PRO
While it may seem difficult to do, learning a new language has many benefits. Ramapo College offers many language courses for students to better equip themselves for future career opportunities, including American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French and German, just to name a few. With all of these options available, students are given the opportunity to learn a language of their choosing.
The school of Humanities and Global Studies (HGS) here at Ramapo requires students to take three courses in a language in order to graduate, and I believe that a similar requirement should be added to other schools on campus as well.
Some of the benefits that come from learning a new language include enhanced communication skills, cultural enrichment and personal growth. There’s freedom in learning a new language, not needing to depend on an unreliable Google Translate search — there’s a reason that most elementary, middle and high schools require students to take a language course at some point.
Learning a new language can also encourage people to travel, which in turn helps connect people of various cultures and backgrounds. With the world so disconnected right now, it’s more important than ever to find ways to have positive interactions with each other.
Even if you’re in a major that may not connect to language at all — science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors, for example — learning a new language can still help further your career opportunities. Groundbreaking findings are being done all over the world, and being able to translate what they’re learning to a language that others understand is important.
Overall, learning a new language allows you to have better communication skills, gives you a new perspective and awareness and helps you connect with a wider range of people and places
rcassio@ramapo.edu
CON
As an English and Literary Studies student, I am required here at Ramapo to take three semesters of a language course, for the school of Humanities and Global Studies (HGS).
I am currently in my second semester of taking Spanish here at Ramapo, and honestly, I think it is a big waste of credits, for me specifically.
I think offering a variety of languages at schools is super important. I love the fact that Ramapo offers these language classes to students, but when it is something that is required, it loses its appeal.
I can tell that the students in my classes who are also required to take language courses care significantly less than the students who are taking these courses of their own choice. It just feels like another thing to check off the list for HGS students.
If Ramapo thought it was important for HGS students to take a language course, maybe a possible compromise could be limiting the number of courses required. Taking three courses of a language takes up a year and a half of my studies here.
It could be better to limit the requirement to one, maybe two courses.
Another issue I see with language course requirements is the lack of availability for certain classes at different times of the year.
If I want to get my language requirement out of the way and take it back to back semesters, that is dependent on whether the specific classes I need are being offered that semester.
I took Spanish for my language requirement because I knew that it would be offered most semesters. I feel as though I should have been able to take the language class that I wanted to and not one that was offered the most for my course schedule.
Overall, I don’t think a language requirement is necessary.
oparisi@ramapo.edu
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