Middlebury Handbook

A.  Background to the Language and ICC Component

Language plays a crucial role in all degree programs offered at the Middlebury Institute.  As a result, most degree programs have a language and ICC component included in their core requirements.  Language courses are primarily content-based, meaning the focus is on developing field-specific content knowledge while also developing linguistic skills at the same time.

All degree programs except TESOL and TI have a Language and/or ICC component in their degree program. Students cannot take a competency exam (standardized test in the language) to bypass language study.

B.  Regularly Taught Languages at the Middlebury Institute

Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish are offered regularly in the academic year curriculum, subject to sufficient student enrollment.

C. Required Language Levels

To enroll in Language Studies (LS) courses at the Middlebury Institute, students must have attained 200-level/second year university level/Intermediate in their language of study (LoS).

Students whose first (native) language is a language other than English, or students who did not have secondary and post-secondary education (high school and college) in an English-speaking country, are considered to be non-native speakers of English.  They are required to take English for Academic and Professional Purposes (EAPP) courses to fulfill the requirement in the language component.

Students whose first (native) language is English, or students who have had secondary and post-secondary education (high school and college) in an English-speaking environment, are considered to be native speakers of English. EAPP courses do not count toward fulfillment of the language requirement for native speakers of English.

1.  Provisional Admits with low TOEFL or IELTS scores

Non-native speakers of English who are provisionally admitted to the Middlebury Institute with TOEFL or IELTS scores below the stated minimum must either obtain the required minimum score before beginning their degree programs, or enroll in (and successfully complete) English Preparation for Graduate Study (EPGS) the summer before beginning their degree programs.

2. Prospective/New students with Lower Language Proficiency than required

Prospective students who do not have sufficient language study courses on their transcripts or who have outdated language coursework are required to contact the Language Study Advisor to work out a Language Plan (LP) during the admission process.  This Language Plan will lay out a concrete plan to assist in equipping students with sufficient proficiency in their chosen language (LOS) prior to enrollment in the degree programs.  Failure to complete the LP may result in revoking or deferring admission.

New students who take the language placement test and fail to place at the required language levels will meet with a Language Studies Advisor to work out an In-Degree Language Plan (IDLP) which will determine a concrete plan and timeline for raising the student’s language proficiency to the necessary level for LS study and completing the language component of the degree program.  Registration for courses may be put on hold until students have an acceptable IDLP.

E. Language Studies Placement

Language level placement in the Language Studies (LS) program is determined by online placement tests taken prior to Welcome Week each semester.  The language placement test serves a dual purpose within the Language Studies (LS) program.  First, it helps determine students’ level of language proficiency.  Secondly, it assists in gathering information about students’ specific interests and preferences related to language learning.  This comprehensive assessment enables faculty members to consider students’ proficiency levels and align them with their academic and personal needs.  Students are contacted prior to Welcome Week with details about taking the placement tests.

On the basis of placement test performance, Language Studies faculty will suggest or require certain level courses that best fit students’ current language proficiency and development needs.  Each subsequent semester, the Language Studies instructors give pre-approval for  courses to be taken in the following semester.  The result of the placement test, or the pre-approved course placement by an LS instructor, is only honored for the particular semester that the test is taken or the pre-approval was intended. Students who take a leave of absence from MIIS, or who do not enroll in language study courses every semester, may be required to retake a language placement test to determine the course that best fits their proficiency level before registration.

If a student feels that he/she possesses sufficient level of professional proficiency in the language to waive all or a portion of the language requirement, a waiver exam can be requested. The results of the waiver exam may waive a student from 0-12 credits of Language Studies courses.  (For details, please see below: L. Applying for a waiver of Language Studies credits)

F.  Fulfilling the Language and ICC Component

1. Requirements

The following table summarizes the Language and ICC component minimum credit requirements for the different degree programs at the Institute.  All requirements pertain to credits in a single language.  (LS = Language Studies, ICC = Intercultural Communication)

Program		Requirement		Notes
MPA		4 credits of LS or ICC		Space available for an additional 17 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
BA/MPA		16 credits: 12 credits of LS and additional 4 credits of LS and/or ICC		admission suspended in SP 23
MAIPD		4 credits of LS or ICC		Space available for an additional 20 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
BA/MAIPD		16 credits: 12 credits of LS and additional 4 credits of LS and/or ICC		admission suspended in SP 23
MAIT		4 credits of LS or ICC		Space available for an additional 17 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
MAIPD/MAIT		8 credits of LS and/or ICC		Space available for an additional 25 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
MPA/MAIT		8 credits of LS and/or ICC		Space available for an additional 19 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
MPA/MAIPD		8 credits of LS and/or ICC		Space available for an additional 22 credits of LS, ICC or other electives
MAEPM		4 credits ICC, or 12 credits of LOS and no requirement for ICC		Space available for an additional 10-12 credits of LS, ICC or other 'free' electives
BA/MAEPM		4 credits ICC, or 12 credits of LOS and no requirement for ICC		Space available for an additional 24 - 26 credits of LS, ICC or other 'free' electives
MANPTS		12 credits LS
BA/MANPTS		16 credits: 12 credits LS and 4 credits ICC
MA TESOL		no requirement
MA TFL		for non-native speakers in target language of teaching: 12 credits: 8 credits LS + 4 credit LING 8531 Pedagogical Grammar (or equivalent pedagogical grammar course in target language)   for native speakers in target language of teaching: 12 credits:4 credits LING 8531 Pedagogical Grammar (or equivalent pedagogical grammar course in target language) + additional 8 credits of electives (e.g. LS and/or ICC coursework, TESOL/TFL, IEM courses)		LS courses must be 300 level or higher
MATLM (pre Fall 2021)		MATLM-Localization Management Residential 8 credits LS courses plus additional 8 credits of LS and/or ICC coursework including Principles of Translation (2 credits)   MATLM-Localization Management, AE Residential 4 credits of LS courses plus additional 4 credits of LS and/or ICC coursework and Principles of Translation (2 credits)		LS courses must be 300 level or higher
MATLM (Fall 21)		16 credits: First 8 credits must be Translation or LS. If all 16 credits are Translation courses, earn Translation specialization. After first 8 credits of T or LS, the remaining 8 may be any mix of T/I, LS, TIAG, LING, or ICC. If 12-credit LSPP specialization is earned, get LSPP specialization.		Students have to declare intent to take translation or LS courses during admissions process; test into translation courses with LST, test into LS courses with LPT. LS courses must be 300 level or higher.
MATI/MATLM		no requirement
MATI, MAT, MACI		no requirement

2. Higher language skills requirement

The following programs require superior language proficiency: Teaching Foreign Language (TFL); Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); and all degrees in Translation, Interpretation, and Localization Management (TILM).  Proficiency in languages required for these degrees is assessed at the time of admission.

3. Options for Fulfilling LS and ICC Requirements

There are a number of options for fulfilling the Language and ICC component requirement at MIIS.  Students may complete the Language and ICC component in successive semesters, or may skip a semester from language study.  Students may also participate in one of the many Study Abroad programs available with the Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad and may earn up to 12 credits while abroad to meet the language component.  Those who have at least mid-300 level language proficiency may also earn credits while participating in an overseas internship completed during the J-term or summer.  If desired, students may also transfer 2-4 credits of language or ICC courses from an outside institution (with pre-approval) to augment the credits earned at MIIS.

Students may also take more language courses than required, or take a third or fourth language, as long as they have room in their schedule, meet minimum proficiency levels, and can count them as electives in their degree programs.

The Language Studies Advisor can assist in developing an appropriate plan to incorporate language study into the degree map for those who would like to plan a semester away.

NOTE: Due to the distribution of language level courses, it is not normally possible to take multiple language courses (to “double-up”) in a single language in any given semester. Thus, it is strongly recommended to carefully map out all language coursework for the degree track.  Postponing the start of Language Studies is strongly discouraged and may lead to a delay in graduation.

4. Directed Study for Language and ICC courses

Students may request a Directed Study (DS) in language courses at 300-level or above for 2 or 4 credits.  In order to propose a Directed Study course, students need to have a concrete self-initiated project in mind, and they must seek a faculty member who agrees to supervise the project in advance. It is entirely the prerogative of the faculty member whether or not they agree to work with a student on a Directed Study. Students who wish to earn language credits by taking a Directed Study course need to complete and submit a LS DS proposal form and obtain the faculty supervisor’s signature.  Directed Study courses may not be used as substitutions for specific course prerequisites.

Students may also request a Directed Study (DS) in ICC courses for 2 or 4 credits.  A DS in ICC is approved (a) to pursue in greater depth a subject to which she/he has already been introduced in a MIIS course, but is unable to find more advanced treatment of the topic in the regular menu of seminars; or (b) to research a question or topic not offered by the MIIS curriculum, but which the advising professor and the program chair agree has intellectual/professional merit, and is operationally feasible.  The student and the faculty advisor together develop a work plan, including a timeline and specified deliverables. Students need to seek a faculty member who agrees to supervise the project in advance. Only regular/full-time faculty members may act as ICC DS advisors. Supervising faculty are expected to have expertise in ICC. This includes faculty serving on the ICC steering committee or teaching ICC courses at MIIS. Exceptions may be made with the approval of the ICC chair.

5. Transfer of language and ICC credits

a. Transferring credit from an outside institution

To be eligible for transfer, coursework in language or intercultural competence (ICC) must be completed after a student has started in the Language Studies program at MIIS, which means that the student has taken the placement test, and has been assigned an appropriate level of study for the degree program.

Students may transfer up to 4 credits of language coursework from an outside institution for use toward MIIS degree programs that require 12 or more credits of language study. In MIIS degree programs that require 8 credits of language study, students may transfer up to 2 credits of language coursework from an outside institution for use toward MIIS degree requirements.  Outside institutions include any regionally-accredited school/or institution outside of Middlebury. Grades earned at outside institutions approved for transfer to MIIS will not be calculated as part of the student’s GPA.

Students must obtain pre-approval from the associate dean of academic operations before taking courses elsewhere.  This is achieved by submitting a petition for transfer of credit, which is reviewed by the appropriate language or ICC faculty member to determine the course equivalency to Institute courses that fulfill the same requirement.

Students must earn a grade of B or better in order to receive transfer credit for a course. Transfer credit will not be added to the students’ transcript until the Records Office receives an official transcript from the institution where the credit was earned.

b. Transferring credit from a Middlebury program

Normally students may apply 2-4 credits earned at the Middlebury Language Schools.  Students may petition to apply more than 2-4 credits to their degree.

Up to 12 credits may be applied from the C.V. Starr Middlebury Schools Abroad.

Students must earn a grade of B  or better in order to receive credit toward the MIIS degree for a course from another Middlebury program.   Grades earned at any of the Middlebury programs that are applied toward the MIIS language requirement will be included in the calculation of the student’s GPA.

c. Credits earned prior to matriculation

Language or ICC coursework taken prior to enrolling in the Language Studies program at MIIS is not transferrable.  The only exception is coursework taken at Middlebury Language Schools in the summer directly preceding enrollment in the degree program.  Students may apply to use 2-4 Middlebury Language Schools credits toward their MIIS degree; however, Middlebury Language Schools credits cannot be used for the Language Studies for Professional Purposes specialization.

6.Courses which may fulfill the LS credit requirement

LS courses are occasionally cross-listed in other programs.  Students can choose which requirement they want the course credits to fulfill: Language Studies or other program requirements, in consultation with their academic advisor and the associate dean of academic operations.

7. TI and Linguistics courses that fulfill the LS credit requirement

Some LS students may wish to take Translation and Interpretation (TI) or Linguistics (LING) courses to fulfill their language component.  They may do so if 1) their LS Program Coordinator indicates that their level is at or beyond our highest course offering, and 2) they take the TI Language Skills Test (LST) and gain approval from the relevant TI Program Head to take a TI course, or they gain approval from the TESOL Program Chair to take a LING course.  TI and/or LING course credits are considered as ‘credits outside of LS’, and thus, students can only earn 2 to 4 TI or LING credits to fulfill their requirement in the language component.

G.  Instructional Hours

All 300-level and 400-level language courses regularly meet for 4 hours a week for 15 weeks for a total of 60 hours of instruction per semester for a 4-credit course, and 2 hours a week for 15 weeks (or 4 hours a week for 7.5 weeks) for a total of 30 hours of instruction for a 2- credit course.  All 200-level courses regularly meet for 6 hours a week, 4 hours with the course professor and 2 additional hours with a Language Teaching Assistant for additional skill building, for a total of 90 hours per semester for a 4-credit course.  The time with the TA is spent doing augmentative work and is part of the required class time.  The extra 2 hours in the 200-level courses do not incur any additional charges for the students.

H. Language Studies for Professional Purposes Specialization

A language studies for professional purposes specialization will be granted to Language Studies (LS) students who can demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate high level or above at the onset of the program and develop content knowledge and professional skills, within the LS curriculum. We offer specializations in the following languages:

Arabic for Professional Purposes

Chinese for Professional Purposes

English for Professional Purposes

French for Professional Purposes

Japanese for Professional Purposes

Russian for for Professional Purposes

Spanish for Professional Purposes

In total, students will be required to take 3 language courses (12 credits) at the 300 level or higher, obtaining a B+ or above in all of them. Successful candidates will also complete 3 of the following 4 professional projects (e.g. a research project, a professional talk, and a professional dossier), built into the regular LS coursework at the 300 level or above:

A research-based project written in the target language, addressing an issue in the student’s professional specialization. Students can choose the most relevant genre for their careers (academic article, position paper, briefing memo, an article for the general public, curriculum proposal, market research, business model, prototype, etc.), as long as the artifact includes original primary or secondary research which cites a minimum number of sources first composed in the target language (percentage to be determined by the instructor). Specific guidelines for the target language will be provided by the instructor of record.

A persuasive or informative professional talk in the target language, dealing with an issue or need in the student’s area of specialization. The presentation should contain original information, last 15 minutes or more without extensive notes (followed by Q&A), and be open to the general public. Students will be encouraged but not required to use multimedia tools. If audiovisual clips are included, these should be limited to 10% of the talk or less. Specific guidelines for the target language will be provided by the instructor of record.

A professional dossier for students who desire to expand and strengthen their personal learning network, while gaining business correspondence and interpersonal communication skills. This dossier will comprise a resume and a professional bio in the target language, plus at least 3 interviews (in the target language) with professionals who are highly proficient speakers of the target language and are using this language in their line of work. Students will be responsible for establishing contact with professionals, maintaining formal correspondence with them, and transcribing and synthesizing the interviews. The dossier will include a comprehensive reflection, demonstrating evidence of advanced language and content learning. Specific guidelines for the target language will be provided by the instructor of record.

A field research project,as an outcome of a practica or immersive professional learning experience in a region where the target language is widely used or needed for the project at hand. Students will be responsible for gathering in-situ data in the target language (detailed field notes, self-reflections, formal and informal interviews, surveys, etc.), corresponding to their professional field. After the experience, students will analyze and present their findings, in the context of a language course or independent study. Specific guidelines for the target language will be provided by the instructor of record. Note: This project will be particularly attractive for students who remain on campus for only two semesters and/or aim to maximize immersive learning opportunities. 

I. Option to Study More Than One Language or Change Language of Study

If students choose to take 12 credits of language courses and take 8 credits at the 400-level in a single language, they have an option of switching to another language for their 4 remaining credits, as long as they meet the minimum proficiency level requirement in the language.

If students would like to change their Language of Study while completing the 8-12 language course credits, they need to submit a petition for waiver of academic regulations to the associate dean of academic operations. Approval may be given on a case-by-case basis.

Those students who have their language requirement waived may elect to pursue another Language of Study (LOS) for their degree.  If they wish this new language to be listed on their transcript, they will be held to the language/ICC requirement associated with their degree for this language.  (Students who wish to pursue additional language study without formally declaring it and listing it on their transcript are not bound by this rule).

J.  Minimum Passing Grade for LS courses

As long as students earn a passing grade (A+ to D-) for LS courses, credit will be counted toward graduation requirements.   If students earn a grade of F, they do not receive credit for the course.

K.  Auditing LS courses

Full-time students may audit up to 4 credits per semester without charge, including any regularly offered language courses.  Those who wish to audit must take the appropriate language placement test and receive approval from the course instructor to ensure the level equivalency with those registered for the class.  Instructor approval is required, and the instructor of the class establishes the conditions, such as attendance requirements, assignments, participation, etc., by which auditors need to agree to abide.  Auditors need to register for language courses through the Records Office.

L. Applying for a waiver of Language Studies credits

1. Applying for a Waiver of LS credits

When students feel they have advanced professional proficiency in the language of their study (LOS) and no further work is desired, they may ask to take a language waiver exam to see if they can waive any language course credits (0-12) in the requirement of their language component.  Students first need to take the language placement test and be placed at the 400-level or above.  Students will then initiate an application process for a waiver exam by contacting the program head for their Language of Study.  Students must demonstrate that they possess content knowledge and professional language skills in their chosen fields. It is important to note that obtaining a language credit waiver of any number of credits does not affect the total number of credits required to graduate in each degree program, so students may need to take other elective credits in place of any language credits waived.

2. Applying for Waiver of EAPP credits

When students’ LOS is English, they may be required to take the EAPP placement test. 

Students with a TOEFL score above 104 or IELTS above 7.5 are waived from the EAPP requirement and do not have to take a placement exam.  In addition, students who attended both high school and 4 years of undergraduate college in an English speaking country are waived from the EAPP requirement and do not have to take a placement exam. 

Students who attended 4 years of undergraduate college (but not high school) in an English speaking country are required to take the EAPP placement test during orientation, and depending on the results, may be permitted to waive the EAPP requirement. 

For all students, in cases where EAPP is waived, students are required to replace the EAPP credits with electives.

M. MATFL Students’ Language Component

MATFL candidates have an 8-credit language component in the language of their degree pursuit.  If they are native speakers of the language, the requirement may be fulfilled by taking non-LS courses, such as Pedagogical Grammar.  If they are non-native speakers of the language they wish to teach, they must take 8 credits of language courses at 300-level or above.

N.  Students who transfer from a TILM degree to another degree

If students switch from a TILM degree program, which does not have Language Studies component, to another degree program, which has a language component, they may wish to count their TI coursework toward meeting their LS language component. They can do so under the following conditions:

1. Students cannot ‘double-count’ the same course credits for two degrees (if pursuing a joint-degree in TILM and the other degree.).

2. Students need to declare a language for their LOS, and take the LS placement test of the language.

3. Students can use 2-4 credits of their TI courses that are A Language to B Language (productive skills) with B or above grade.

4. If switching to the NPTS degree program, or if choosing to do 12 LS credits in the language component, students may use up to 4 credits of TI courses to fulfill the requirement of the language component.  The remaining 8 credits need to be in a single language if placed into the 300-level, but can be different languages if placed into the 400-level.