UCLAri

I'm confused. Do you want to learn an East Asian language or not? Because if so, you'd minor in EA languages. Otherwise, there's no reason.

KirbyDee3713

Sorry, I was being vague with a very specific question. I want to learn Mandarin and Arabic while I'm at UCLA, but of the two Mandarin is most important. The major I'm working towards is Economics/ International Area Studies, and you have to pick a focus (ie. East Asia, Middle East...) and I was wondering if you knew if the East Asia focus would be enough to become pretty fluent in the different Chinese dialects, Korean, and Japanese or if I should also minor in East Asian Languages. If that makes sense.

UCLAri

KirbyDee3713,

Becoming fluent in ONE of those languages is a big undertaking, let alone all of them. The minor means that you take 9 courses in ONE language, not multiple languages. To become fluent in three of them (and Cantonese and Mandarin) would require you to pretty much triple major. Pick one, maybe two.

Jasonx88

so a minor in east asian laguage studies means you have a minor in a particular language? awesome...didnt know that

Jasonx88

so can you minor in korean?

UCLAri

Yes, Korean is offered.

Yams

how many minors can you have at UCLA by the way?

I'm doing IDS, I took 4 semesters of spanish at my CC. I know they want you to take the 6th quarter's language at UCLA. But I think I want to do chinese(I speak and read chinese by the way).

When do you usually take the language placement exams? I can't find them on the schedule.

UCLAri

You can have as many minors as you have units. I think the most I've seen is 3, but they all had some overlap. Why do it, though? Seems like a waste to me.

You usually take language placement right before the quarter starts. Keep an eye on the East Asian Languages page.

liyana179

if i want to take chinese 1, and have had NO experience with mandarin, am i going to have to take the placement test?
...cuz i'm just gonna turn it in blank anyways xD

UCLAri

No, you don't. Just go enroll.

Yams

I know that regardless of any sort of language abilities I've had, we stillhave to take the language placement exam. I am still debating between spanish and mandarin. Currently, I am taking spanish up to the intermetdiate level at my CC. But I am also fluent in mandarin(writing, reading and speaking), I wouldn't say I am 100% fluent anymore(I used to live in Malaysia and went to an all-chinese speaking school), but I do want to keep up with it and further improve the mandarin I have somewhat lost over the years.

What are your thoughts Ari? Stick to one language? Or do both? Or does one weigh more than the other? In your opinion.

I love them both, almost equally.

UCLAri

To be honest, I doubt that you're going to learn much in the classroom that you can't learn by simply reading or writing on your own. If you're fluent in reading, writing, and speaking, you're ahead of the 3rd and probably 4th year classes. I'd take Spanish, as you'll get more out of it.

Malishka31

Can you do two EAP programs and a travel study?

i want to do EAP china for IDS major and EAP russia to finish the language rec.


Is that possible?

charizardpal

Also, if I'm not mistaken you can only minor in Korean while at UCLA but not major in it, correct?

UCLAri

Malishka,

You probably COULD, but I think it would be incredibly difficult to fit it all in. That, and I think that the cost would be high. I'd go talk to the EAP office and see what you can fit in.

charizardpal,

There is most definitely a Korean major.