2nd Major in Modern Languages 

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Develop all four language skills in the target language; listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to a B1 level, according to the CEFR standard. CEFR is the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
2. Apply the four language skills through effective communication in authentic situations.
3. Analyse and contextualise relevant cultural, linguistic, and geo-historical facts and concepts pertaining to the target language and the areas and countries in which the target language is used.

Selection Criteria for Second Majors

To be eligible, students must obtain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0 in the semester immediately before their intended entry into the Second Major. Students starting the 2^nd Major must be of Year 2 standing.

Completion Requirements

Students need to complete 30 AUs from the selection of courses below to graduate with a Second Major in Modern Languages. 

1. Up to 12 AU of courses for a student’s second major can fulfill two requirements concurrently (i.e., second major and major core/major prescribed electives/ICC core courses).

2. Up to 12 AU of courses for the second major can be non-letter graded, including credits transferred from a Student Exchange Program or courses with 'P' (Pass) or 'S' (Satisfactory) notations.

Curriculum Structure of Second Major in Modern Languages

The requirements for the Second Major in Modern Languages sum to at least 30 AUs, or 10 modules. These are divided between core language modules and compulsory and elective modules from a range of disciplines.

Modules completed by students during overseas exchange may be matched to the modules listed as satisfying academic credits toward the Second Major in Modern Languages. However, this is subject to the matching policies of the NTU schools and programmes offering the modules.

The proposed requirements for the Second Major are summarised below:

I. Core Language Requirement

The core language requirement of the Second Major in Modern Languages is a set of modules to be taken in a language of specialisation. Students who pursue the Second Major will specialise in the respective language. 

To specialise in a language, students will complete at least 15 AUs of language modules in the language of specialisation. This means that 5 modules must come from the language of specialization.

Modules that fulfill the core language requirement may be matched to modules completed by students while on overseas exchange.

II. Modules Satisfying the Language-Specific Contextual Requirement (*) 

The purpose of the language-specific contextual requirement is to provide social, cultural, and historical context relevant to a student’s language of specialisation. Students will clear between 6 and 15 AUs to satisfy the language-specific contextual requirement.

Listed below are “language-specific modules” that can be taken for credit toward the language-specific contextual requirement. For a module to be included in the list of language-specific modules below, at least one-third of the module’s content must be relevant to the social, cultural, and historical context of a Second Major language.

Language-Specific Modules Under the Second Major in Modern Languages

 Language-Specific Courses for French (*)

LF5901 “French Connection” – French Culture and Society 
LF5902 “French Touch” - French Cultures and Arts
LF5101 French for Professional Purposes
HA3022 The Origins of Modern Political Thought
HH2006 Modern European History
HL1001 Introduction to the Study of Literature 
HL3010 European Literature
HL4020 Advanced Studies in Modernist Literature: Some Other Modernisms. 
HY2012 Early Modern Philosophy
HY3001 Existentialism
HA4013 Advanced Topics in Democratic Theory
HR1003 Introduction to the Histories of Art I (new course proposal awaiting approval)

Language-Specific Courses for Japanese (*)

LJ5901 Japanese Culture and Society 1 
LJ5902 Japanese Culture and Society 2 
CS4053 Popular Cinema
HH1003 Asia-Pacific in Global History: From 1800 
HH2005 East Asia: Tradition and Modernity 
HR3007 Japanese Art: Edo to Contemporary
HC1050 The Science of Chinese Characters
CS4054 Asian Cinema
CS4198 Popular Animation in Global Context
HL2041 Asian Historical Fiction
HR1004: Introduction to the Histories of Art II
HL4009: Popular Literature and Culture
HH3005 Seismic Japan: History, Culture and Society 
HH2033 Total War in Asia and the Pacific, 1931-1951 (Course pending approval)

Language-Specific Courses for Korean (*) 

LK5901 Korean Culture and Society I 
LK5902 Korean Culture and Society II
LK5101 Business Korean
CS4053 Popular Cinema
CS4260 Film Festivals: History and Theory
CS5081 Introduction to Korean Studies (Previously CS9081)
HH1003 Asia-Pacific in Global History: From 1800 
HH2005 East Asia: Tradition and Modernity
HH2026 Health, Food, and Sports in Modern Korean History 
HH3002 Science, Technology and Medicine in Modern East Asia 
HH3020 Introduction to Korean History
HL2041 Asian Historical Fiction
HL3024 Contemporary Women’s Writing
HL4009 Popular Literature and Culture
HR1004: Introduction to the Histories of Art II 

Courses offered by CML to fulfill the Language-Specific Contextual Requirement (*)

CML proposes to offer several modules that students may take to fulfill the Language-Specific Contextual Requirement (II) of the Second Major in Modern Languages. These are not language modules, but rather modules that are designed to educate students about the social, historical, and cultural context of one or more languages of specialisation.

Summary descriptions of the CML modules are provided immediately below.

• Course Code and Title: LF5901 “French Connection” - French Culture and Society

Languages served: French
This course primarily looks at the cultures of France and secondarily at the cultures of Francophonie, the diverse French-speaking cultures located outside of France. The course resources and contents will be drawn from the different forms of cultural expressions and sociocultural constructions.

• Course Code and Title: LF5902 “French Touch” – French Cultures and Arts

Languages served: French
This course primarily looks at the cultures of France and secondarily at the cultures of Francophonie, the diverse French-speaking cultures located outside of France. The course resources and contents will be drawn from the different forms of cultural expressions and sociocultural constructions.

• Course Code and Title: LF5101 French for Professional Purposes

Languages served: French
This course is a Broad & Deepening Elective (BDE) designed for NTU undergraduate students who wish to develop specialised French language and intercultural skills for workplace contexts. Open to students with no prior knowledge of French, this course will equip you with the cross-competencies needed to thrive in a globalised and multilingual workforce. Through an action-oriented and learner-centric approach, you will develop practical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills tailored to professional contexts. You will engage in role-playing, real-world simulations, and authentic communication tasks, building your confidence and competence in French. By the end of the course, you will be able to present yourself professionally, sharing professional and personal details, introducing your company, navigating office environments, and discussing business trips and events, skills that are invaluable for internships, scholarships, and careers in a competitive global market.

For all queries concerning the 2nd Major in Modern Languages (French), please contact Ms Estelle Bech at [email protected]

• Course Code and Title: LJ5901 Japanese Culture and Society I

Languages served: Japanese
This course is a BDE designed to be explored by student-led groups catered to undergraduate students with an interest in the Arts, Culture, and History of Japan. The module will explore the cultural aspects of Japan in the style of team-led seminars and contextualise them in a personal, Singaporean, and global setting. Using collaborative teaching and learning approach, you will learn about the diversity of Japanese culture. By understanding the various aspects of society, arts, language, and culture, this module will give you a better understanding of Japan and enables you to become a more aware and understanding global citizen.

• Course Code and Title: LJ5902 Japanese Culture and Society II

Languages served: Japanese
This course is a BDE designed to be explored by student-led groups catered to undergraduate students with an interest in the Arts, Culture, and History of Japan. The module will explore thecultural aspects of Japan in the style of team-led seminars and contextualise them in a personal, Singaporean, and global setting. Using collaborative teaching and learning approach, you will learn about the diversity of Japanese culture. By understanding the various aspects of society, arts, language, and culture, this module will give you a better understanding of Japan and enables you to become a more aware and understanding global citizen.

For all queries concerning the 2nd Major in Modern Languages (Japanese), please contact Ms Kuriko Shinozaki at [email protected]

• Course Code and Title: LK5901 Korean Culture and Society I

Languages Served: Korean                                                                                                                                                               
This course aims to acquaint students with the prime cultural features of Korea and provide students with an overview of South Korean society. It includes an exposure to contemporary and traditional Korean culture and an exploration of recent socio-political changes and current affairs in Korean societies. During the seminars, students will use interdisciplinary methodologies to review and interpret cultural phenomena and social issues in Korea. Ultimately, this course will prepare students for interaction with Korean communities by increasing their intercultural competencies.

• Course Code and Title: LK5902 Korean Culture and Society II

Languages Served: Korean                           
This course aims to acquaint students with the prime cultural features of Korea and provide students with an overview of South Korean society. It focuses on traditional concepts of family, festivals, arts and sports. It also explores the transnational trends of modern lifestyles and K- -waves in the era of globalization. During the seminars, students will use interdisciplinary methodologies to review and interpret cultural phenomena and social issues in Korea. Ultimately, this course will prepare students for interaction with Korean communities by increasing their intercultural competencies.

• Course Code and Title: LK5101 Business Korean

Languages served: Korean
This course aims to equip you with the Korean language skills, communicative strategies, and cultural awareness needed to function effectively in professional and business environments. By taking this course, you will gain practical experience in writing a formal CV, business emails and reports, preparing for job interviews, and delivering professional presentations in Korean, while also developing an understanding of Korean business etiquette and workplace culture. This course provides you with valuable language and intercultural competencies that support your academic goals and enhance your career readiness, while contributing 3 AUs toward the Minor in Modern Languages (Korean) or the Second Major in Korean.

For all queries concerning the 2^nd Major in Modern Languages (Korean), please contact Ms Ryoo Hye Jin, Agnes at [email protected].

III. Elective Modules for Second Major in Modern Languages

Students pursuing the Second Major in Modern Languages will complete elective modules accounting for between 0 and 9 AUs. Although students have the option to fulfil all 30 AUs needed to earn the Second Major by taking core language modules (I) and language-specific modules (II), students may also dedicate up to 9 AUs of their study to the electives.

The elective modules fall into two categories—Category 1 and Category 2. Students are allowed to clear between 0 and 6 AUs in either category. Accordingly, if a student chooses to clear 9 AUs of electives in the Second Major, up to 6 AUs may be cleared from one category and then 3 AUs must be cleared from the other category.

The elective modules in Category 1 are generic modules suitable for students studying any language of specialisation. They include modules focused on cultural intelligence, intercultural communication, linguistics, and translation. The Category 1 electives are offered by SoH and other schools in NTU.

The proposed Category 1 electives are as follows:

Elective Modules - Category 1 (**)

BU5641 Cultural Intelligence: How to be an Explorer of the World (Previously BU8641)
HG1001 Mind and Meaning
HG2001 Morphology and Syntax
HG2002 Semantics and Pragmatics 
HG2003 Phonetics and Phonology 
HG2010 Bilingualism and Multilingualism 
HG2014 Second Language Acquisition 
HG2020 Language in Society
HG2021 Intercultural Communication
HG2097 What's in a Name? - A General Introduction to Etymology 
HG2099 Languages of the World
HG3025 Language Variation
HH4005 Culture and Heritage: Perspectives from History 
HT5101 Translation: Histories, Theories and Principles (Previously HT9101)
HT5102 Language Foundation for Translation
HT5301 Linguistics, Culture and Translation
HG2012 Cognitive Linguistics
HG2023 Language and Gender
HG4042 How and Why Languages differ
 

Elective Modules - Category 2 (***)

The elective modules in Category 2 are additional language modules. They may include modules taught by CML at higher levels of the student’s language of specialisation. They may also include modules in any level of any other language taught by CML. This additional language need not be one of the five Second Major languages. To illustrate: a student whose language of specialisation is Korean may take 6 AUs of Arabic at levels 1 and 2 as Category 2 electives. This is permitted, even though Arabic is not currently a language of specialisation offered under the Second Major in Modern Languages.

Therefore, the proposed Category 2 electives are all language modules offered by CML. These modules can be matched with modules taken on overseas exchange, and with Language Immersion Programmes. Please find the full list of CML modules here.