Welcome to K-State’s College of Arts and Sciences! In this course, you will explore what it means to be human, understand your world, and gain a global perspective while laying a foundation for success in your collegiate studies. This section, titled K-Staters Go Global! Languages, Cultures, and Travel serves as both an Arts and Sciences orientation course and the connections course for a CAT Community of the same name. For that reason, the course will integrate some content and assignments common to all orientation and connections courses. Tying it all together will be a focus on the overlaps of languages, cultures, and travel. We will explore the relationships between these three topics through a series of case studies presented by faculty from different programs in the Department of Modern Languages and representatives from other relevant units on campus. Throughout, you’ll envision your time at K-State as a journey, both literal and metaphorical, as well as an opportunity to explore new languages and cultures, including those of the University itself.

This introductory course focuses on the sociolinguistic and sociocultural coexistence among English and varied minoritized languages. The first unit provides an overview of languages spoken in the United States, situating patterns of language use within a broader political and historical context. Subsequent units focus on specific minoritized languages. Students will gain an appreciation for multiculturalism and multilingualism in the U.S. while expanding their awareness concerning global issues. To this end, the students will learn and engage in discussions about race, identity, migration, acculturation, syncretical views and practices, language variation, and linguistic adaptability as experienced by multilingual communities with diverse ethnic backgrounds.