Resources
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies undergraduate handbook has detailed information on our programs and classes.
Access the department's directory if you need to get in touch with one of our instructors.
Scholarships and Awards
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies offers a number of awards, bursaries, prizes and scholarships in each of its languages. Some awards are based on selection and require no application, and others, such as bursaries, are open for application in the fall through the PAWS Scholarships and Bursaries channel. Book prizes are awarded to top students in certain classes or areas of study.
Each year, we celebrate our students’ success and outstanding achievements during the previous year of their studies at our annual Meet and Greet held in the fall of the academic year.
Information on all awards at the University available here.
Student Advising
Students should feel free to approach any of their instructors and the Undergraduate Advisors of each language in the Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultural Studies at any time throughout the year for information or advice regarding their program of studies.
Students can also contact our Office Coordinator Carla Schulz or the Department Head, Pr. Marie-Diane Clarke, to set up an appointment.
There is a great deal of information on our courses and programs available on our website which should offer an answer to the most frequently asked questions by students. Students are invited to explore the various website pages for any information they are seeking. Please contact us for any information not available on our website or if you have any questions.
Work and Study Abroad
Students of French have several options for French immersion or study abroad learning opportunities.
- Canadian « Explore » Spring & Summer French Immersion programs
- French courses in Paris on Paris film and theatre
- Study Abroad opportunities at other universities in France
EXPLORE French Immersion Bursary Program
The Canadian Federal Government offers 5-week French Immersion language bursaries for study in Quebec and other provinces through its program « Explore ».
- Cost: Explore program federal bursaries cover the costs of tuition fees, books, room and board. In order to be eligible for these bursaries, students must be Canadian citizens and be registered as full time students during the year preceding or following the Explore program. Students who have just completed high school (Grade 12) can apply for these bursaries. The program is also open to students who do not qualify or who do not receive bursaries and wish to cover expenses on their own.
- Living Arrangements: Explore programs are offered in all Canadian provinces. In some Explore programs students stay in university residences while in others they live with host families. Students frequently find that they are exposed to more French through the latter living arrangement – i.e. through staying with a French-speaking family wherever this option is available. Students should also note that while the larger urban settings such as Montreal or Quebec City offer a wider range of cultural experiences, there is much more English spoken in these environments than in those in smaller cities where students stay with families.
- University Credit: Credit for these programs is not automatic since there are university credited and non-credited Explore programs, depending on their nature. University credited programs are typically more structured along the lines of regular university courses. That is to say that their focus is usually both written and oral (vs just oral) and that students must typically write a substantial (2 or 3 hour) final exam at the end of the course. Students who are interested in receiving credit for this program should check the Explore website for a list of the programs which offer university credit, prior to making their program selection when they apply and should consult with the USask French section coordinator and advisor at the time of application and program selection, if they require assistance. It is also worth noting that most of these programs require students to write a placement test which determines which language course students should take. In some cases, students who have passed their previous French course with some difficulty may be placed in a course equivalent to the last level they took and may therefore not receive credit for essentially doing the same course over again. Many students opt for the non-credit option because they prefer a less structured immersion experience. Students wishing further information on this issue should contact the French Section Coordinator and Advisor at the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultural Studies at the time of application and / or subsequent to their placement test.
- Application Deadlines: Students should check the Explore website for the exact deadline which is usually sometime in February. Typically students begin to apply for these programs sometime in early December and are asked to identify their destination preferences at that time. Recipients of language bursaries are decided through draws held in April and are notified at that time.
- For more information, visit the Explore website.
USask French courses taught by USask faculty in Paris
The Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultural Studies offers senior students of French the possibility of taking courses in Paris during Intersession. Since these courses may not be available every year, planning and consultation with the French Section advisor and coordinator is advised.
French study abroad options at other universities in France
Students who would like to study French abroad during one or two regular academic terms may also want to consider study at the following French universities:
- Université Marc Bloch (Strasbourg)
- Université Robert Schumann (Strasbourg)
- Institut de Formation Internationale (Rouen)
- Université Paris Sorbonne Nouvelle
Odyssey – a federal language assistant program
- Travel • Work • Learn
- Are you looking for a paid work experience in a school environment? Does the opportunity to travel throughout Canada, and share your culture appeal to you? Take part in Odyssey!
- Odyssey is a language-assistant program. Under the supervision of a teacher, your role will be to encourage students to improve their knowledge of the English language and its associated cultures and to use the language on a daily basis. You will leave your home province or territory to work in a rural or suburban area in another province.
- For more information, visit the Odyssey site at: http://www.myodyssey.ca/en/
Foreign Language Assistant Program in French
- Foreign Language Assistants travel to France or other French-speaking environments abroad to teach English while learning French and experiencing a new culture at the same time.
- For more information on these programs, please visit http://www.ciep.fr/en/assistantetr
“Au pair” program in France
- Through the Au pair program in France, individuals provide a maximum of 30 hours of childcare per week and may be asked to babysit in the evenings, but no more than two times per week.
- As an au pair in France, you’ll see how the French really live, experiencing day-to-day life with your host family and children. On your days off, you might spend some of your earnings travelling to nearby cities or taking some courses. Such opportunities allow you to improve your French skills on a daily basis. Locations are available throughout France, but mainly in the suburbs of Paris.
- For more information on the Au Pair program, please visit the Au Pair website at: http://www.interexchange.org/working-abroad/au-pair-program/become-au-pair-france
Spanish Study Term Abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico
Students of Spanish are encouraged to consider participating in a one-term study abroad opportunity at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico organized by CECM (formerly CEPE.) Students who have participated in this program speak very highly of their experience.
- Location: Students live with a Mexican family and improve their Spanish while studying in Guadalajara, one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico.
- Eligibility: Participants need to have 9 credit units of Spanish prior to their departure to be eligible for this program.
- Program: Students take senior level Spanish courses in language and culture in Term 2
- Cost: Program cost is approximately $3,000, which includes CECM Tuition Fees, Room and board for approximately 10-12 weeks, and CECM Registration fees. This is in addition to the U of S tuition fees for that term.
- Duration: Participants study at CECM from January to April (approximately 10-12 weeks.)
- Applications and Deadlines: Students may begin applying for the program in the fall and application deadline is February 1.
For more information regarding these exchange programs, feel free to contact Pr Julio Torres:
julio.torres@usask.ca
ARTS 412
306 966-5681
You can also contact the program coordinator for details on applying.
For further information and for the application form, please click here.
Work as a Language Assistant in Spain
Senior students of Spanish may be eligible to work as a language Assistant in Spain. Such an experience enables students to improve their Spanish language skills in an immersion setting while working at the same time and thus integrating themselves into the society and culture through their daily life of employment.
For more information regarding these exchange programs, feel free to contact Pr Julio Torres:
julio.torres@usask.ca
ARTS 412
306 966-5681
The University of Saskatchewan has partnerships with several Japanese universities.
- Kansai Gaidai University
- Yokohama National University (download the brochure)
- University of Tsukuba (more information regarding the course schedule is available here. Scroll down to the English description)
- Waseda University
For more information regarding the different exhange possibilities in Japan, we encourage you to contact Izumi Adachi, who is in charge of the Japanese section in the department.
izumi.adachi@usask.ca
ARTS 911
306 966-4180
Students of Chinese get the opportunity to experience China on the move, past and present, while enriching their Chinese language skills. With this program, students will discover Taiwan; the Jiangnan region of China (Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou).
Some of the many highlights of this program include:
- Visiting sites of rich cultural heritage in 6+ precious Chinese cities;
- Experiencing why China is the land of tea;
- Visiting the Palace Museum in Taipei (China’s greatest treasures);
- Visiting the most popular night markets in Asia;
- Visiting the gardens and canals in Hangzhou & Suzhou;
- Coming face to face with China past and present, on the move!
Partner universities:
For more information regarding these exchange programs, feel free to contact Chinese instructor Eleanor Shia:
eleanor.shia@usask.ca
Murray Bldg 262
306 966-5125
Study abroad experiences are one of the most exciting, interesting and efficient ways to learn a language. Such experiences are often life changing for many individuals and their impact on many students’ lives can be considerable. Students frequently experience an exhilarating widening of their intellectual and social horizons through immersion in a new culture and their contact with the people who inhabit it and who have spoken the language since birth. It has been often said that people don’t really understand their own culture until they are fully immersed into a new one since it is at that time that one fully grasps the full extent of the arbitrary nature of one’s society’s collective customs, ways of thinking, cultural priorities and values. It is at such times that one becomes aware of the world’s cultural diversity and the full concrete impact of the word “culture” in one’s daily life.
It is not uncommon for students to opt for a language major after such an experience and many of our students have launched their professional careers and personal lives in cultural settings beyond the English world as a result of their language studies either here or abroad and the personal contacts with individuals from other cultures which their education experience has facilitated. Many of our former students now live and work in non-English speaking countries and environments such as France, Belgium, Quebec and South America. For many students, it is on the streets of these environments, where they interact with native speakers in their daily lives, that a language suddenly comes alive. Most students who return to continue their language programs after a study-abroad or immersion experience will find that their fluency and command of the language has greatly increased within a short period of time and will enjoy greater self-confidence in their language courses. Our department strongly encourages students to complement their language studies at the University of Saskatchewan with participation in a study abroad or immersion program.
The University of Saskatchewan offers students many exchange opportunities worldwide. We recommend that you visit the "Exchange Opportunities" webpage to get a more accurate idea of all the options available to you.
You can also contact directly the International Student and Study Abroad on campus to make an appointment and see which program is be best suited to your needs.
Feel free to ask your instructor about the study abroad possibilties in the language you chose to study.
Support and Resources
The University Library offers a range of learning and academic support to assist USask undergrad and graduate students. For information on specific services, please see the Learning page on the Library web site.
Teaching, Learning and Student Experience (TLSE) provides developmental and support services and programs to students and the university community.
For more information, see the students’ web site.
Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact Student Central.
Visit the USask Indigenous students page for a guide to the supports and opportunities available to Métis, First Nations and Inuit students.
The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) supports student success and facilitates international education experiences at USask and abroad. ISSAC is here to assist all international undergraduate, graduate, exchange and English as a Second Language students in their transition to the University of Saskatchewan and to life in Canada. ISSAC offers advising and support on matters that affect international students and their families and on matters related to studying abroad as University of Saskatchewan students. Please visit students.usask.ca or updates.usask.ca for more information.