Modern Languages, BA - Professional Applications Option

What you will study

In our foreign language bachelor’s degree program, you’ll select one of three languages to learn French, Spanish or German beyond an Elementary II proficiency level. At the same time, you’ll also take undergraduate courses specific to your PR, Marketing or Criminal Justice concentration. Depending on your path, your college experience at the University of Central Missouri could look like this:

• Criminal Justice concentration: Learn about the criminal court and justice systems before completing an internship in criminal justice. This provides the opportunity to apply your language skills gained from studying German, French or Spanish in a real-world setting.
• Marketing concentration: Study the principles of marketing, including consumer behavior, advertising, management and economics. This is all while you learn French, Spanish or German to develop language proficiency and expand your career opportunities.
• Public Relations concentration: Learn Spanish, French or German while coming to understand the foundations of public relations, communications methods and the principles of international development. This results in greater options for your career.

Earn college credit to finish your foreign language bachelor’s degree faster

Previous language experience may fast track your pursuit of a foreign language bachelor’s degree, and placement exams are available for studying German, Spanish or French. Students who hold the Seal of Biliteracy may qualify to receive credit for beginner or intermediate classes.

 

 

Unique learning opportunities in studying German, Spanish or French

What are Modern Languages French degree, Spanish degree and German degree majors doing to maximize their college and learning experience? Opportunities both inside the classroom and out in the world await you at the University of Central Missouri. These include:

• UCM language labs: Converse with native and advanced speakers for an immersive learning experience and become more proficient with a foreign language bachelor’s degree.
• Internships: If you choose our Criminal Justice concentration, you’ll complete an internship in the criminal justice system. This will allow you to see how your acquired language skills could apply in your career as you learn French, Spanish or German.
• Study abroad program: From annual faculty-led tours to semester-long options, UCM offers you many opportunities to study abroad. We’re also one of only a few colleges that offer scholarships and grants for studying abroad.
• The Modern Languages Club: Enjoy cultural events, such as Chinese New Year, Day of the Dead and Oktoberfest, while you network with fellow students.
• The Modern Languages Foreign Film Festival: Hosted for 13 years by UCM, this foreign film festival allows students in grades 6–12 to create short films in various foreign languages. The festival includes a viewing party, workshops and an awards ceremony.

What can you do with a Foreign Language bachelor’s degree from UCM?

Employers regularly tell us they would hire students with language skills. We also hear from alumni that their foreign language bachelor’s degree resulted in a pay increase or accelerated career advancement. 

What are Modern Languages majors in Professional Applications doing to draw attention? Aside from language proficiency and cultural awareness, your achievement in earning a Modern Languages degree indicates to employers that you’re a flexible learner and critical thinker.

For students with a Criminal Justice concentration, your Modern Languages degree prepares you for careers in law enforcement, such as a detective and social services. It is also beneficial for those on a Pre-Law pathway. The PR and Marketing concentrations prime you for various opportunities in business. These may even score you a job with international travel, allowing you to visit exciting destinations while working.

Education opportunities for a Modern Languages degree

Most students who choose this foreign language bachelor’s degree end up with a double major. After you complete the required course work, you may only need a few more credits to earn a Criminal Justice degree, too, for example.

If you plan to pursue a master’s degree related to the Marketing concentration, a Modern Languages degree can strengthen your grad school application. It may even meet an admissions requirement, such as reading knowledge of one or more non-English languages.

What are modern languages careers?

Speak with our program coordinator and faculty to discuss the opportunities available for your Modern Languages degree in Professional Applications. You can also use the interactive tool below to explore your career options.

 

 

Financial assistance options for your Modern Languages bachelor’s degree

The potential your Modern Languages degree and PR, Criminal Justice or Marketing concentration offer toward your career goals is immense. We offer competitive tuition rates, as well as financial assistance resources, to help you pay for college.

The UCM Scholarship Finder allows you to search for funding opportunities relevant to a foreign language bachelor’s degree. Among them are:

• Dalsy Deliens Brown Scholarship for majors or minors looking to learn Spanish
• Elizabeth Callaway Scholarship for a junior or senior pursuing a Spanish major
• Sawyer-Stevenson Scholarship for International Experiences, available to assist with study abroad experiences

When pursuing a second major specific to your concentration, such as the Criminal Justice concentration, other scholarship opportunities may exist from that discipline, too.

Sawyer-Stevenson Scholarship for International Experiences Endowment

The International Studies and Modern Languages programs at UCM recently received a permanent study abroad scholarship endowment from Dean Michael Sawyer and Dr. Joy Stevenson, both of whom are committed to increasing student opportunities to study abroad. This scholarship will enable full-time students to pursue their academic goals in a foreign country and give them a chance to immerse themselves in a different culture. Your own experience as a student who studied abroad makes you a valuable advocate for the importance of international education. While this new scholarship will help students in both programs to go abroad every year, we would like to increase the number of students we can award annually and therefore ask if you are willing to make a gift to increase the endowment and impact more students.

Click Here to Support Study Abroad!