In an increasingly diverse and international global system, the ability to communicate in multiple languages is a valuable and necessary attribute.
Ball State’s world language teacher education program intertwines the two disciplines of language and teaching through four majors:
- French
- Japanese
- Latin
- Spanish
Our program offers you numerous opportunities to learn about a language and culture while simultaneously developing skills and abilities related to teaching. All of the on-campus and off-campus activities are designed to prepare future world language teachers in terms of content, pedagogy, technology use, and classroom management.
What You Will Learn
To become a language teacher, you need to enhance and improve your language competency and acquire teaching skills. Our program will prepare you for a language teaching career by focusing on three essential areas:
What It’s Like to Major in Language Teaching Programs at Ball State
Ball State offers more than 300 exchange and study abroad program options in 65 different countries including France, Germany, Japan, and Mexico.
As a student, you can also be involved in language clubs and two national foreign language honoraries.
Study Abroad Student Organizations
Our department is home to more than 30 full-time faculty members and graduate assistants. Faculty members are engaged in active research in addition to teaching full course loads. They are experts in their fields and committed to—and invested in—your pursuit of excellence.
Classes are kept small to enable students to practice speaking, writing, reading, and listening. You’ll work closely and meaningfully with faculty over the entire undergraduate experience.
Read Faculty Bios
Our programs, faculty, and campus provide a wonderful diversity of languages, cultures, and experiences. You will also have the opportunity to study in another country, broadening your cultural experiences as you further your education.
As a student in our secondary education program, you’ll benefit from experiences and expertise of your home department, taking courses in content and content pedagogy—the methods and practices for teaching specific content—and learning from experts in the field of your chosen teaching major. In Teachers College, you’ll explore other important aspects of teaching and interact with teaching majors in other disciplines. Learn more about the Teachers College.
Major Requirements
Completing this program will earn you a Bachelor of Arts in teaching a world language, with a specialization in one of the four languages available (French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish).
Your classes will be a blend of content courses related to the language as well as teaching methodology courses through our department and the Teachers College.
Meeting all of the program’s requirements prepares you for teaching license standards.
Study Abroad Requirement
In addition to the required courses, students seeking a license to teach in the modern world languages need to complete a study program where the target language is spoken. (Students in our Latin option will design a program of cultural study in consultation with the Classics faculty.)
Accreditation
All of our teaching major programs are accredited and nationally recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Learn more.
Credits
Total to Graduate: 120
Major: 82-85
- French – 84
- Japanese – 85
- Latin – 82
- Spanish – 84
Courses
A few of the classes you will take may include:
- Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced courses in a language
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Intro to Multicultural Education
- Educational Psychology
- Principles of Teaching Middle School
- Principles of Teaching High School
- Assessment and Technology
- World Language Teaching Methods
For a complete list of all the courses you will take and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog.
View Catalog
What Can You Do with a World Language Teaching Major?
A degree in a World Language Teaching Major will prepare you to teach a world language at the secondary level. If you choose, you may further your education to teach at the postsecondary level.
- French
- Japanese
- Latin
- Spanish
Explore More Career Options
Paying for Your Education
In addition to the numerous scholarships the university offers its students, our department gives awards every year to our majors and minors to recognize them for their academic achievements. Find a scholarship.
Ready to Apply?
Admission to Ball State is selective and we carefully evaluate all applications on an individual basis. Applying for admission is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application
Want to Learn More?
The best way to get a true feel for Ball State University is to spend some time here, so we encourage you and your family to schedule a campus visit. Take a tour, attend an information session, meet with a professor in our area, and ask plenty of questions. Or, if you’d rather speak to someone directly by phone or email, please feel free to contact us.