The Department of Foreign Languages offers majors in Classical Studies, French, German, and Spanish, and beginning classes in Japanese.

Language study opens the way to understanding and communication with various people, cultures, civilizations, and literatures. It involves performance skills in the foreign language (speaking, reading, writing, and understanding) and command of the subject matter (literature, history, language).

Incoming first-year students will be given a tentative placement based upon their high school language experience. Placement above 103 is by departmental placement exam only. Students are encouraged to take the placement exam during Freshman Institute.

Foreign Language majors must study abroad for at least one term. They may participate in any of the programs described below. Any other option to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the department. Faculty members of the department lead study abroad programs in France, Germany, Spain, and Latin America during a regular twelve-week term of the year, or during an intensive three-week session. Students may choose to spend more time abroad at Centers of the Institute of European Studies in Nantes, Paris, Freiburg or Madrid. Italian language may be studied at John Cabot International College in Rome. Students who complete their major work while abroad for a year must take at least one upper-level course (300 level) in the department during their senior year.

Foreign language students will find that their career opportunities will be broader and richer when they combine majors or minors in other disciplines with the study of a foreign language. Other disciplines are compatible with a language major: English, political science, philosophy, economics and management, fine arts, music, anthropology. Students interested in a teaching career would find it useful to major in two languages.

Students seeking certification to teach a foreign language must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in the language and are required to take a comprehensive examination. Prospective teachers of  a foreign language should include course work in advanced grammar and literature courses, phonetics, civilization, and methods of teaching. They are encouraged to apply for the position of teaching assistants in our intensive sequence as part of their preparation as future teachers.

[Literature in translation] [Classical studies] [French] [German] [Japanese] [Chinese] [Spanish]

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