Culture and Language Studies under Renison's School of Social Science and Humanities offers a variety of courses and academic programs for becoming a global citizen and expanding your worldview.
Our disciplines include:
- American Sign Language
- Arabic Language
- Chinese Language
- East Asian Studies
- Japanese Language
- Korean Language
- Religion, Culture, and Spirituality
- Studies in Islam and Arab Culture
NOTES
- Many courses are "cross-listed" between different departments to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the topic.
- Most count as options to fulfill language/culture Arts Breadth requirements (verify with your academic advisor)), and may be present in other academic plans (e.g. Honours - Knowledge Integration)
- TIP: When enroling, check for the REN, ONLNR, or BLNDR campus to confirm it's a Renison course.
Disciplines and Courses
CLS offers students the opportunity to take courses in language, cultures, and humanities in the small class format Renison is known for. Review below for more information on each area, possible courses, and enrolment instructions.
History demonstrates the nuance and complexity of communication skills, long before spoken language developed - waving hello, pointing to an item on a menu, or hailing a cab, are all examples of sign language in its most elemental form.
ASL uses eyes, hands, face, and other body movements to communicate. These courses help students develop an awareness and appreciation of the Deaf community, build baseline language skills, and challenge normative views of how we can express our thoughts.
Example Courses:
- ASL 101R: American Sign Language 1
- ASL 102R: American Sign Langauge 2
I want to take ASL!
Arabic is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, with approximately 315 million speakers across 30 dialects and 58 countries.
Renison's ARABIC courses offer the chance for non-native speakers interested in learning a new language and contribute to personal, professional, or academic purposes. Our courses focus on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) used in formal writing and speech.
Example Courses:
- ARABIC 101R: Introduction to Arabic 1
- ARABIC 102R: Introduction to Arabic 2
Available plans: 2 diplomas
I want to take ARABIC!
Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, one of the official languages of the United Nations, and the official language of the People's Republic of China. With China having the second-largest economy in the world and a major trading partner for many countries, learning Mandarin can be important for careers in international politics, economics, policy development, social advocacy, and business. CHINA courses build foundational skills in Mandarin for native and non-native speakers, with upper-level classes offering more on Chinese history, literature, religion, political and economic systems.
Example Courses:
- CHINA 101R: Elementary Chinese 1
- CHINA 102R: Elementary Chinese 2/CHINA 120R: Chinese for Heritage Language Learners (pending proficiency)
- CHINA 201R: Intermediate Chinese 1
- CHINA 391R: Special Topics - Poetic Nature of Chinese language
Available plans: 2 diplomas
I want to take CHINA!
EASIA courses offer integrative, interactive, and engaging learning environments for a deeper understanding of the languages, cultures, and societies of China, Japan, and Korea. These courses are taught in English and do not require previous knowledge of those languages.
Example Courses:
- EASIA 100R: Introduction to East Asia
- EASIA 202R: Chinese Culture and Society
- EASIA 207R: Buddhism (cross-listed with RCS 204)
- EASIA 336R: Korean Pop Culture
Available plans: minor, diploma
I want to take EASIA!
Build a solid language base in our introductory JAPAN courses, aimed to help students develop oral, comprehension, and writing skills with different Japanese alphabets (e.g. hiragana, katakana, kanji).
Example Courses:
- JAPAN 101R: Elementary Japanese 1
- JAPAN 102R: Elementary Japanese 2
- JAPAN 111R: Japanese for Business 1
- JAPAN 201R: Intermediate Japanese 1
Available plans: 2 diplomas
I want to take JAPAN!
Starting with the Korean alphabet and continuing to develop oral, comprehension, and writing skills, KOREA courses utilize a curriculum that specifically created for beginners in a university setting. The materials used in class are based on the philosophy that learning Korean should be "easy to understand and easy to acquire."
Example Courses:
- KOREA 101R: Elementary Korean 1
- KOREA 102R: Elementary Korean 2
- KOREA 201R: Intermediate Korean 1
- KOREA 301R: Advanced Korean 1
Available plans: 2 diplomas
I want to take KOREA!
Religion, Culture, and Spirituality (formerly Religious Studies) is the academic investigation of how human beings make meaning, create values, and confront major life issues such as death, as well as the systems that result from such activities. Neither advocating for nor trying to dismiss religion and spirituality, RCS seeks to understand and explain the roles and persistence of religious ideas, practices, and institutions in the ancient and modern worlds.
Example Courses:
- RCS 100: Religions of Asia
- RCS 123/EASIA 120R: Monsters and Magic in Japanese Popular Culture
- RCS 204/EASIA 207R: Buddhism
- RCS 270/VCULT 252: Religion and Popular Film
Available plans: visit the RCS department website within the School of Social, Political and Historical Research (SSPHR)
I want to take RCS!
SI courses introduce students to the diversity of Islam and Arab Culture by exploring contemporary issues, Arabic language, Islamic civilization and culture, Islamic art, various aspects of Islamic thought and theology, Islamic history, and much more. Engage through culturally-associated fine arts, language and literature, drama, history, politics, science, anthropology, social development, gender and sex, and a myriad of other discipline perspectives.
Example Courses:
- SI 121R: Islam in the World
- SI 131R: Arab Culture
- SI 231R: Calligraphy to Conceptual Art: Text as an Image in Islamic and East Asian Visual Arts
Available plans: minor, diploma
Learn more about the impact of Studies in Islam and Arabic Cultures (SIAC)
I want to take SI!
And many more!
Additional courses in English are occasionally offered through Renison (e.g. ENGL 100A, 210C, etc.), and through many unique cross-listed codes, students can take Culture and Language Studies courses towards other University of Waterloo majors or BA degree requirements
For example...
- ARTS 160: Inquiry and Knowledge Creation (key communications requirement for all Bachelor of Arts students)
- EASIA/SI 231R is cross-listed with FINE/VCULT 275: Calligraphy to Conceptual Art: Text as an Image in Islamic and East Asian Visual Arts
- EASIA 302R is cross-listed with PSCI 385: Chinese Foreign Policy Since 1949
- SI 312 is cross-listed with ANTH 312 and RCS 312: Muslim Lives and Practices Worldwide
- EASIA 262R is cross-listed with ENGL 262: Manga
The world is your oyster!
Back to top of page
