Introduction
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.
The department offers an undergraduate major and minor in Spanish with minors in French and Portugese. 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 Consortium.
The current language program is supported by the Language Media Center which employs a full-time director to assist students in the development of the essential language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and culture. Tutorial assistance is also provided in French, Spanish and Swahili. Foreign 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 is committed to providing a quality world language education to a diverse student body that will equip them withthe necessary cross-cultural linguistic skills to function proficiently in the world of the 21st century meeting the challenges of global citizenship.
Goal
The goal of the Department of World Langauges 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 all foreign 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 the languages, literatures, cultures, and civilizations of second language speakers of Spanish, French, Portugese and Swahili.
- To prepare majors and minors to do additional research and second language study beyond the undergraduate level.
- To prepare foreign language students for a variety of careers and professions that require knowledge of and fluency in Spanish, French, Portugese, Swahili.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course of study in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, each student should be able to:
- “Produce oral communication at the appropriate level of proficiency demonstating analytical and critical ability in discussing literacy and/or linguistic topics in a variety of practical and academic situations.”
- Write analytically and critically at the appropriate level of proficiency on cultural literacy and linguistic topics demonstating advanced organization, vocabulary and grammar.
- Read at the appropriate level of proficiency demonstrating the ability to analyze and to interpret authentic texts in the target language.
- Demonstrate cross-cultural literacy ability at the appropriate level of proficiency analyzing and interpreting cultural and literary texts, traditions and customs and participating in experiential cross-cultural experiences.
* These outcomes also meet the General Education Student Learning outcomes (GESLOs): oral communication, written communication. Additionally, they address the curricular theme of globalization.
Placement and Proficiency Exams & Retroactive Credit
Placement and Proficiency Examinations for Foreign Languages.
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 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 (xxx 1311) 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.
Spanish Program Offerings
Program Description
Knowledge of languages other than English is vital in the increasingly interconnected world of the twenty-first century. Learning another language has a dramatic impact on one’s understanding of how languages and cultures differ, and it even increases one’s skill in using one’s first language. Studying a foreign language is an excellent choice for students who want to broaden their cultural and critical competence at the same time that they make themselves more competitive in a global job market. Majoring in Spanish, one of the world’s five most widely spoken languages, gives students access to careers in diplomacy, international business, the military, technology, medical fields, law, education, and many other fields which require varied and excellent communication skills.
The undergraduate major program in Spanish is designed to accomplish four objectives:
- To develop proficiency in the fundamental language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing.
- To provide an in-depth study in the language, literature, culture, and civilization of Spanish-speaking peoples.
- To prepare majors to do research and study at the graduate level.
-
To prepare majors for a variety of careers and professions that require knowledge of and fluency in Spanish.
Students who major in Spanish learn to speak and write well. They read literature and learn about its cultural context so as to better understand both literature and culture, and they become skilled in analyzing, evaluating, and responding to a wide range of texts composed in Spanish. In completing the required minimum of 30 semester hours of course work beyond the intermediate level, Spanish majors take advanced courses in Hispanic literature, civilization, conversation, linguistics, and composition, and they consolidate and extend their study of Spanish in a three-hour senior-level capstone course.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate an advanced level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture in Spanish.
- Students will be able to apply critical thinking and analytical reasoning to the linguistic, literacy, historical and cultural components of the language.
- Students will demonstrate mastery of the five goals of foreign language study: communication, cultures, connection, comparisons, and communities.
Major Requirements
Students who want to major in Spanish must have completed SPA 2311-2312 or shown evidence that they have achieved an equal level of proficiency in Spanish. They will normally have earned a grade of C or higher in any Spanish courses taken during the first two years at WSSU.
The core courses for the Spanish major include nine (9) hours of composition and linguistics, six (6) hours of advanced conversation, and six (6) hours of literature and culture and SPA 4391, Senior Seminar in Spanish (3 hours). Twelve hours of Spanish electives allow students to pursue special interests, benefit from internships or study abroad, and deepen their knowledge of Hispanic literature and culture. During the senior year, students complete the major with a seminar which serves as a capstone course.
All courses taken for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Spanish majors are required to choose an area of concentration or a minor (18-21 hours) in consultation with their academic advisor.
Upon completion of all major requirements, students majoring in Spanish must pass a standardized oral proficiency test (Exit Interview).
Transfer credit may be accepted if the courses taken fit satisfactorily into the plan for the major outlined at WSSU and if students meet all other requirements for transfer students, including the residency requirement.
Major Courses
Spanish Core (Twenty-four semester hours; all are required.)
- SPA 3xxx- Spanish Conversation and Pronunciation
- SPA 40xx- Advanced Spanish Conversation
- SPA 3311- Hispanic Civilization
- SPA 3312- Spanish Phonetics
- SPA 3333 Survey of Spanish Literature
- SPA 3335- Survey of Spanish-American Literature
- SPA 3xxx- Spanish Composition and Grammar
- SPA 4xxx- Senior Composition in Spanish
- SPA 4391- Senior Seminar in Spanish
Spanish Major Electives (Twelve semester hours are required.)
Students may choose from the following courses:
- SPA 3333-Survey of Spanish Literature or SPA 3335- Survey of Spanish-American Literature
- SPA 3xxx- Survey of Latino Literature
- SPA 4333- Masterpieces of Hispanic Fiction
- SPA 4334- Masterpieces of Hispanic Drama
- SPA 4335- Masterpieces of Hispanic Poetry
- SPA 4336- Independent study
- SPA 4340- Cervantes
- SPA 4xxx- Masterpieces of Afro-Hispanic Literature
- SPA 4390- Special Topics or readings in Hispanic Culture
- SPA 4093- Spanish Internship
Course Notes
SPA 4391- Senior Seminar in Spanish is a capstone course and should be taken in the senior year.
French Minor
The program of study for a minor in French consists of a minimum of 18 semester hours above the elementary level. The intermediate level of the language is a prerequisite to all upper level courses leading toward the minor. To satisfy the minor requirement in French, the following courses must be taken and completed with a grade of C or better:
FRE 2311 Intermediate French I
FRE 2312 Intermediate French II
FRE 3306 Advanced French Grammar and Composition
FRE 3311 French Civilization
FRE 3312 Advanced French Conversation
Students should choose the remaining 3 semester hours from the following courses:
FRE 3310 Survey of French Literature
FRE 3318 French Literature of the Seventeenth Century
FRE 3324 Twentieth Century Prose
With the approval of the department, students may include up to 6 semester hours of credit from study abroad programs approved by the office of International Programs. Such courses must be taught in French and have French language content.
Objectives
- To develop the fundamental language skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
- To acquaint the student with the contributions, culture, literature, and history of French-Speaking peoples.
- To support language and culture requirements in other disciplines with a focus on Francophone studies.
- To providestudents with the skills for a variety of careers and professions which require a knowledge of and competency in French.
Portugese Minor
The program of study for a minor in Portuguese consists of a minimum of 18 semester hours above the elementary level. The intermediate level of the language is a prerequisite to all upper level courses leading toward the minor. To satisfy the minor requirements, the following courses must be taken and completed with a grade of C or better.
POR 2311 Intermediate Portuguese I
POR 2312 Intermediate Portuguese II
POR 3309 Advanced Portuguese Conversation
POR 4301 Advanced Portuguese Composition
POR 3312 Cultures of the Portugese-Speaking World
POR 3333 Survey of Literature in Portuguese
Objectives
- To develop the fundamental language skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
- To acquaint students with the contributions, cultures, literatures, and histories of the Portuguese-speaking peoples.
- To provide students with the skills for a variety of careers and professions that require a knowledge of and competency in Portuguese.
Study abroad Opportunities for Portuguese
With the approval of the department and the Office of International Programs, students may also include up to 6 semester hours of credit from study abroad programs as long as these courses are taught in Portuguese and have content related to the Portuguese language of the Portuguese-speaking world.
Spanish Minor
The program of study for the minor in Spanish consists of a minimum of 18 semester hours above the elementary level. The intermediate level of the language is a prerequisite for all upper level courses leading toward the minor. To satisfy the minor requirement in Spanish, the following courses must be taken and completed with a grade of C or better:
SPA 2311 Intermediate Spanish I
SPA 2312 Intermediate Spanish II
SPA 3xxx Spanish Conversation and Pronunciation
SPA 3xxx Spanish Composition and Grammar
SPA 3311 Hispanic Civilization
SPA 3333 Survey of Spanish Literature or
SPA 3335 Survey of Spanish-American Literature or
SPA 4xxx Masterpieces of Afro-Hispanic Literature
Study Abroad Opportunities for Spanish Minors
With the approval of the department and the Office of International Programs, students may also include up to 6 semester hours of credit from study abroad programs as long as these courses are taught in Spanish and have content related to the Spanish language or the Spanish-speaking world.
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.
Study Abroad
The department supports study abroad programs in Mexico and Spain (WSSU also subscibes to the UNCEP and ISEP Programs which provide students with access to study abroad opportuinites in other Spanish-speaking countries.) The department strongly recommends that students who wish to major in Spanish participate in a study abroad program. Up to 15 hours of study abroad transfer credit may be applied towards the major program in Spanish. SPA 4391- Senior Seminar must be taken at WSSU.
Students who major in Spanish must complete the required minimum of 30 semester hours of course work beyond the intermediate level. Spanish majors take advanced courses in Hispanic literature, civilization, conversation, linguistics, and composition, and they consolidate and extend their study of Spanish in a three-hour senior-level capstone course.
University of North Carolina Consortium
University of North Carolina Language Consortium The Department of World Languages and Cultures plans to offer other foreign languages either in the department or through partnerships with the University of North Carolina Language Consortium.
Return to: