Language and culture programs in the School of Modern Languages are sought out by students from across the Georgia Tech campus and support the Institute’s goal of educating global citizens and leaders who can improve the human condition through skills in the humanities.
We encourage students from all disciplines to expand their capacity with the B.S. in Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (ALIS) as a double major. With an ALIS skillset, you can:
- Operate in a second or third language and navigate cultural nuances
- Effectively communicate your scientific and technical knowledge to a broader audience
- Analyze the historical and current social, political, and economic context and adapt accordingly
- Apply your STEM expertise in a meaningful and ethical way, emphasizing not only the how but also the why behind a new experiment or technology
- Use your cross-cultural competence skills to effectively engage with cultures whose values and customs differ from your own
- Develop sustainable solutions that address the needs of the target culture and population
- Challenge stereotypes and cultural assumptions in daily life
- Contribute to a more diverse, multilingual, and inclusive workforce
The B.S. ALIS is intentionally flexible to allow students to combine it with another major. Popular pairings in the past have included aerospace engineering and ALIS-Russian, biomedical engineering and ALIS-Spanish, computer science and ALIS-Japanese, and mechanical engineering and ALIS-German.
Sample Pathways
The academic plans below are adaptations of pathways previous graduates took to complete ALIS in addition to their primary degree. A secondary degree requires 36 hours beyond the primary degree.
Already have a language minor? Turn your language minor into an ALIS double major.
Language Minors
15 Credit Hours
| Language | Level |
|---|---|
| French/German/Spanish | 3000- or 4000-level |
| Chinese/Japanese/Korean | 2002 (or equivalent – see advisor) 3000- or 4000-level |
| Russian | 2002 (or equivalent – see advisor) 3000- or 4000-level **Substitute up to 3 credit hours of Russian-focused INTA or LMC courses. |
ALIS Major
30 Credit Hours
*A second degree at Georgia Tech requires 36 credit hours outside the primary major. Students wishing to complete ALIS as a double major will need 6 additional credit hours beyond the requirements listed here.
| Section | Credit Hours | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Languages Core | 30 credit hours | 27 Language Electives (3000- or 4000-level**) 3 Capstone 4500 **Substitute 2002 for 3 of the 27 language electives. |
| Core Area F Cluster Electives | 18 credit hours | Double-count 18 credits of your primary major. |
| Study Abroad Requirement | 12 credit hours | A minimum of 12 credits from Core Area F (Cluster) and/or Modern Languages Core must be completed abroad in the target language. A student may petition to have the 12-credit study abroad requirement reduced or waived under circumstances of financial hardship, in the event of program cancellation or if the timeline of completing the primary major prevents you from going abroad. |
To discuss how ALIS can complement your primary degree, contact Mirla González.