In Cascadia College’s Languages and Culture pathway, you will develop strong language and cultural competency skills. You will study at least two years of a language, often more. Additional coursework includes courses in literature and culture. You will have opportunities for study abroad experiences during your education.
Modalities
Coursework may be completed through a combination of in-person (web enhanced), hybrid and online modes, though not every course is offered in the same modality each quarter. Specific courses may be offered at certain times of the year. Consult the current Class Schedule.
Placement
Many courses at Cascadia College have placement prerequisites for reading, writing and math ability. The courses that you will place into determine how you progress through your pathway and how long your degree will take. There are a variety of ways to find your English and Math placement level.
You will need to consult with an academic advisor after placement to be sure to enroll in a course that is consistent with your planned course of study.
You will need to complete one college-level math course that is 100-level, or higher. You will usually choose to complete MATH& 107 Math in Society. Additional math courses may be needed, depending on the entering math placement level and potential math requirements at the transfer institution.
If you have any questions about this pathway, contact: advising@cascadia.edu.
Planning Your Courses:
The information below assumes the following:
- You will be attending full-time each quarter (3 classes)
- You will start in the fall quarter
- You are ready to take 100 and 200-level classes in your first quarter
- You are NOT taking courses during summer quarters
If any of these points do not apply to you, you can still complete the pathway! You will just need to make some adjustments to your course schedule. Talk with an Academic Advisor to create a long-term academic plan that meets your needs.
The Annual Course Planning Guide shows Cascadia’s tentative plan for classes and the quarters in which they are offered. It is intended for planning purposes only and should not be considered a guarantee of class offerings. Actual quarterly sections may be changed, added, or removed. Students should use the Searchable Quarterly Class Schedule to see up to date class offerings.
Quarter One (Fall)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 121: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Quarter Two (Winter)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 122: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Quarter Three (Spring)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 123: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Quarter Four (Fall)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 221: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Quarter Five (Winter)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 222: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Quarter Six (Spring)
Course Note:
- SPAN& 223: Spanish is listed as the default language choice for this pathway, however Cascadia offers the following languages:
- American Sign Language (ASL) (Three levels)
- Japanese (Six levels)
- Spanish (Six levels)
- Find your community! Attend activities and connect with student clubs related to your long-term goals or interests.
- Meet with your Advisor and build a long-term course plan.
- If you have credits through AP testing or from another college, begin the process of having them officially evaluated.
Choice Classes: Distribution and Elective Requirements - Explore and align your interests.
The recommended choice classes listed below were thoughtfully chosen to help you gain the necessary skills in this pathway. You are welcome to choose other choice classes outside the recommended list, but consult with an academic advisor to be sure that the classes meet the specific requirements for this pathway.
150 Equity, Diversity, and Power (10 credits)
To meet the Equity, Diversity, and Power completion requirement, you must complete one 150-series EDP course, and at least one additional EDP-designated course for a total of ten (10) credits. EDP courses in the 150-series ground students in the needed cognitive tools and background to critically analyze their position in our increasingly interconnected, complex, and diverse world so they can pursue further study and seek out their careers more intentionally. EDP designated courses may also apply toward Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, or General Elective distribution requirements as indicated.
Choose one:
- CMST 150 Multicultural Communication
- GS 150 Globalization, Culture and Identity
- HIST 150 Cultural Diversity and Challenges in United States History
- HUMAN 150 Introduction to Cultural Studies
- SOC 150 Social Inequality
Choose one additional course designated in EDP in any distribution area by choosing from the choice classes lists or checking the current class schedule for additional EDP designated courses.
Integrated Learning (5 credits)
You will include an Integrated Learning Experience in your course selections. This requirement can be satisfied through the completion of learning communities, linked classes, classes containing formal community-based learning, classes taken as part of an academic study abroad program, or classes with an academic internship. Through Learning Communities (LC) or other Integrated Learning Experiences (IL), you will demonstrate abilities to integrate skills, concepts, information, and analytical and methodological frameworks from two or more areas of inquiry in a purposeful project or experience.
For more information please see Integrated Learning and current learning communities.
Transfer Opportunities
For this pathway, Cascadia College recommends the Associate's degree linked at the top of this page. However, the College offers multiple degrees which are designed for transfer to public and private four-year institutions. Please consult with an Academic Advisor about which degree may be best suited for your long-term goals.
University of Washington, Seattle
Out of State Transfer Opportunities:
Western Oregon University (American Sign Language)
View Cascadia’s Transfer Agreements for details of our partnerships with other colleges and universities.
Graduates with this degree pursue diverse careers. This degree complements and enhances work in almost any profession: translating and interpreting is one pathway. Other students will work in a variety of industries where their language and cultural competency skills are in demand. Paths: 1) education/academia, 2) non-profit sector, 3) business, 4) government, 5) non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 6) international governmental organizations (IGOs, e.g., NATO, UN). Other jobs might be: professor, K-12 teacher, international education administrator, human rights advocate, international development/humanitarian aid worker, diplomat, ambassador, political affairs officer, lobbyist, government affairs manager, military operations analyst, foreign affairs analyst, national security agent/analyst, international trade specialist, business consultant, public health practitioner, media consultant, marketing director, or sustainability consultant.
You can learn more about career possibilities related to your interests in this pathway through O*Net Online. O*Net Online shares information about related careers, salary, skills related to the industry and more.