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Introduces students to key aspects of Bengali culture—such as history, religion, festivals, food, arts, and contemporary social issues—while teaching essential survival phrases and foundational language skills. The course is ideal for students preparing for travel, study abroad, or research in Bangladesh or West Bengal, as well as heritage learners seeking structured cultural and linguistic exposure. Through brief readings, media clips, discussions, and reflective assignments, students gain a practical entry point into the Bangla language and the cultural diversity of the Bengal region.

Introduces students to the Bangla language and script, building foundational skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing while preparing learners to reach ACTFL Novice High proficiency outcomes such as producing simple sentences on familiar topics, exchanging basic information, recognizing key details in short texts, and participating in everyday interactions using practiced language. Students begin speaking from day one and engage in communicative tasks like introducing themselves, talking about family, expressing likes and dislikes, asking for directions, ordering food, describing weather and routines, and navigating common real life scenarios through role plays and guided practice. Reading proficiency develops through work with the Bangla script, shop signs, short informational texts, and authentic materials, while writing proficiency grows through script practice, completing personal information forms, composing simple sentences, and writing short notes and descriptions. The course also supports a heritage learner pathway: students who speak or understand Bangla at home but have little or no literacy in the script often begin in BENGL 1121, where they can strengthen their oral skills while building systematic reading, writing, and grammar foundations. Designed for true beginners and heritage learners without prior literacy experience.

Strengthens students’ foundational Bangla skills through expanded practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, preparing them to reach ACTFL Intermediate Low proficiency outcomes such as creating connected simple sentences, asking follow up questions, interpreting short informational texts, and expressing preferences with basic reasons. Students engage in tasks like discussing daily routines, describing events in sequence, and requesting and providing information in familiar situations, while also developing cultural awareness across standard, colloquial, and regional varieties of Bangla. Reading proficiency increases through work with short authentic and informational texts, and writing skills grow through sentence level compositions, connected descriptions, and short written responses. The course supports a heritage learner pathway, offering structured progression for students who have oral/aural familiarity with Bangla—often acquired at home—but are building stronger literacy, grammar control, and communicative range as they advance beyond Elementary I. Designed for learners who have completed BENGL 1121 or can demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

This 1-credit course is designed for students interested in working in the healthcare sector—particularly those preparing for clinical experiences, volunteer work, or future practice in linguistically diverse environments. The course focuses on developing basic communicative competence in Bangla for use in healthcare contexts. Through interactive activities, role-plays, and culturally contextualized scenarios, students will acquire essential vocabulary and phrases to engage with Bangla-speaking patients and communities. Emphasis is placed on practical language skills for clinical settings—such as patient intake, symptom description, and health education—alongside cultural norms and sensitivities relevant to Bangladeshi and Bangla-speaking populations.

Strengthens students’ linguistic range and cultural literacy as they progress toward ACTFL Intermediate Mid proficiency outcomes, including understanding main ideas in short informational and fictional texts, exchanging information on familiar and researched topics, and creating connected sentences to narrate events or express viewpoints. Students engage in communicative tasks such as giving advice, discussing social experiences, conducting interviews, presenting researched topics, and telling stories across time frames. Reading proficiency grows through work with authentic texts that require identifying key information and cultural nuance, while writing proficiency expands through connected-sentence narratives, explanations, and basic argumentative responses. The course also supports a heritage learner pathway, allowing students with home language exposure to deepen literacy, expand vocabulary, and develop sustained, grammatically accurate discourse. Designed for learners who have completed BENGL 1122 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

Prepares students to achieve ACTFL Intermediate High proficiency outcomes by developing the ability to follow paragraph-length texts across multiple time frames, participate in extended conversations on researched topics, compare cultural practices, and produce organized, multi paragraph narratives and explanations. Students work with authentic media—including news articles, broadcasts, and contemporary cultural materials—to interpret detailed content and analyze perspectives within Bangla speaking communities. Writing proficiency advances through multi paragraph compositions, summaries, opinion pieces, and research based presentations, while reading skills strengthen through sustained engagement with informational and literary sources. The course expands the heritage learner pathway by supporting learners who bring oral fluency but seek to refine literacy, register awareness, and advanced grammar control across standard, colloquial, and regional varieties of Bangla. Designed for learners who have completed BENGL 2201 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

Develops higher-level linguistic accuracy and cultural fluency as students work toward ACTFL Advanced Low proficiency outcomes, including identifying underlying messages in informational and fictional texts, sustaining discussions across major time frames, negotiating complications, and presenting viewpoints with supporting evidence. Students engage with sophisticated materials such as modern Bangla short fiction, global news, film, and media texts, completing tasks like interpreting narrative layers, comparing cultural perspectives, analyzing social issues, and delivering multi-paragraph presentations. Reading proficiency expands through extensive exposure to authentic literary, journalistic, and audiovisual materials, while writing proficiency strengthens through paragraph-level narratives, argumentation, and analytical compositions. The course also supports a heritage-learner pathway, enabling learners with oral/aural proficiency to deepen literacy, critical reading skills, and mastery of advanced register distinctions across standard, colloquial, and regional Bangla. Designed for students who have completed BENGL 2202 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

Prepares students to reach ACTFL Advanced Mid to High proficiency, enabling them to interpret detailed content across major time frames, maintain extended discussions on familiar and unfamiliar topics, and produce organized, multi-paragraph narratives and arguments with cultural and linguistic sophistication. Through activities such as debates, presentations, critical analysis of literary texts, and engagement with contemporary Bangla media—including news broadcasts, essays, films, and digital platforms—students refine their ability to express nuanced opinions, evaluate perspectives, and interact effectively in both formal and informal contexts. Reading skills strengthen through sustained work with diverse authentic sources, while writing proficiency advances through structured arguments, research-informed compositions, and detailed analytical responses. The course further supports the heritage-learner pathway, offering opportunities to refine high-level literacy, expand vocabulary and idiomatic usage, and develop confident command of advanced registers used in academic, professional, and cultural settings. Designed for students who have completed BENGL 3301 or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

Intended for advanced language study.

Intended for advanced language study.

Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.

Topics vary by semester in relation to student needs.