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Language and Intercultural Relations

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Program Website: ryerson.ca/llc (opens in new window) 
Administered by: Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Program Format: Full-time, four-year program.

The Language and Intercultural Relations program gives students advanced linguistic and cultural competence as well as the required transformational leadership skills to navigate, and to help others navigate, culturally diverse work and social environments.

Admission: O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses, including Grade 12 U English.

Notes:

  1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
  2. A grade of 70 percent or higher will be required in Grade 12 U English.
  3. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.
  4. Although not a requirement, students are strongly encouraged to have at least some knowledge of the language of the stream (currently French or Spanish) in which they are interested.

If you are thinking about studying a language at Ryerson, the process is the same for all four languages we offer. Admission is by an online fluency assessment test and/or by an interview during specific periods in the year. Students should visit the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures website (opens in new window)  to find out about the online fluency assessment test. Admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The wide diversity of our students' educational backgrounds makes pre-admission language assessment necessary: it allows faculty to counsel students accurately as to which course or courses are appropriate and it ensures a uniform level of language skills in each class.

Students who have not taken language courses at Ryerson University are therefore required to have their fluency assessed to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level. Please note that students who willfully or inadvertently enrol in the wrong course(s) may be forced to re-enroll at the Instructor’s discretion, or drop the course(s).

In addition to our language courses, we offer a limited number of culture and literature courses taught in English, for which the pre-enrolment fluency assessment test is not required.

The focus of the four-year baccalaureate degree program in Language and Intercultural Relations is to give students both the linguistic and cultural competence needed to enter a global market, and the leadership skills particular to a global workforce.

Students will be prepared for a wide range of cultural encounters - from the known to the vastly unfamiliar. This requires a breadth of knowledge that stems from a humanities education. Based in language studies and anthropology, the degree also includes courses that focus on history, urban and gender studies, human development, political science and psychology.

Career Opportunities

Students in Language and Intercultural Relations will be exposed to new and exciting career paths, with the choice of one of the following Concentrations:

  • Organizational Behaviour
  • Language and Cognition
  • Translation Studies

Through a variety of experiential learning opportunities, students will acquire cognitive and practical skills, and will be well situated to seek employment in sectors where language and culture specialists are in demand: human resource management, labour relations, business, education, advocacy work, immigrant settlement, social services, translation, public administration, to name but a few. Additionally, students will be able to apply their skills to community development, faith-based field work, urban development, and applied linguistics. Also, some may opt to continue their academic endeavours and pursue graduate studies.

Primarily, though, LIR graduates will work internationally, help foreign international organizations better understand the Canadian market, and help Canadian organizations deal with international stakeholders.

Curriculum Information

Intercultural Relations constitute an interdisciplinary field of knowledge which draws on theories, practices and methods of enquiry that are related to a wide range of perspectives in the humanities and social sciences. One of the strengths of this BA (Hons) is that it rests on solid foundations: a first year of study that is common to several programs in the Faculty of Arts, with specialization in LIR beginning in Year 2.

Semesters One and Two: In the first year, which is shared with the programs in Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Politics and Governance, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology, students are introduced to Language and Intercultural Relations through courses that launch them on their path to getting better acquainted with the language they have chosen to study, and that provide an overview of intercultural relations as they are manifest around the world. Students also acquire skills and knowledge in Academic Writing and Research and Critical Thinking, and choose electives from a broad range of areas, such as Business, Law, and Natural Sciences.

Semesters Three and Four: In the second year, students study foundational practices in intercultural relations and negotiations through hands-on projects that help them learn how to navigate multicultural communicative events. They are also introduced to the quantitative and qualitative research methods that are necessary to study intercultural relations effectively. It is also in semester three that they choose their Concentration.

Semesters Five through Eight: In addition to becoming increasingly fluent in their language of study, students acquire a better sense of intercultural relations through the use of ethnographic tools and practices. In addition to their program courses, students choose from a broad range of subject areas that complement their professional studies and broaden their career preparation. These include courses in Business, Communication, Finance, Journalism, Law, Marketing, Economics, Geography, Politics, Fine Arts, Psychology, Sociology, and the sciences such as Chemistry and Biology. During that time, they can also work on the basics of a third language of study.

Transferability Guidelines

Students admitted to the Bachelor of Arts programs in Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology or Sociology may transfer to any one of the other nine programs or to any one of the three approved double major programs (English and History; English and Philosophy; History and Philosophy) for the fall term of their second year of studies. Applications are available through the Program Office and must be submitted by February 2nd. Transfer applications are considered on a competitive basis subject to program capacity, and therefore, program choice cannot be guaranteed.

In order to transfer to Language and Intercultural Relations from any of Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology, or Sociology, students must:

  1. have a CLEAR Academic Standing at the end of the Winter term of their second semester of studies; and
  2. have successfully completed LIR 100. It is strongly recommended that students complete LIR 100 and a FRE or SPN course above the 101 level in first year.

Students must select either the French or Spanish stream.

Liberal Studies

Students must take two lower level liberal studies courses and four upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

ANT 100 and PHL 214 are not available for credit.
Students in the French Stream: French courses (FRE, FRS) are not available for credit.
Students in the Spanish Stream: Spanish courses (SPN, SPS) are not available for credit.

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

CMN 601 is not available for credit.
Students in the French Stream: French courses (FRE, FRS) are not available for credit.
Students in the Spanish Stream: Spanish courses (SPN, SPS) are not available for credit.

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

1st & 2nd Semester

1st Semester

REQUIRED:

LIR 100 Global Models in Intercultural Relations
SSH 205 Academic Writing and Research

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Two courses from Table I.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: One course from Table III.

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

SSH 105 Critical Thinking I

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Two courses from Table I.

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table II.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table I or Table III.

  

3rd & 4th Semester

Curriculum begins 2017-2018.

Students must select a Concentration (from Professional Table V) starting in 3rd Semester.

3rd Semester

REQUIRED:

LIR 200 Critical Practices in Intercultural Relations
SSH 301 Research Design and Qualitative Methods

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table II.

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table V (Concentrations).

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

4th Semester

REQUIRED:

ACS 401 Introduction to Research and Statistics
LIR 300 Intercultural Negotiations

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table II.

PROFESSIONAL or PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table I, Table III or Table IV.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

  

5th & 6th Semester

Curriculum begins 2018-2019.

5th Semester

REQUIRED:

LIR 400 Ethnographic Practices

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table II.

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table V (Concentrations).

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table III or Table IV.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

6th Semester

PROFESSIONAL: Two courses from Table II.

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table V (Concentrations).

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table III or Table IV.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

7th & 8th Semester

Curriculum begins 2019-2020.

7th Semester

REQUIRED:

LIR 800 Topics in Intercultural Relations

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table V (Concentrations).

PROFESSIONAL: One of the following, based on the student's target language:

FRE 900 Senior French Seminar
SPN 900 Senior Spanish Seminar
or one course from Professional Table II

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table III or Table IV.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

8th Semester

PROFESSIONAL: One course from Table II.

PROFESSIONAL: Two courses from Table V (Concentrations).

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED:
One course from Table III or Table IV.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

A Concentration is a structured plan of study within a program (6 to 12 core or professional electives) that provides an opportunity for advanced or in-depth study in a particular area of interest.

Students must select and complete a Concentration (from Professional Table V) from the list below:

Concentration in Organizational Behaviour

Students take six of the following courses. Two of these courses must be in their stream.

REQUIRED:

MHR 405 Organizational Behaviour
MHR 523 Human Resources Management
MHR 700 Cross-Cultural Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour
MHR 721 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

French Stream - Two of the following:

FRE 515 Introduction to Business French
FRE 502 Communication and Business French
FRE 602 Business French in Practice
LIR 901 Directed Readings (French)

Spanish Stream - Two of the following:

SPN 515 Introduction to Business Spanish
SPN 702 Communication in Business Spanish
SPN 802 Spanish for Business Strategies
LIR 902 Directed Readings (Spanish)

Concentration in Language and Cognition

Students take six of the following courses. Two of these courses must be in their stream.

REQUIRED:

PSY 102 Introduction to Psychology I
PSY 202 Introduction to Psychology II
CLD 206 Language Development
CLD 307 Cognitive Development

French Stream - Two of the following:

FRE 505 French Language and Culture
FRE 605 Francophone Language and Culture
FRE 709 Children's Literature in French
FRE 805 French Language Teaching Methodologies
LIR 901 Directed Readings (French)

Spanish Stream - Two of the following:

SPN 805 Spanish Language Teaching Methodologies
SPN 704 Latin American Culture I
SPN 804 Latin American Culture II
LIR 902 Directed Readings (Spanish)

Concentration in Translation Studies

Students take six of the following courses. Four of these courses must be in their stream.

REQUIRED:

ACS 106 Introduction to Language
LIR 207 Translation as a Cultural Bridge

French Stream - Four of the following:

FRE 507 English-French Translation I
FRE 607 English-French Translation II
FRE 706 The Life and Times of the French Language
FRE 707 Introduction to French-English Translation
LIR 901 Directed Readings (French)

Spanish Stream - Four of the following:

SPN 507 English-Spanish Translation I
SPN 607 English-Spanish Translation II
SPN 707 Spanish-English Translation
SPN 710 History of the Spanish Language
LIR 902 Directed Readings (Spanish)

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see  (PDF file) Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

The membership of the Program Advisory Council will be announced at a later date. Please visit the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures website (opens in new window)  for updates.