Why Cultures and Language Across the Curriculum?

The purpose of Cultures and Language Across the Curriculum (C-LAC) sections is to provide students with opportunities for cross-cultural engagement experiences through the use of their language skills in various disciplines. Depending on the proficiency level required by the professor, the goals of C-LAC sections will vary. These may include improving oral communication, reading or writing competencies, or for students with native or near-native fluency, expanding the depth and range of their engagement with a particular culture. While C-LAC students will use the target language to discuss and investigate subjects of particular interest to them, they should also be improving their grasp of the primary course material.

Cultures and Language Across the Curriculum can be especially useful for students planning to study abroad or who want to maintain their proficiency after returning from a semester or year abroad. Native-speakers can also benefit from this program. International students who study subjects in English at UR may find they have trouble discussing what they’ve learned in their own languages when they return home. C-LAC provides them with opportunities to investigate and discuss in their native languages what they’re learning in English.

Program Overview

C-LAC offers quarter unit, pass/fail courses in a variety of languages. C-LAC sections are small discussion groups taught by a faculty member or by selected international or bilingual students called C-LAC Assistants. All C-LAC sections are offered in conjunction with primary courses throughout the curriculum, including FYS, political science/social sciences, arts/literatures, science/health, business administration, professional and continuing studies, and leadership studies.

C-LAC sections may emphasize reading and/or conversation in the target language, independent research/writing projects, or a combination of these. They should normally meet at least ten times during the semester, each session lasting approximately 1 hour. However, C-LAC sections that center around research/writing projects and require significant independent work may meet a minimum of five times during the course of the semester. A C-LAC course will not count toward a major or minor unless specified within the curricular guidelines of a particular department or program. No more than one unit of C-LAC credit may count toward the total number of units required for a degree.