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Faculty of Arts

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (BALAC) PROGRAM

ภาษาและวัฒนธรรม

Quick Information

HIGHLIGHTS

4

YearS Full-time

Duration

Thailand’s First Cultural Studies Program with Extensive International Networks
Culturally Diverse Faculty
New concentrations in Global Cultures and Media Cultures Making Program More Relevant to Global Workplace
Earn a Double Degrees

ADMISSION

SEE DETAILS

CONTACT PROGRAM

Faculty of Arts

Room 712 Boromrajakumari Building

Chulalongkorn University

+662 218 4641

balac.chula@gmail.com

Overview

BALAC is Chulalongkorn University’s flagship global liberal arts program and Thailand’s first cultural studies program. Since 2008, it prepares students with 21st-century humanities skills, knowledge, and experiences to help them succeed in today’s world. BALAC has focused on teaching Cultural Studies in English along with foreign language competency. In doing so, it has fostered critical thinking, creative problem-solving and clear communication in its graduates. BALAC graduates also learn to have deep awareness of how cultural and socio-political issues shape our changing world. This unique set of skills allows BALAC graduates many opportunities and avenues for success.

To help graduates cope with today’s changing landscape of the global workplace, two new concentrations were added in 2018 — Global Cultures and Media Cultures, along with new credit-based internship and research opportunities. Students have a wider range of Cultural Studies classes to choose from, including many with a stronger practical orientation and real-world skills.

WHY this program
at Chula

1 Thailand’s First Cultural Studies Program with Extensive International Networks

As Thailand’s first international program in cultural studies established almost two decades ago, we have been fostering extensive international networks and relations with renowned universities worldwide. In the first semester of 2019 we welcomed 32 incoming exchange students from Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, while sending more than a dozen of our students abroad to universities on three continents. BALAC students regularly study abroad for a summer, a semester or a full academic year at a growing number of universities. There are also plans to further expand the international exchange opportunities for students as well.

2 Culturally Diverse Faculty

Our lecturers come from various countries and have done graduate studies at more than twenty different universities.

3 New concentrations in Global Cultures and Media Cultures Making Program More Relevant to Global Workplace

From 2018, a new BALAC curriculum has expanded and diversified, putting stronger focus on practical education. Realizing that students need more than just knowledge for their success, the new curriculum offers students with learning opportunities and experiences to get an edge in today’s global workplace. Two new concentrations: Global Cultures and Media Cultures, are now available for students besides Foreign Language. Students have a wider range of courses to take, including independent study courses. Upper level students can also do an internship at a business or an organization for credit and focus on a capstone Senior Project.

4 Earn a Double Degrees

Four-Year Double Degree Programs are offered by BALAC in collaboration with Waseda University, Japan and other partner universities. Students studying in these programs will be awarded with Double Degrees from Chulalongkorn University and one of our partner institutions. Furthermore, by adding four new cultural studies lecturers of high international standards from South Korea, Germany, Spain and Poland to our current foreign lecturers, we now have the most diverse BALAC faculty yet.

Career Opportunities

BALAC alumni have succeeded in many fields. Besides doing postgraduate studies at world-class universities like those at Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Yale, and Columbia, and many others, BALAC students have also prospered in diverse careers, whether in international organizations such as the United Nations, in prominent government agencies, or in leading global companies.

BALAC alumni’s careers are in

Media/Journalism/Entertainment
Business/Management/Trade/Finance
Education
Entrepreneur/Business Owner
Service/Hospitality/Tourism
International Career
Consultant/Administrative Assistant
Translator/Interpreter
Digital Marketing/e-Commerce
Other careers relating to civil engineering, human resource management, investment, entertainment, logistic, and law

Admission

There are 2 rounds of admission:

Admission 1st round:
1) English proficiency tests
WE DO NOT ACCEPT TOEFL ITP
WE DO NOT ACCEPT IELTS INDICATOR
TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test) with a minimum score of 95; OR IELTS with a minimum score of 7.0; OR
CU-TEP with a minimum score of 90. For more information, please visit http://www.atc.chula.ac.th/index2.html ; OR DET (Duolingo English Test) with a minimum score of 130

2) Aptitude tests
SAT (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) with a minimum score of 480 (Send Score Report via College Borde to Balac Code: 6902) OR
CU-AAT (Verbal) with a minimum score of 480 OR
ACT (English and Reading) with a combined minimum score of 34 Candidates of this round will also have to undergo interviews (No written examinations).

Admission 2nd round:
1) English proficiency tests
WE DO NOT ACCEPT TOEFL ITP
WE DO NOT ACCEPT IELTS INDICATOR
TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test) with a minimum score 79; OR
IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5; OR
CU-TEP with a minimum score of 80. For more information, please visit http://www.atc.chula.ac.th/index2.html 
DET (Duolingo English Test) with a minimum score of 120

2) Aptitude tests
CU-AAT (Verbal) with a minimum score of 400 OR
SAT (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) with a minimun score of 450 (Send Score Report via College Borde to Balac Code: 6902) OR
ACT (English and Reading) with a combined minimum score of 31 Candidates of this round will have to undergo written examinations and interviews.

Applicants should:

(1) have completed, or presently enrolled in their final year of secondary school (the equivalent of Mathayom 6, grade 12 for US system or year 13 for British system); GED or IGCSE as an equivalent study at high school (M6) can also be considered. For students applying with GED, IGCSEs, IB, or other qualifications from abroad, please contact Chulalongkorn University Academic Testing Center for Degree Equivalence Certificate before applying.

(2) have attained a satisfactory score on one of the English proficiency tests and one of the aptitude tests, depending on the period of application. Please check our Admission Procedures page for details.

Students from abroad who want to study at Chulalongkorn University, whether for a degree or short term, must apply via the University’s Office of International Affairs. Please contact BALAC for further information on application procedures for international students.

Students are required to complete a total of 132 credits, comprising 30 credits of general education courses, 96 credits of program courses and 6 credits of free electives. See our Course Details for information.

Bachelor of Arts in Language and Culture (BALAC) Program
(https://www.chula.ac.th/program/language-and-culture/)