The Missionary Linguistics Program is complete, well-rounded preparation for language training, taught by faculty with experience in linguistics, Bible and missions work.
10 reasons you should enroll | Courses
Questions?
Contact Dr. Grace Hargis
- Phone: 800.252.6363
Flexible Schedule
The program is flexible to meet your needs. You can take 1, 2 or 3 sessions. In each session, chapel is daily 9:40–10:10 a.m.
First session — 2 weeks, late May
In the first session you will learn practical ways of going about the learning of languages—skills and techniques that will help you make the most of language school or learn without language school if you need to. Because different people learn somewhat differently, you will explore a number of approaches that successful language learners have used.
Second session — 4 weeks, June
The second session includes the information about languages that will give you a firm foundation for language learning. As you learn to discriminate and pronounce the kinds of sounds used in languages around the world (including tones), your aptitude for hearing and mastering sound distinctions will increase. Similarly, as you learn about various grammatical systems, you will develop greater aptitude in the area of grammar and semantics.
Third session — 2 weeks, early July
The third session Field Methods course is the capstone, giving you an opportunity to put into use what you learned in the first 2 sessions. Under the guidance of the instructor, you and your classmates will work with a native-speaker language helper to begin to learn a new language. You will also apply your analytical skills to figure out most of the sound system and at least the basics of the grammatical system of the language—all in just 2 weeks.
Graduate Degrees in Bible Translation
Most prospective missionaries take these courses on the undergraduate level, but qualified college graduates can arrange to take them for graduate credit and apply them toward a master of arts degree in Bible translation. (The undergraduate and graduate classes meet together but have different requirements.) For information about the MA and specialist degrees in Bible translation, consult “academics” at www.bju.edu.
Two courses in Bible translation build on the Missionary Linguistics Program. Li 520 Bible Translation (3 credits) is a two-week course in late July, and the one-week course Li 521 Translation Technology (1 credit) follows it. These courses can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit after completion of the Missionary Linguistics Program.
If you are interested in being approved for graduate study, please mention your preference when you contact our Admission office.