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Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center

Deena Mansour, Interim Executive Director

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center was established in 1986 to pay tribute to Maureen and Mike Mansfield and to recognize their important contributions to U.S. Asian relations and public policy. The Center is an academic unit within the University of Montana and receives core funding from an endowment managed by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation. Mansfield Center faculty offer classroom instruction, conduct research, provide training for Asian and U.S. government personnel, and organize various types of conferences, all with a focus on East Asia. The Center faculty collaborate with the University s Asian Studies Program and several other campus units.

The Mansfield Center's Ethics and Public Affairs Program (formerly known as the Center for Ethics) focuses upon the relationship of values to public institutions and affairs. Its courses, seminars, lectures, conferences, and internships examine the role that ethical values can and should play in public life, moral quandaries faced by those who govern philosophical and practical dimensions of political ethics, and issues of leadership and character in public service.

Course Descriptions

MANS 103 - Intermediate Persian-Farsi I. 5 Credits.

The Persian-Farsi language belongs to category III languages as defined by the DLIFLC (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). This course is designed for students who have reached the proficiency level 1/1 on the ILR scale (Interagency Language Roundtable) in Persian-Farsi. The goal of the course is to equip students with listening, speaking and reading skills in Persian-Farsi to sustain their proficiency level and/or achieve a 1+/1+ on their OPI. This course is designed to help students develop effective skills in communicating via the Persian-Farsi language in a wide range of topics. The course focuses on Modern Standard Persian-Farsi as well as the Tehrani dialect of Persian language. Students will be equipped with the necessary skills to understand, speak, (possibly) read and write in Persian-Farsi at an intermediate level. Furthermore, students will also be well-versed in the strategic cultures of Iran and the region and will develop a deeper understanding of the key historical and political trends in the region.

MANS 104 - Intermediate Levantine Arabic I. 5 Credits.

This is a five credit course, with six 50-minute classes a day, daily written and oral exercises and homework. The class meets for 6 weeks for a total of 168-180 contact hours in class. Two (2) contact hours each week are dedicated for cultural class (lectures on the cultures, politics, and history of the Middle East). In addition, students spend 2 hours out of class each day for self-study and homework.

MANS 105 - Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I (MSA). 5 Credits.

This DCLCP course is designed to meet DoD (Department of Defense) Total Force MSA language training needs, with an emphasis on the fifth group language training needs (Fort Campbell, Kentucky) in order to improve their language, regional, and cultural expertise. As a part of DoD Language Training Center, the course is open exclusively for U.S. DoD personnel who would not otherwise enroll in other University of Montana language courses. Nonetheless, the DCLCP does encourage its students to pursue degrees in University programs like Middle Eastern Studies, or Political Science offered by the University of Montana. The Modern Standard Arabic language belongs to category IV languages as defined by the DLIFLC (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). This Intermediate MSA course is designed for students who have reached the proficiency level 1/1 on the ILR scale (Interagency Language Roundtable). The goal of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in listening, speaking, and reading at the upper-intermediate/advanced level in the Modern Standard Arabic language.

MANS 106 - Elementary Indonesian. 5 Credits.

Indonesian language belongs to category II languages as defined by the DLIFLC (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). The Elementary Indonesian Course is designed for those students who are in their initial Indonesian language acquisition level. Student knowledge can vary from `zero` (or no knowledge of the language) to some elementary skills in the target language. The course is organized by topics, grammar points and cultural notes. Students develop fluency of comprehension and oral skills to express their needs as well as simple ideas about family, hobbies, jobs, and daily activities. The classes mainly consist of three components: listening, reading, and speaking. There are some writing tasks as optional assignments. At the end of each week, students are given quizzes to recapitulate what they have acquired during the week. Quizzes include DLPT5-like mock tests (Defense Language Proficiency Test 5), OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview), and written tests.

MANS 107 - Elementary Korean I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Program (DCLCP) (of The University of Montanas Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center) provides intensive language and culture training for members of the National Guard, Reserve, and Active Duty utilizing a congressionally funded Language Training Center (LTC) contract through the Department of Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO)?Grant title: Subaward 2013-LTC-Montana (H98210-13-2-0001).

MANS 108 - Elementary Chinese I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Programs Elementary I is an intensive 120-hour, 30 hours per week course (with 5 hours dedicated to culture and regional studies in English), equivalent to 6 months of college language courses. The course is for Special Forces military students who have previous language training in Chinese language, yet whose skills may have eroded somewhat due to insufficient practice. Students are admitted into the elementary Chinese-Mandarin class if they currently perform at either 0 or 0+ on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale. In class, the target language is used exclusively when teaching the language, with no English permitted (unless in a case of an emergency when the Chinese word is unknown). Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese (MSC), also known as Mandarin, Putonghua and Guoyu is the official language of the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and one of the four official languages of Singapore. Due to the complexities of this language, the Defense Language Institute categorized MSC as Category IV language, one of the toughest languages to learn for non-native speakers. The majority of the class will be conducted via Video Tele Conferencing (VTC); the remaining portion of the class will be in residence. In order to create communicative and task-based and skill-integration activities in improving students overall language proficiency level, additional tutoring, counseling and coaching will also be conducted.

MANS 195 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

(R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.

MANS 203 - Intermediate Persian-Farsi II. 4 Credits.

This course is designed to help students develop effective skills in communicating via the Persian-Farsi language in a wide range of topics. The students will be able to understand face-to-face speech in a standard dialect, delivered at a normal rate by a native speaker. Students will have sufficient comprehension to read simple, authentic written material on subjects within a familiar context. They will locate and understand the main ideas and details in videos and news broadcasts for the general Persian speaking public. Students will also be able to comprehend social, political and cultural customs and norms of Iran as well as the region. To achieve the above-mentioned goals, the course utilizes a functional/thematic based approach to help language learners gain rich meaningful knowledge of the target language and culture. It focuses on effective and meaningful communication to refine and improve students accuracy and fluency as well as comprehension and production through engaging them in meaningful tasks and functions. The classes focus mainly on active participation of the learners in various meaningful students-centered tasks: student presentations, group discussions, students teaching their culture to the instructors, and students teaching the target language to their classmates as teacher assistants. At the end of each week, students are given quizzes to recapitulate what they have acquired during the week. Quizzes include both written and oral tests (OPI and DLPT-like tests, Oral Proficiency Interview and Defense Language Proficiency Test, respectively).

MANS 204 - Intermediate Levantine Arabic II. 4 Credits.

This DCLCP course is designed to meet DoD (Department of Defense) Total Force Levantine Arabic language training needs, with an emphasis on the fifth group language training needs (Fort Campbell, Kentucky) in order to improve their language, regional, and cultural expertise. As a part of DoD Language Training Center, the course is open exclusively for U.S. DoD personnel who would not otherwise enroll in other University of Montana language courses. Nonetheless, the DCLCP does encourage its students to pursue degrees in University programs like Middle Eastern Studies, or Political Science offered by the University of Montana. The Levantine Arabic language belongs to category IV languages as defined by the DLIFLC (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). This Intermediate Levantine Arabic course is designed for students who have Completed MANS-295 Intermediate Levantine Arabic I. The goal of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in listening, speaking, and reading at the upper-intermediate/advanced level in the Levantine Arabic language.

MANS 205 - Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II (MSA). 4 Credits.

This DCLCP course is designed to meet DoD (Department of Defense) Total Force Modern Standard Arabic language training needs, with an emphasis on the fifth group language training needs (Fort Campbell, Kentucky) in order to improve their language, regional, and cultural expertise. As a part of DoD Language Training Center, the course is open exclusively for U.S. DoD personnel who would not otherwise enroll in other University of Montana language courses. Nonetheless, the DCLCP does encourage its students to pursue degrees in University programs like Middle Eastern Studies, or Political Science offered by the University of Montana. The Modern Standard Arabic language belongs to category IV languages as defined by the DLIFLC (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). This Intermediate MSA course is designed for students who have Completed MANS 105 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I. The goal of the course is to equip students with communicative skills in listening, speaking, and reading at the upper-intermediate/advanced level in the Modern Standard Arabic language.

MANS 206 - Intermediate Indonesian Language and Culture. 5 Credits.

This DCLCP course is designed to meet DoD (Department of Defense) Total Force Indonesian language training needs, with an emphasis on the 1st Special Forces Group (Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA) in order to improve their language, cultural and regional expertise. As a part of DoD Language Training Center, the course is open exclusively for U.S. DoD personnel who would not otherwise enroll in other University of Montana language courses. Nonetheless, the DCLCP does encourage its students to pursue degrees in University programs like East Asian Studies, Central Asian Studies, or political science after their discharge from the armed forces.

MANS 207 - Intermediate Korean I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Program (DCLCP) (of The University of Montanas Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center) provides intensive language and culture training for members of the National Guard, Reserve, and Active Duty utilizing a congressionally funded Language Training Center (LTC) contract through the Department of Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO)?Grant title: Subaward 2013-LTC-Montana (H98210-13-2-0001).

MANS 208 - Intermediate Chinese I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Programs Intermediate I is an intensive 120-hour, 30 hours per week course (with 5 hours dedicated to culture and regional studies), equivalent to 6 months of college language courses.

MANS 295 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

(R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.

MANS 296 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently.

MANS 306 - Advanced Indonesian Language and Culture. 5 Credits.

This DCLCP course is designed to meet DoD (Department of Defense) Total Force Indonesian language training needs, with an emphasis on the 1st Special Forces Group (Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA) in order to improve their language, regional, and cultural expertise. As a part of DoD Language Training Center, the course is open exclusively for U.S. DoD personnel who would not otherwise enroll in other University of Montana language courses. Nonetheless, the DCLCP does encourage its students to pursue degrees in University programs like East Asian Studies, Central Asian Studies, or political science after their discharge from the armed forces

MANS 307 - Advanced Korean I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Program (DCLCP) (of The University of Montanas Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center) provides intensive language and culture training for members of the National Guard, Reserve, and Active Duty utilizing a congressionally funded Language Training Center (LTC) contract through the Department of Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO)?Grant title: Subaward 2013-LTC-Montana (H98210-13-2-0001).

MANS 308 - Advanced Chinese I. 5 Credits.

The Defense Critical Language and Culture Programs Advanced I is an intensive 120-hour, 30 hours per week (with 5 hours dedicated to culture and regional studies in the target language), equivalent to 6 months of college language courses. The course is for Special Forces military students who have previous language training in Chinese language, yet whose skills may have eroded somewhat due to insufficient practice. Students are admitted into the advanced Chinese-Mandarin class if they currently perform at either 2 or 2+ on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale. In class, the target language is used exclusively, with no English permitted (unless in a case of an emergency when the Chinese word is unknown). Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese (MSC), also known as Mandarin, Putonghua and Guoyu is the official language of the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and one of the four official languages of Singapore. Due to the complexities of this language, the Defense Language Institute categorized MSC as Category IV language, one of the toughest languages to learn for non-native speakers. The majority of the class will be conducted via Video Tele Conferencing (VTC); the remaining portion of the class will be in residence. In order to create communicative and task-based and skill-integration activities in improving students overall language proficiency level, additional tutoring, counseling and coaching will also be conducted.

MANS 395 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

MANS 398 - Internship. 1-6 Credits.

MANS 494 - Mansfield Center Seminar. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. A review and discussion of current research. Topics vary.

MANS 495 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

MANS 496 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

MANS 595 - Special Topics. 1-12 Credits.

(R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics. Level: Graduate