Career Building with Languages
Public School # 43 students newly arrived from Puerto Rico enjoy a field trip to the Buffalo Museum of Science with UB Spanish student volunteer Ashley Naranjo
Career Building with Languages is a one-semester micro-credential program designed to assist undergraduate students in documenting foreign language competency with reference to recognized standards, and in articulating career-related strengths they have acquired through their training.
Jump To:
Program Overview
Skills you need. Proof you have them.
This program is open to undergraduates who have training and interest in French, Italian, Spanish or another language they have studied. It is especially well-suited for students who are seeking to study or work abroad. Upon completion of the program, students will earn a notation on their academic transcript as well as a digital badge that they may use on their digital resume or social media sites.
Prerequisites
Three upper-division courses in French, Spanish, Italian or another foreign language.
Required Course: RLL 496 – Tutoring Language and Narrative in Immigrant Communities
RLL 496 is designed as an experiential learning course for (primarily) majors and minors in Romance Languages and Literatures. Its aim is to provide them with some basic principles of TESOL, and then pair each student with an individual in the WNY refugee community for tutoring in English and for the preparation of a narrative about their lives. The goals of the course are for RLL students to expand their own cultural awareness, expand their awareness of English and of language itself, learn some rudiments of TESOL which they may wish to explore further with a Fulbright year or TESOL certification, recognize the value of their own training in language and literature, and become acquainted with the strengths and needs of local immigrant communities.
Learn more about RLL 496 from student participants
Additional Activities
- Resume development
- Portfolio development
- Peer mentoring
- Proficiency determination
Program Benefits
- Earn stackable skills that differentiate you, academically and professionally.
- Personalize your learning through credit and non-credit bearing opportunities.
- Display badges that contain your achievements and competencies to employers, colleagues and peers.
- Gain skills to keep you at the leading edge of your discipline, whether you’re a current UB student, prospective student or industry professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will be able to reliably document your language competence. You will be also be able to articulate to a prospective employer the full range of skills you have obtained through your training. You will learn strategies for finding internships and careers which make use of your linguistic and cultural competencies. This can be particularly useful if you are seeking, or plan to seek, international employment or an internship opportunity abroad.
Smaller that a minor, a certificate or a degree program, micro-credentials allow you to meet your personalized learning needs by gaining knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your academic or professional goals. Micro-credentials equip you with digital badges that showcase your achievements and all it took to get there.
When you complete a micro-credential program you will earn a digital badge, or a series of digital badges. A digital badge is an icon, (but it is not a static image in that is is click-able), that houses information including the issuing institution, the date earned, the criteria required to earn the badge and the evidence that shows that you have met the required criteria. Digital badges are dynamic credentials that you own, so you can decide how you want to use them. Digital badges can be put on social media sites, added as a link on your digital résumé, embedded in your e-portfolio and more!
UB digital badges are issued through the Acclaim platform. With Acclaim, you will be able to display your skills and accomplishments to employers, colleagues and peers. With questions about using Acclaim, please contact the Office of Micro-Credentials: micro@buffalo.edu or 716-645-1357.
To learn more about micro-credentials and digital badges please visit buffalo.edu/micro-credentials.
How to Apply
Interested students should complete and submit the following form:
