Foreign Language Programs

Prescott campus continues to develop a dynamic series of strategic foreign language offerings in Mandarin Chinese, Modern Arabic, Russian and Spanish. Students can take these languages during the regular semesters. Four-Year Chinese study (GSIS/Chinese Track), minors, study abroad programs and other opportunities are available. Dr. Leeann Chen is the Foreign Language Coordinator.

Project Global Officer (Project GO) Program

ERAU's Project GO Chinese summer program has been carried on since 2012. Please see the ERAU Project GO website for details.

The program offers 9 credits of Chinese at three levels of study:

1. ROTC students having been in Chinese classes for a year can apply for Intermediate I level.
2. ROTC students with 20 college Chinese credits or two years of daily college Chinese classes can apply for the Intermediate II program.
3. ROTC students with three years of Chinese courses can apply for the advanced program.

Tuition, room and board, airfare, and insurance will be paid for. Competition is intense. Please contact Dr. Chen if you have any questions at chenl@erau.edu. 

Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies

Embry-Riddle Prescott offers a four-semester course (12 credit hours) of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is the language of all official forms of communication and media throughout the Arab world. In LAR 101 to LAR 202, MSA is taught with introductions to some of the most commonly understood dialects in the Arab world. Throughout the MSA course, the cultural aspect of Arabic is integrated in the curriculum for students to gain information about cultural aspects of the Arab world. 

Students have the opportunity to study abroad during the summer, where they immerse into one of the Arab countries, learn MSA, experience the culture and earn summer credits upon completion of the program.  

• Minor in Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies

Mandarin Chinese

Embry-Riddle Prescott offers a four-semester course (12 credit hours) of Mandarin Chinese, which is the language of all official forms of communication and media throughout Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. There is also a Chinese Minor of 18 credits in Chinese. Credits from ERAU study abroad programs in Taiwan can be used to satisfy the minor requirements.

• Minor in Mandarin Chinese

GSIS/Chinese Track

The four-year program is combined with the Global Security and Intelligence (GSIS) degree program, called the GSIS/Chinese track. On this track, students take the same number of credits as other GSIS students (122 credits total), with 45 of the 122 credits taken in Chinese. Study abroad in China in the summer of students sophomore year is required. Study abroad tuition is 50% of the regular semester tuition.

Although the program does not require any Chinese language proficiency to enroll, at graduation, most students reach advanced proficiency on national tests, a level at par with graduates with a BA in Chinese. A certificate of accomplishment is issued to every graduate. The transcripts also reflect the accomplishment of 45 credits of Chinese. Individuals with some level of proficiency of the Chinese language may qualify for Advanced Standing or Placement.

• GSIS/Chinese Track Study Abroad Opportunities

Spanish

Embry-Riddle Prescott Campus offers four semesters (12 credits) of Spanish language. Courses also include lessons on the history, culture and politics of countries where Spanish is spoken as the first language. There is also a Spanish minor of 18 credits.

Spanish is the world's second most common language, after Mandarin Chinese and before English, in terms of the number of first-language speakers. At least 37 million people in the United States alone use Spanish as their first language. Although Spanish speakers are concentrated in the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America, it is also spoken in countries across the globe like Equatorial Guinea and Africa.

• Minor in Spanish

Russian

The Russian program has 12 credits. The course work is spread across two years of study with each semester equaling three credits. Upper-level courses are also available.