writing to take a stand
• Imagine Voltaire or Molière on social media—what would they tweet, post, or go viral for
• Revive the French Revolution through role plays, debates, and immersive activities
• Learn the tools of literary analysis while developing your own voice as a critical reader and writer in French

FREN 315 LEC B01: Cultural Representations of Food; Instructor: TBA

This course proposes a study of the food paradigm and some of its multiple representations and significations in the French culture and language, through the analysis of literary texts and visual media. The course is organized around the problematics of life and death and the crucial role these notions play in the cultural representations of food in media and society. In this course, we will reflect to what extent this everyday, cross-cultural reality can also be seen as a powerful means of bridging gaps and transcending cultural differences. This course is designed to improve your written and verbal knowledge of French and to increase your skills in textual and visual analysis.

FREN 318 LEC B01: Socio-Cultural Aspects of Contemporary Francophone Societies, Instructor: TBA

In this course, students will reflect on Francophone societies and their respective cultures as presented on the internet and will learn how to develop intercultural abilities. In doing so, students will strengthen their French language oral and written skills and their abilities to learn collaboratively and independently.

Students will get an overview of various contemporary issues in francophone societies and will get to choose a topic of interest on a theme examined in the course, looking to understand it from different perspectives. They will use this knowledge to inform an educated audience on a specific question that it needs to take a position on and will build a portfolio showing how successful they are at gathering information, analysing it in a critical manner, synthesizing it, and presenting it, in order to help people make an informed opinion.

Fren 321 LEC A01: Migrant Voices in the French-Speaking Literary World: From Here, There and Elsewhere, Instructor: Aude Jehan

This is a new and engaging interdisciplinary course taught entirely in French, exploring migration, belonging, social justice and so much more! Students will encounter compelling stories from across the Francophone world while examining contemporary issues through a variety of cultural perspectives. The course is highly interactive and participation-based, combining discussions, group activities, and the analysis of literary, visual, and media texts in a collaborative learning environment. Come for the stories. Leave with a new perspective on the world—and your place in it!

In this course, you'll:

• Watch thought-provoking films and short films that bring migration experiences to life
• Read powerful stories that challenge, inspire, and stay with you by Marcel Zang, Fatou Diomé, Kim Thúy
• Explore themes of home, belonging, memory, language, food, love, and family.
• Reflect on how migration transforms voices, lives, and the way we tell our stories
• Engage with thought-provoking questions about exile, borders, culture, living and writing between worlds
• Gain a deeper understanding of the human experience behind migration—whether chosen or forced

GERM 302 LEC A01: Advanced German Language through Film; Instructor: Claudia Kost

In German 302, you will deepen your knowledge of some German cultural phenomena while engaging in language-building activities (review of important grammatical structures, enhancing vocabulary, stylistic and idiomatic usage of German). Our discussions and assignments will be based on four German movies, supplemented by readings about their historical and cultural context. We will also do some workshops to improve your writing in different genres in German. German 302 is intended for students who have completed German 212 (pre-requisite) or have comparable prior knowledge of German (completed Level B1 - CEFR).

This course counts toward the Certificate in International Learning.

GERM 343 LEC B01: Cultures in the 20th and 21st Centuries, Instructor: Claudia Kost

This course focuses on historical, social, and cultural changes taking place in German-speaking countries from 1945 to the present. In order to understand the more recent cultural history, we will start by learning about significant periods and events from about 1900 on, such as the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, and the Holocaust. Throughout the semester, we will explore and discuss how historical facts and cultural phenomena are configured and reflected in
literature, film, music, paintings, architecture, and other art forms. Some grammar review and vocabulary-building assignments are built into the course to further enhance your German language skills.

German 343 is intended for students who have completed German 212 (pre-requisite) or have comparable prior knowledge of German (completed Level B1 - CEFR).

This course counts toward the Certificate in International Learning.

ITAL 356 LEC A01: Women and Italian Culture, Instructor: Patrizia Bettella

This course consists of weekly modules, arranged chronologically and thematically, that introduce students to the contribution of Italian women authors from the early-modern, modern, and contemporary times. Theoretically students will explore concept like misogyny, the woman question, feminism, migration and femicide. Thematically students will learn about Italian women’s contributions in poetry, acting, education, learning, and cinema.

RUSS 303 LEC A01: Russian in Context, Instructor: Elena Siemens

RUSS 303 advances students’ proficiency in Russian through focused work on grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and communication skills. The course meets three hours per week (Mon, Wed, Fri) and uses authentic materials such as news clips, songs, and films to deepen listening comprehension and cultural literacy. Students read and discuss a range of texts, analyze short stories, and explore Russian cultural contexts including history, cinema, art, and current affairs. RUSS 303 is well suited to students who want to move beyond intermediate competence and engage Russian language and culture in more sophisticated ways.

Prerequisite: RUSS 212 or consent of Department. Note: not to be taken by students with credit in RUSS 401 or 402.

RUSS 304 LEC B01: Russian in Context II, Instructor: Elena Siemens

RUSS 304 continues the work of RUSS 303 and meets three hours per week (Mon, Wed, Fri). The course strengthens advanced grammar and syntax, expands vocabulary, and develops higher‑level speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Students work with authentic audiovisual materials, complete listening‑focused assignments, and participate in debates on topics selected by the class. As fluency increases, students engage critically with Russian cultural materials ranging from literature and film to contemporary social issues. RUSS 304 is an excellent option for students who want to express complex ideas confidently in advanced Russian contexts.

RUSS 325 LEC A01: Readings in Russian Literature I, Instructor: Elena Siemens

RUSS 325 offers students the opportunity to read, translate, and analyze twentieth‑ and twenty‑first‑century Russian literature and cultural texts in the original language. The course further advances language and translation skills while introducing major aesthetic trends in contemporary Russian writing and visual culture. Students engage with authors such as Chekhov, Mayakovsky, Kharms, Voznesensky, Erofeev, Prigov, Rubenshtein, Petrushevskaya, and Tolstaya, along with selected critical and media materials. Through lectures, presentations, discussion, and creative assignments, the course encourages students to expand their vocabulary, deepen their cultural knowledge, and develop confidence in reading and interpreting Russian texts.

RUSS 326 LEC B01: Readings in Russian Literature II, Instructor: Elena Siemens

RUSS 326 continues the study of twentieth‑ and twenty‑first‑century Russian literature and cultural texts in the original language. Students read, translate, and analyze a selection of works while strengthening advanced language and translation skills. The course introduces major aesthetic trends in contemporary Russian writing and visual culture and builds confidence in interpreting complex texts. Readings may include works by Chekhov, Mayakovsky, Kharms, Voznesensky, Erofeev, Prigov, Rubenshtein, Petrushevskaya, and Tolstaya, along with selected critical materials and media sources. Through lectures, presentations, discussion, and creative assignments, students expand vocabulary, deepen cultural understanding, and refine their ability to read and analyze Russian texts with precision.

SPAN 300 LEC A: Advanced Spanish, Instructor: Delma Wilson

This course is a high-intermediate to advanced-level course designed for students of Spanish as an additional language who already have a good working knowledge of the language. It is taught in Spanish and students are expected to interact in Spanish all the time. The course is intended to improve overall proficiency in spoken and written language, with a particular emphasis on grammar, vocabulary, listening and speaking.

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Express and elaborate on ideas and opinions in a clear, fluent and creative manner
• Identify and correct basic and common errors on the basis of prescriptive grammar.
• Understand a wide spectrum of vocabulary and react to some literary works and short films produced for Spanish native speakers.

SPAN 305 LEC A01: Translation: Spanish to English, Instructor: Ann De Leon

Through a combination of translation theory and practical translation workshops, students will explore some of the major challenges of translating a variety of text types from Spanish into English, and they will develop practical and ethical strategies for addressing these challenges. Students will also read and think critically about some important Hispanic translators and theories of translation. Students will get a panoramic view on different types of translations ranging from literary, audiovisual, legal, cultural, consumer oriented etc.

This semester, the course will have a mandatory CSL (Community Service Learning) component where students will get to translate the Preparatory Commission for the Denuclearization of Latin America (COPREDAL) reports, making their translations available to the library for inclusion in one of its Open Access repositories.

Course counts towards the MLCS Certificate in Translation Studies, the Certificate in Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CSL), and the Certificate in International Learning.

SPAN 306 LEC A01: Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Instructor: Sandra Gaviria

This course is a high-intermediate to advanced-level course designed for speakers with an advanced level of oral proficiency, but little or no previous formal study of Spanish. Focus is on topics such as grammar and sentence structure, spelling and punctuation, interference between English and Spanish, and colloquial versus formal usages with the objective of improving skills in oral and written communication.

At the end of this course, successful students will be able to:

• Discuss and appraise cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking countries
• Use appropriate vocabulary, grammar and spelling in their written texts
• Use appropriate vocabulary and grammar in oral presentations
• Organize their ideas into a coherent written text
• Recognize formal and informal uses of language

SPAN 325: Introduction To Cinema, Instructor: Toapanta, Jesús

SPAN 373 LEC B01: Spanish as a World Language, Instructor: Yvonne Lam.

Spanish speakers can be found on all continents, even Antarctica. But what is "Spanish"? And how did it become one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world? We will examine the main historical figures and events that have shaped the Spanish language, starting from its roots as a dialect of Latin, to its spread across the globe. We will also look at how Spanish has influenced, and been influenced by, the other languages it has come into contact with.

Taught in Spanish. Counts towards the Certificate in International Learning. Includes a major experiential learning component.

UKR 306 LEC A01: Business Ukranian, Instructor: Oksana Butkovska

Ready to use your Ukrainian in new ways? Designed for students who have completed UKR 212 or have an equivalent background, UKR 306 helps you build confidence using Ukrainian in professional, community, and intercultural settings. Through engaging themes and authentic materials, you’ll strengthen your speaking and writing while exploring contemporary Ukraine, workplace communication, current issues, and community life.

Our approach: Every class brings together students with different backgrounds and experiences—from learners who have progressed through the University of Alberta’s Ukrainian language sequence to heritage speakers and students with previous knowledge of Ukrainian. This diversity creates a dynamic learning environment, and course topics and projects are adapted to the interests and goals of each cohort while supporting every student in taking the next step in their Ukrainian.

Materials & assignments: Students work with the open-access resource Ukrainian for Professional Communication (Вікно у світ бізнесу), and a variety of authentic texts, videos, and digital media. Learning takes place through discussions, simulations, presentations, professional writing, and creative projects.

Experiential learning: Students may choose to participate in an optional Community Service-Learning (CSL) experience by collaborating with local Ukrainian community organizations on authentic language and communication projects.

Where will your journey take you? Whether you take UKR 306 as an engaging elective or as part of a Minor in Ukrainian, the Major in Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, or pursuing the MLCS Certificate in Translation Studies or the Certificate in International Learning, this course helps you use Ukrainian with confidence in academic, professional, and community settings.