The Department of Modern Languages offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Modern Languages and concentrations in French or Spanish.
Objectives and Career Opportunities
The Department of Modern Languages provides majors a curriculum designed to enable students to acquire competency in all the major dimensions of modern languages. A degree in Modern Languages will lead to careers in language teaching, translating and interpreting, and literary analysis as well as to opportunities in international business, diplomacy, and education.
Credit/Placement Examination
Students may earn credit for beginning and intermediate modern language courses (100 and 200 level) by passing credit/placement examinations. Students with three or more years of high school credit and native speakers should consult the department office before registration.
The modern language credit/placement examinations are scheduled to be given each quarter on the day before the first day of class. The exact time, place, and date of the examinations are listed on the calendar page of the quarterly class schedules. Students register for a credit/ placement exam by enrolling in the E01 section of the appropriate 100 or 200 level course.
Students who have already completed credits in a modern language must not enroll in an elementary class in that language without first taking the appropriate credit/placement examination. Neither the credit/placement exams for the following courses, nor the courses themselves, are open to native speakers (those who completed high school taught in either Spanish or French): FREN 101 , FREN 102 , FREN 201 , FREN 202 , FREN 301 , FREN 302 or SPAN 101 , SPAN 102 , SPAN 201 , SPAN 202 , SPAN 301 , SPAN 302 .
Modern Language Requirement
All students are advised to complete a year’s sequence of their modern language courses without unnecessary interval between courses. A language requirement must be completed in the same language.
Students who have completed two years or more of high school French or Spanish with a “C” average or higher may not enroll in 101-level courses, but can begin their language study at the 102-level or place into a higher level course by taking the appropriate credit/ placement exam. All students who complete FREN 102 or SPAN 102 or who earn credit for FREN 102 or SPAN 102 by exam will also automatically earn credit for FREN 101 or SPAN 101 .
Majors and Minors
Modern Language majors must have a 2.0 earned grade point average for graduation and no grade lower than a “C” in any required language class. Concentrations in French and Spanish consist of 30 hours above the 100 level. These programs lead to Bachelor of Arts degrees in Modern Language. Students pursuing the major should consult with the department office concerning specific plans available for use of electives, minors, and second areas to strengthen their major and career plans. Minors in French and Spanish consist of 21 hours in those languages and must include 101, 102, 201, 202, and three additional courses at the 300- or 400-level. Please note that FREN 428 , SPAN 426 and 427 (French and Hispanic literature in English translation, respectively) cannot be used as part of the 30 hours of language courses for the major or as part of the 21 hours for the minor.
Native speakers who wish to minor in Modern Language must complete three 300-level courses other than 301 and 302. Only upon completion of these courses will credit for 101, 102, 201, and 202 be awarded. Native speakers who wish to major in a Modern Language must successfully complete eight 300- or 400-level courses other than 301 and 302. Only upon completion of these courses will credit for 101, 102, 201, and 202 be awarded.
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