Modern Languages and Literatures Majors and Minors
Majors are available in French and Spanish. Available minors within the department include Chinese, French, and Spanish. The majors and minors in French and Spanish were redesigned in 2016. All students must follow this set of requirements if they matriculated in the fall semester of 2016 or thereafter (see left navigation bar for requirements before Fall 2016).
Courses in Spanish may apply to the major or minor in Latin American Studies, and coursework in Portuguese may apply to the major or minor in Spanish and Latin American and Latinx Studies. Courses in Japanese or Chinese language may apply to the major or minor in Asian Studies.
Requirements for a Major in French:
At least 8 courses (Above French 112, may include others noted in Section C below):
A. At least two courses from the offerings in advanced language (210-280)
- French 210: Intermediate French I: Cultural Emphasis
- French 212: Intermediate French II: Literary Emphasis
- French 228: Oh Là Là: French Stereotypes, Media, & Marketing
- French 250: Writing with Style: Grammar, Syntax
- French 255: Visions of the Future
- French 270: Translation and Creative Writing
- French 280: Parlez-vous poésie? Rondeau to Rap
B. At least two courses from the offerings in literature/culture (325-480)
- French 325: Fairy Tales, Fantastique, & Fantasy
- French 326: Chanson et société
- French 327: Introduction to French Culture
- French 328: Contemporary France
- French 330: The French-Speaking World
- French 338: Cinéma Français
- French 380: Utopia to Science Fiction in French
- French 385: Art of Storytelling
C. Three additional courses from among the following:
- Additional offerings from lists A and B above
- French 230: French Literature and Cinema (taught in English)
- French 265: Feminist Voices of the Francophone World (taught in English)
- Linguistics 110: Introduction to Linguistics (taught in English)
- Linguistics 300: Language Learning, Teaching, and AI
- Tutorial/Independent Study or Research Project in French
- Approved off-campus study and or internship related to the major
Note: Up to two courses taken in English may count toward the major.
D. Completion of the Senior Studies Requirement in one of the following ways:
- Senior Seminar (see 400 level courses, and 385)
- Senior Research Project
- Senior Thesis
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all major courses. Courses taken Pass-NoPass may count towards the major in French as long as the grade originally earned in the class is “C” or better.
Requirements for a Minor in French:
At least 6 courses
- At least two courses from List A above
- At least two courses from List B above
- Two additional courses from Lists A, B or C above
Note: Only one course taken in English may count toward the minor.
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all minor courses. Courses taken Pass-NoPass may count towards the minor in French as long as the grade originally earned in the class is “C” or better.
Requirements for a Major in Spanish:
At least 8 courses (above Spanish 210)
A. At least two courses from the offerings in advanced language (212-260). Heritage Speakers are strongly encouraged to take SPAN 260.
- Spanish 212: Advanced Intermediate Spanish
- Spanish 250: Grammar, Syntax, and Style
- Spanish 255: Conversation and Composition (Not open to heritage speakers, except by permission of instructor)
- Spanish 260: Spanish for Heritage Speakers
B. At least two courses from the offerings in introductory writing/literature/culture
- Spanish 300: Introduction to Reading Literature in Spanish
- Spanish 303: Paisajes sonoros de América Latina: Música, política y poder
- Spanish 305: The Civilization of Spain
- Spanish 306: Introduction to Latin American Culture
- Spanish 308: Contemporary Spain: Hist/Pol/Cultre
- Spanish 310: Creative Writing
- Spanish 325: U.S. Latinx Literature and Culture
- Spanish 330: Survey Peninsular Literature
- Spanish 335: Survey of Latin American Literature
- Spanish 336: Crime Fiction
- Spanish 338: Cine Latinoamericano
- Spanish 340: Feminist Voices in Spanish Literature and Culture
C. At least one course from the offerings in Spanish for the professions and translation/linguistics
- Spanish 314: Spanish Phonetics
- Spanish 315: Introduction to Translation Studies
- Spanish 320: Spanish for Business, Law, and International Relations
- Spanish 321: Business Spanish
- Spanish 322: Medical Spanish in a Global Context
- Spanish 323: Translation for the Professions
- Spanish 355: Literary Translation Workshop
- Linguistics 110: Introduction to Linguistics (taught in English)
- Linguistics 300: Language Learning, Teaching, and AI
D. Two additional courses from among the following:
- Additional offerings from lists A, B and C above
- Spanish 236: Latin American Film in English
- Spanish 237: Identity and Memory in Contemporary Spanish Film
- Spanish 333: Cine e Historia en América Latina
- Spanish 334: Cine Español
- Spanish 337: The Latin American World in English
- Spanish 345: Latino/a Identities in Chicago
- Spanish 350: Contemporary Latin American Literature in English
- Spanish 360: Peninsular Narrative
- Spanish 365: Latin American Narrative
- Spanish 370: Hispanic Verse
- Spanish 375: Queer Iberia: Activism, Identities, and Origins
- Spanish 380: Cine, Literatura y Sociedad América Latina
- Spanish 385: Migrating Scenes: Movement and Migration in Spain and Latin America
- Tutorial/Independent Study or Research Project in Spanish
- Approved off-campus study and or internship related to the major
Note: Up to two courses taken in English may count toward the major
E. Completion of the Senior Studies Requirement in one of the following ways:
- Senior Seminar (see 400 level courses)
- Senior Research Project
- Senior Thesis
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all major courses. Courses taken Pass-NoPass may count towards the major in Spanish as long as the grade originally earned in the class is “C” or better.
Requirements for a Minor in Spanish:
At least 6 courses
- May select up to three 200-level courses including:
- Spanish 201: The Mexican-American Border
- Spanish 210: Intermediate Spanish
- Spanish 212: Advanced Intermediate Spanish
- Spanish 250: Grammar, Syntax, and Style
- Spanish 255: Conversation and Composition
- Spanish 260: Spanish for Heritage Speakers
- At least one course from List B above
- Remaining additional courses may be taken from List B, C, or D above
Note: Only one course taken in English may count toward the minor.
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all minor courses. Courses taken Pass-NoPass may count towards the minor in Spanish as long as the grade originally earned in the class is “C” or better.
Requirements for a Minor in Chinese
At least 6 credits for each minor
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all minor courses. Courses taken Pass-NoPass may count towards the minor in Chinese as long as the grade originally earned in the class is “C” or better.
Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 110 and 112 (or equivalent).
- Chinese 210: Intermediate Chinese
- Chinese 212: Advanced Intermediate Chinese
- At least two Chinese language courses (or equivalent) at the 300-or 400-level. Options include:
- Credit for study abroad in a Chinese-speaking country (up to 3 course credits awarded in transfer: appropriate program coursework will be determined in consultation with Professor Ying Wu prior to departure)
- Chinese 312: Chinese Oral & Written Proficiency
- Chinese 313: Business Chinese
- A 300- or 400-level Chinese tutorial (Requests for tutorials should be addressed to Professor Ying Wu)
- Two Chinese language and culture courses (taught in English), from the list below, or courses taken on an approved Lake Forest College study abroad program on Chinese topics (also taught in English):
- Chinese 230: East Asian Literature in Translation
- Chinese 232: Chinese Cinema in English
- Chinese 251: Intro to Chinese Literature in English
- Chinese 260: Intro to Chinese Culture in English
- Chinese 270: Traditional Chinese Values, Medicine and Health in English
- Linguistics 101: Descriptive Linguistics
- Linguistics 110: Introduction to Linguistics
- Linguistics 300: Language Learning, Teaching, and AI