POLAND IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK!
Polish Language at GVSU

Poland is a democratic country located in the middle of Europe, in habited by friendly, hospitable people building a modern economy, yet dearly cherishing their heritage. Poland borders Germany, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia. Its northern border runs along the coast of the Baltic Sea. Poland's official language is Polish. Its capital city is Warsaw.

Learn the Polish language and visit the most beautiful cities: Warsaw, the capital city and the meeting place for politicians, economists, and artists of all nationalities, the city with scenic Old Town, elegant restaurants, royal residences, theatres, film festivals, opera houses; Krakow, the city built by many generations of artists living in the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau times with Wawal Hill, the beating heart of Poland and the Main Market Square - the largest European society salon, the Cloth Hall, the oldest commercial center in Poland; Gdansk located on the coast of the Baltic Sea, a real masterpiece of architecture. Learn the language of such famous people as: Nicolaus Copernicus, the well known Polish astronomer who proved that the Earth moves around the sun; Karol Wojtyla elected the Pope John Paul II and pilgrim of love and hope; Lech Walesa, Solidarity leader, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983; the Polish Composer Frederick Chopin, one of the world's greatest musical talents.

Other countries with significant Polish speaking populations include: The United States, Brazil, Argentina, Lithuania, Belarus, France, Germany, and Ukraine. Furthermore, Grand Rapids itself boasts a large population of native speakers of Polish, and annually celebrates the "Pulaski Days" festival. Because of this, learning Polish can be an asset to those looking for careers in the Grand Rapids area. Polish is classified by many organizations as a Less Commonly Taught Language (LCTL), as opposed to the more ubiquitous languages of Spanish and French. Those who study these kinds of languages stand out above the crowd.

Learn Polish and broaden your horizons!

Course Offerings:

Grand Valley offers two full years (16 credits) of instruction in Polish: 101, 102, 201, 202. The 201 course satisfies the B. A. degree cognate. Plans are underway to increase offerings in these and other less-commonly taught languages.

Pol 101: Elementary Polish I.
An introduction to the language with emphasis on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Complementary taped material available in the language laboratory. In this class students learn how to read, write and speak Polish at the beginning level. The students learn about Poland and its culture and tradition.

Class is offered in Fall. 4 credits.

Pol 102: Elementary Polish II.
Continuation of Polish 101. An introduction to Polish grammar, reading, writing, listening and speaking at the intermediate level. Prerequisites: Polish 101 with C (not C-) or better, or permission of instructor.

Class is offered in Winter. 4 credits

Pol 201: Intermediate Polish I.
Continuation of Polish 102. Continued study of grammar and vocabulary. Special emphasis on oral and reading practice based on literary texts; review of grammar, Use of authentic materials: newspaper, magazines, videos, tapes and Internet.
Prerequisites: Polish 102 with C (not C-) or better, or permission of instructor.

Class is offered in Fall. 4 credits.

Pol 202: Intermediate Polish II.
Continuation of Polish 201. The course enhances students competency in the Polish language (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and culture skills, with an emphasis on real-life communication. Conducted almost exclusively in Polish, with extensive use of authentic materials: newspaper, magazines, videos, tapes, and the Internet. Prerequisites: Polish 201 with C (not C-) or better, or permission of instructor. Fulfills World Perspectives Requirement.

Class is offered in Winter. 4 credits