Foreign Languages

Department of Foreign Languages
David C. Julseth (chair), Elizabeth Allen*, Paulo J. Boero (Director of the Language Learning Center), Florencia Bray*, Mika Garrett, Cheryl Geer, Francesca Muccini, Laurie Pallotta *, J. H. E Paine, Natalia Pelaz, Regine Schwarzmeier, Andrew Siao*, Alena Wenker*, Helen Williams*
*Part-time.

Vision:

The Department of Foreign Languages encourages students to broaden their worldview by embracing and respecting other cultures through language study. We engage our students in a wide variety of curricular and co-curricular activities that allow them to apply their language skills in meaningful contexts. Language classes, language club activities, language houses, study abroad programs, and service-learning experiences prepare students for interaction with people of other cultures.

Purpose:

Language study enriches the students' appreciation of the complexities of our global community: languages, cultural and artistic achievements, and social interactions. Language study is an excellent complement to studies in other fields such as business, music, political science and law, health professions, missions, journalism, and education.

Goals:

The Department of Languages fosters:

students' ability to use written and spoken language effectively;
students' understanding and appreciation of other cultures;
students' ability to analyze literature of another culture within its socio-historical context;
a deeper comprehension of one's own language and culture through comparative studies.

Language Placement and Transfer Policies:

Intermediate (2000-level) language courses meet requirements both in the B.A. General Education Core and in the foreign language major/minor. Because the Bachelor of Arts core is a language-based program of study, the 2000-level language courses insure that students achieve proficiency in the vocabulary and grammar required for reading, speaking, and writing in a second language.

In the foreign language major/minor program, the proficiency required by 2000-level language courses provides the basis for the extended study of language and culture undertaken in the 3000- and 4000-level courses. Students who have had three years or more of a foreign language in high school may be ready to begin language study at Belmont with 2000-level courses. The B.A. Core requirement in foreign language is waived for students majoring or minoring in a foreign language.

Incoming students with previous language study are encouraged to consult instructors in each language to determine specific placement. Correspondence course work in foreign language is not accepted as credit for Belmont students. By “correspondence” we mean courses taken through the mail, by video, online, or any other form of distance learning.

Native speakers of a foreign language offered by the Department of Literature and Language may not receive credit for first- and second-year courses in that language. They may take a 3000-level course in their native language with permission of the instructor and department chair in Literature and Language. In this case, only, may a student fulfill core requirements in literature with three hours in 3000-level language and three hours in 2000-level literature.

FRE 3600, GER 3500, GER 3600, SPA 3500, and SPA 3600 may be repeated for credit as content of these courses changes.

Modern language faculty enforce the following attendance policies. Any student missing 10 class meetings in a 1010 or 1020 course will be dropped with a WF. Any student missing 8 classes in a 2010 or 2020 course will be involuntarily dropped with a WF. Appeal is to the Provost.

Immersion Requirement for Foreign Language

Education Majors Language Education majors must complete 40 hours of immersion experience in the respective language and culture during the time that they are working on the language major and before they begin their student teaching.

The requirement may be fulfilled by one of the following three methods:

A. Attending a Study-Abroad Program in the appropriate country which will fulfill in full the requirement. This option is preferred and all language majors seeking licensure are strongly urged to spend significant time abroad using the target language in the target culture.

B. By completing 40 hours in one or a combination of the following categories:

Attending conversation hours in an appropriate language with a native speaker.
Attending language club events that are conducted in the language.

C. Completing 40 hours in an off-campus service project which includes working with native speakers in the appropriate language. This project must be approved by the student's language advisor. The student must obtain documentation in the form of a letter describing his/her work from an on-site director of the service project. This will serve as proof of your immersion into the language and culture.

Major in French
General Education Core Requirements for B.A.	56-58
Major Requirements		30
FRE 3010, 3020, Introduction to French Literature and Civilization I, II	6
FRE 3900, Senior Seminar	3
FRE 2950 or 3950 French Study Abroad	Variable credit
French electives (from FRE 2010, 2020, 2100, 3100, 3600, 2990, 3980, 3990)	To complete the 30 hours
Minor Requirements		18
Electives	22-24
Total		128

Only courses at the FRE 2000-level or above may count toward the French major. French majors must take at least one English literature course (ENL) at the 2000 level or higher. The department recommends that a French major study a second foreign language and European history. Three hours of credit toward the French major may be granted for ENL 4370, with departmental approval. Study abroad is required of all French majors. A summer course, a semester, or a year-long exchange would fulfill this requirement. Major requirement courses may be completed on the study abroad program. (Only for exceptional circumstances will a waiver be granted.) Any required course may be met by an appropriate-level and discipline _950 course number.

French Endorsement		18
FRE ___, beyond Intermediate 2010, 2020 level	18*
*Note: 12 hours may come from off-campus work in Belmont Study Abroad programs.


Major in German
General Education Core Requirements for B.A.	56-58
Major Requirements		30
GER 3010, 3020, German Studies I, II	6
GER 3900, Senior Seminar	3
GER 2950 or 3950 German Study Abroad	Variable credit
German electives (from GER 2010, 2020, 3100, 3120, 3500, 3600, 2990, 3980, 3990)	To complete the 30 hours

German Endorsement		18
GER ___, beyond Intermediate 2010, 2020*
*Note: 12 hours may come from off-campus work in Belmont Study Abroad programs.

Minor Requirements		18
Electives	22-24
Total	22-24
Total	128
Only courses at the GER 2000-level or above may count toward the German major. German majors must take at least one English literature course (ENL) at the 2000-level or higher. The department recommends that a German major study a second foreign language. Three hours of credit toward the German major may be granted for ENL 4370, with departmental approval. Study abroad is required of all German majors. A summer course, a semester, or a year-long exchange would fulfill this requirement. Major requirement courses may be completed on the study abroad program. (Only for exceptional circumstances will a waiver be granted.) Any required course may be met by an appropriate-level and discipline _950 course number.

Major in Spanish
General Education Core Requirements for B.A.	56-58
Major requirements		30
SPA 3100 & 3110, Advanced Spanish I & II	6
SPA 2950 or 3950, Studies Abroad	Variable credit
SPA Electives from the following: SPA 2010, 2020, 3200, 3210, 3300, 3310, 3500, 3600, 2990, 3980, 3990	To complete the 30 hrs.
Minor Requirements		18
Electives	22-24
Total		128
Only courses at the SPA 2000-level or above may count toward the Spanish major. Spanish majors must take at least one English literature course (ENL) at the 2000-level or higher. The department recommends that a Spanish major study a second foreign language. Study abroad is required of all Spanish majors. A summer course, a semester, or a year-long exchange would fulfill this requirement. Major requirement courses may be completed on the study abroad program. (Only for exceptional circumstances will a waiver be granted.) Any required course may be met by an appropriate-level and discipline _950 course number.

Spanish Endorsement		18
SPA ___, beyond Intermediate 2010, 2020, or 2060 level 18*
*Note: 12 hours may come from off-campus work in Belmont Study Abroad programs.

Minor in French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian or Spanish		18
These 18 hours must be completed in one language at the 2000-level or above, and may include advanced independent study courses and ENL 4370, Advanced Studies in Literature (World). Students pursuing a minor in Russian are strongly advised to take more than the minimum 18-hour requirement Any required course may be met by an appropriate-level and discipline _950 course number.


Minor in Chinese		18
These 18 hours must be taken in Chinese at the Intermediate and/or Advanced Level. This means that all courses with the prefix of CHN 2000 or higher would count including the 2950 and 3950 courses in Chinese that are taken abroad. Included in the 18 hour minor: one course must be taken at the 2000 level or higher in Asian Studies or World Literature (taught in English) and the student must take 3-12 hours of CHN 2950-3950 abroad.