Mar 28, 2024  
2013-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2013-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

World Languages and Cultures


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The Department of World Languages and Cultures plays a pivotal role in preparing students to meet their general education requirements and world citizenship in the 21st century.  Language majors and minors from this department are currently working in various professions: teaching, business, medicine, law.

Mission

The Department of World Languages and Cultures will provide a quality world language education to a diverse student body that will equip them with the necessary cross-cultural linguistic skills to function proficiently in the twenty-first century.

Goal
The goal of the Department of World Languages and Cultures is to prepare language students, majors and minors with the necessary linguistic and cultural skills that will equip them to communicate successfully in the target language. This focus will allow them to meet the benchmarks of world language education: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities.

Objectives
To develop proficiency in the fundamental language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and culture.
• To provide an in-depth study in world languages, literatures, cultures, and civilizations.
• To prepare majors and minors to do additional research and studies beyond the undergraduate level.
• To prepare students for a variety of careers and professions that require knowledge of and fluency in world languages.
  

The department offers an undergraduate major in Spanish with minors in French and Portuguese. A two-year sequence of courses is also offered in Swahili.  Additional courses may be offered in other foreign languages either by the department or through the University of North Carolina Language Exchange.

The language programs are supported by the Language Media Center which assists students in the development of the essential language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and culture. Language tutorial assistance is also provided.
Placement and Proficiency Examinations for Foreign Languages

Undergraduate Programs Offered

Major Program

Spanish

Minor Programs

Spanish

French

Portuguese

Proficiency Assessment for Student with World Language Experience

Students who have completed at least two years of high school foreign language may take a placement examination or an appropriate department proficiency examination in an attempt to qualify for the intermediate level or above.

Students may also receive credit toward the Spanish major or foreign language minors by taking and passing appropriate department proficiency examinations.

Retroactive Credit Policy for World Languages

The Retroactive Credit Policy is designed to grant credit to students with previous language study. Under this policy students who enroll in and successfully complete a course beyond the first semester of beginning foreign language receive credit for courses they bypassed up to 6 credit hours. Students receive credit towards graduation but no grade for the lower course(s). Retroactive credit is available only for the first language course in which a student enrolls and is given only when the student achieves a grade of C or better. Retroactive credit is not available if a student has received Advanced Placement or transfer credit in the language.

Students are advised to contact the Department of World Languages and Cultures for guidelines concerning placement. Retroactive credit is applied for at the completion of the course.

Study Abroad

In conjunction with the Office of International Programs, the department supports study abroad programs which provide students with opportunities to earn credits toward the major and minors, and to develop cross-cultural sensibilities. The department strongly recommends that students participate in study abroad programs. For students earning the major in Spanish, up to 15 hours of study abroad transfer credits may be applied towards the major. SPA 4391- Senior Seminar must be taken at WSSU.

Swahili

Students are encouraged to take the two-year sequence of Swahili as electives or as foundational courses for participation in the study abroad program in Kenya/Tanzania.

·         SWA 1311- Elementary Swahili I

·         SWA 1312 - Elementary Swahili II

·         SWA 2311 - Intermediate Swahili I

·         SWA 2312 - Intermediate Swahili II

 

Foreign Language Studies (FLS)

Foreign Language Studies (FLS) courses give WSSU students opportunities to study languages nor regularly offered on campus. This study may take place during study abroad, through the UNC Language Exchange via UNC Online, or at institutions other than WSSU. This last group may include inter-institutional registration and summer school outside of WSSU. FLS courses also cover topics in languages not regularly offered at WSSU. Finally, FLS courses include literature courses in English translation from languages other than French, Portuguese, Spanish, or Swahili.

·         FLS 1110 - Foreign Languages Study Abroad I (1 - 6)      

·         FLS 2110 - Foreign Languages Study Abroad II (1 - 6)     

·         FLS 3110 - Foreign Languages Study Abroad III (1 - 6)                

·         FLS 4110 - Foreign Languages Study Abroad IV (1 - 6)

·         FLS 3401 - Foreign Languages Studies I (1 - 6)                 

·         FLS 3402 - Foreign Languages Studies II (1 - 6)

·         FLS 2300 -  Foreign Languages Practicum (1 - 6)              

·         FLS 2301 - Foreign Languages Films (3)                

·         FLS 2307 - Foreign Languages for Survival Purposes (3)                       

·         FLS 2315 - Literature of the African Diaspora in the Americas (3)                      

·         FLS 2317 - The African Epic and Oral Traditions (3)                     

·         FLS 2320 - An Introduction to Contemporary African Literature (3)        

·         FLS 2323 - African Culture Through Dance and Music     (3)                  

University of North Carolina Language Exchange

WSSU students may take courses offered through the University of North Carolina Language Exchange. Contact the department for current course offerings.

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