Foreign language mandatory for BU management students

Management students at Bangalore University (BU) will have to study a foreign language from the upcoming academic year.

Lack of basic foreign language skills has become the main concern during campus placements. The university’s board of studies, management courses, has decided to make at least one foreign language compulsory at the postgraduate level.

“Many international recruiters have been demanding this skill of our students. As they are very particular about their native languages, English is the least preferred. So, in the career perspective of our students, it will be very helpful,” K Janardhanam, head, Canara Bank School of Management (CBSM), told DH.

The university is yet to decide on the foreign languages, which will be mainly based on demand. To introduce one foreign language, they will need at least 10 management students.

From the 2019-20 academic year, there will be a compulsory paper on Employability and Language Learning for first- and third-semester students studying PG management in BU.

Janardhanam said: “Students will get four credits, which include assignments and 60-hour classes. The Centre for Global Languages on the Bangalore Central University (BCU) campus has sufficient staff, who will be roped into the programme. If not, we are planning on guest faculty. Students are free to select the foreign language of their choice, but it will be introduced only if 10 students enrol.”

A senior official in BU said: “There is a demand for French, German, Spanish and Russian in general. The demand for the same in management course might vary. We are yet to design the course plan. We will consider all the stakeholders and design it. This will be surely implemented in the next academic year.”