About the Institute
The Institute's language programs are designed for persons seeking to develop proficiency in a foreign language, including English as a second language. These programs consist of sequences of formal language courses offered for full academic credit.
The Institute’s programs are of interest to Penn State undergraduate and graduate students in a range of academic and professional programs, including the liberal arts, the sciences, engineering, business administration, agriculture, communications, health and human development, and many others. The Institute welcomes students from other academic institutions, as well as military personnel, professionals, and anyone else looking to build competency in a foreign language. High school students with strong academic aspirations may enroll in the Institute as long as they are at least 15 years old.
The emphasis of Institute offerings is on the development of communicative competence by fostering speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Secondary emphasis is placed on exposure to, and the understanding of, the cultures associated with the languages studied.
Course formats vary across languages and levels. A typical course sequence lasts eight weeks, with classes meeting two to four hours a day, Monday through Friday. Institute participants are not required to enroll for complete course sequences, but can select single courses based on their needs. Single courses last two and a half to four weeks, depending on the language.
All Institute programs are conducted on Penn State's University Park campus. For more information, contact Kathy Karchner at 814-863-5100; fax: 814-863-5190; or e-mail ConferenceInfo1@outreach.psu.edu.
Conducted by the Departments of Comparative Literature, French, Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures, and Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
program of the College of the Liberal Arts
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