North Georgia College & State University plans to expand its foreign language programs, thanks to $2 million in federal money.

The university accepted a $1.2 million federal contract to train cadets and active military in languages deemed critical to the U.S., such as Arabic and Korean.

An additional $417,000 grant will directly fund the Department of Modern Languages' Chinese program.

Col. Michael Pyott, active duty professor of military science at NGCSU, said strategic language programs help build more cultural awareness as part of Army training.

"It could save lives," Pyott said. "If we understand the nuances of a particular culture as we work through language barriers, we could prevent an embarrassing situation or a catastrophic situation."

The contract is part of the National Defense Authorization, according to a news release from the Dahlonega university. About two years ago, NGCSU proposed to members of the House Armed Services Committee that the university could supplement the language instruction being provided by the U.S. Army's Defense Language Institute.

Local legislators backed the proposal and it was approved by Congress this year. NGCSU bid on and was given the contract, which can be funded for three years.

Pyott said the contract will support staff, curriculum development, expand language offerings and study abroad opportunities for cadets.

"This spring we'll introduce Korean and at some point we'll have Farsi," he said.

The $1.2 million also will build on programs the university already has established such as the Strategic Language Intensive Program. Students involved in the program work, live and study together to facilitate constant use of the language.

"Down the road, they're looking at creating a math class in Chinese so it would be reinforced throughout all the other areas," Pyott said.

Many of the students currently enrolled in the strategic language program are cadets, but instruction also will be extended to active duty National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who are sent to campus for training.

Pyott said they could be housed at the school.

"During the building of the new residence halls, there's additional dorm space that may be available for military," he said.

The contract specifically addresses language training for military personnel, but the expansion will benefit the entire student body, Patricia Donat, acting vice president of academic affairs said.

"It increases their competitiveness upon graduation when seeking employment. Businesses are becoming more international," Donat said. "We're a diverse society now, and we need individuals who can speak more than one language."

The expansion also will introduce more language instructors, Pyott said.

The language training program is the culmination of more than two years of work by the university, beginning with a National Security Education Program grant in 2008 to start the Chinese program. The grant was renewed this year.

In addition to Chinese, NGCSU added courses in other strategic languages such as Arabic and Russian.

Pyott said the university is looking at a variety of countries to establish study abroad programs. Students already have traveled to Russia and Taiwan and they hope to have cadets studying Chinese in the Strategic Languages Intensive Program to spend eight weeks in China next summer.

The language programs continues to attract students, university President David Potter said, and the federal money will allow the campus to support more.

"It's a win for North Georgia in many ways and a testament to our university president, Dr. Potter. He worked very hard in his tenure here to globalize and internationalize the campus," Pyott said.

Potter is stepping down as president at the end of the school year.

Pyott added that university officials will meet with the Army next month to work out further details of the contract.