Korean BA
Program Purpose
Korean is a language spoken by about 75 million people, ranking just ahead of French in numbers of native speakers. The purpose of the Korean major at BYU is to help students develop competence in the language in the four major areas of language function – speaking, listening, reading and writing. Students in the major will learn language, language theory (linguistics), literature, history, and culture. The program aims to help students acquire sufficient competence to use the language as a primary tool in such areas as law and business, or to work for the government in translation or analysis, or to use the language as a secondary tool to support skills in business, legal, government, or other professional settings in Korea. In specific ways, the Korean major can be the primary tool for an employee in government or business, or in general ways, the major will help the student develop understanding and respect for Korea and Korean people. The program also supports the mission of Brigham Young University and its sponsoring institution, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by helping students develop academic skills and competencies in a faith-based setting which is also committed to the development of personal character and integrity.
Curricular Structure
The Korean major builds upon the foundation of two years of basic Korean language. It requires a course in Korean history, three language courses, two literature courses, and 12 elective credits from among three language courses and four other courses. The Senior Seminar provides majors opportunity for research and writing on a concentrated topic of Korean language or literature. The Korean program also provides majors special instruction in Korean phonetics and phonology. For further details, please see the major MAP sheet. In addition, the Korean program sends qualified majors to eight-week summer internships at major Korean conglomerates, Hyundai Shipbuilding and LG Electronics. Every other year, the program guides majors on an eight-week study abroad program that, inter alia, provides students the opportunity to live and study in environments ranging from the world's largest shipyard to the austere conditions of a Buddhist temple.
Learning Outcomes
Language Proficiency and Intellectual Engagement
Our graduates communicate compassionately, interpret meaning independently, and engage thoughtfully with Koreans and their culture through their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in Korean.
Our graduates draw upon their extensive study of the Korean language, culture, and history to cultivate cross-cultural understanding, navigate diverse contexts with humility and discernment, and respect the dignity of individuals and communities.
Our graduates are committed to service within their local and global communities, exemplifying personal initiative and reflective participation as they engage in cultural exchange.
Evidence of Learning
Direct Measures
1. ACTFL OPI (oral proficiency interview) for Korean
2. Korean LPT (language proficiency test)
3. ACTFL WPT (written proficiency test) for Korean
4. Sino-Korean character/vocabulary test (under development)
5. IES (Intercultural Effectiveness Scale)
6. Korean 495, capstone seminar paper
7. papers and essays from key upper-division courses (Korean 325, 340, 443)
Indirect Measures
1. online student ratings of courses and instructors
2. surveys of graduates (BYU Alumni Questionnaire, Senior Survey, College of Humanities Survey, Korean Section Survey)
3. maintain contact with, seek input from graduates
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
At the department level, the Executive Committee, which consists of the five language Section Heads (Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, and Korean), serves as the department Curriculum Committee. The Department Chair serves also as Chair of the Curriculum Committee. In addition to frequent, unscheduled communications, the faculty of each language section meet regularly under the direction of the Section Head, and the department Executive/Curriculum Committee meets once each month under the direction of the Department Chair. Curriculum review is a regular item on the agenda of meetings at both the section and department level. The Teacher Development Committee, which sponsors teacher development presentations and coordinates the peer review of teaching, also addresses issues related to curricular objectives and assessment. Curriculum review takes place on an ongoing basis, at both the section and department levels, as described above. Initiatives for curriculum change have come both from the Executive/Curriculum Committee and from within individual language programs. Curriculum change proposals are developed and approved at the section level, reviewed and approved at the department level by the Executive/ Curriculum Committee and the Department Chair, and forwarded each fall semester to the College Curriculum Committee. Proposals approved at the college level are then sent to the University Curriculum Committee for approval and inclusion in the catalog. The Korean Section recently conducted a rigorous self-evaluation that resulted in the use of new syllabi and new textbooks in core language courses. The Section recently drafted a comprehensive overhaul of the Korean BA, which was subsequently approved by the Department Chair and Curriculum Committee, and by the college and university curriculum committees. The new, streamlined curriculum took effect in Fall 2005.