Modern Languages and Literatures Majors
Majors are available in French and Spanish. Available minors within the department include Chinese, French, German Studies, and Spanish.
Courses in Spanish may apply to the major or minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies, and coursework in Portuguese may apply to the major or minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Courses in Japanese or Chinese language may apply to the major or minor in Asian Studies. Coursework in Arabic may apply to the major or minor in Islamic World Studies.
Requirements for a Major in French or Spanish:
At least 8 courses in the field of the major language
- 1 course on the 200-level
- 6 courses on the 300- and 400-levels.
- completion of the Senior Studies Requirement in 1 of the following ways:
- senior seminar
- senior thesis
- independent study project
Students should consult with their academic advisers to ensure that their major programs present a balance of courses in culture, advanced or specialized language study, and literature. A grade of C or better is required for credit in all major courses.
French
Majors have the option of replacing two courses with selections from the linguistics program, Foreign Civilization, or French Literature in Translation. The Paris internship program offers four credits applicable to the major. The two credits for internship work may also be applied to another major, when approved by the major department.
Spanish
Majors have the option of replacing two courses with selections from the linguistics program, as well as Foreign Civilization, Latin American Studies, and Literature in Translation courses taught by the Spanish program faculty.
Requirements for a Minor in Chinese, French, German Studies, or Spanish:
At least 6 credits for all minors – generally distributed among offerings in language, literature, and culture
A grade of C or better is required for credit in all minor courses.
Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 110 and 112 (or equivalent).
- CHIN 210: Intermediate Chinese
- CHIN 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)
- CHIN 312: Chinese Oral & Written Proficiency
- CHIN 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:
- CHIN 230: East Asian Literature in Translation
- CHIN 251: Intro to Chinese Literature in English
- CHIN 260: Intro to Chinese Culture in English
- CHIN 333: Chinese Cinema
- LING 300: Second language learning and teaching
French
Prerequisite: French 110 and 112
- French 210: Intermediate French: Cultural Emphasis
- French 212: Advanced Intermediate French: Literary Emphasis
- French 312: Oral Proficiency
- 3 credits earned in 1 of the following ways:
- 3 credits of coursework abroad, which may include an internship (such as the Paris Internship Program)
- 3 courses from any French courses on the 300- or 400-level – One course in English from offerings listed for the major (such as Foreign Civilization or French Literature in Translation) may count toward the requirement.
German Studies
The German Studies minor couples language proficiency achievement at the 300 level with advanced knowledge of cultural context, acquired in the target language or through a combination of coursework in German and English. As part of their curriculum, German Studies minors will normally complete a semester of study abroad in a German-speaking country.**
Prerequisite: German 110 and 112 Beginning German I and Beginning German II (or equivalent).
NOTE: German 110-112 is the introductory first year language sequence. German 110-112 is intended for students with little or no prior study of German. Students with 3 or more years of prior German study are urged to enroll in the intermediate-advanced German language sequence (equivalent to German 210-212). Please direct concerns or questions regarding placement at the appropriate language level to Professor Fisher.
NOTE: All on-campus German courses beyond the introductory first year language sequence German 110-112 are currently offered as tutorials. Tutorials carry full credit and are conducted each semester by arrangement with the instructor, Professor Fisher. Please direct concerns or questions regarding tutorial study or independent student research projects at the appropriate language level to Professor Fisher.
- German 210: Intermediate German (prerequisite for German 212 or more advanced coursework in German)
- German 212: Advanced Intermediate German (prerequisite for more advanced coursework in German)
- At least one German language course (or equivalent) at the 300- or 400-level. Options include:
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Credit for study abroad in a German-speaking country (up to 3 course credits awarded in transfer; appropriate program coursework will be determined in consultation with Professor Richard Fisher prior to departure)
-
German 395: Advanced Topics, Special Studies (recommended after study abroad in a German-speaking country)
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German 400: Special Studies (recommended after study abroad in a German-speaking country)
-
A 300- or 400-level German tutorial (requests for tutorials should be addressed to Professor Richard Fisher)
- Up to three German language and culture courses (taught in English), from the list below:
- German 333: Modern German Film
- History 253: German History
- Linguistics 101: Descriptive Linguistics
** Students who wish to minor in German Studies should complete a semester of coursework in a German-speaking country. Students should start planning early, in consultation with the German faculty (Professor Richard Fisher) and the Director of Off-Campus Programs (Ashley Sinclair). Alternatives will be discussed with Professor Fisher in order to work out an appropriate program for each student.
Spanish
Prerequisite: Spanish 110 and 112.
- Spanish 210: Intermediate Spanish
- Spanish 212: Advanced Intermediate Spanish
- 4 additional courses, which may include 1 course in English from offerings listed for the major, as well as coursework and/or internship abroad in a Spanish-speaking environment.
