World Languages and Cultures

Professors Machelidon and Wade, Professor of Practice DeBellis, Associate Professors Billat, Concha-Chiaraviglio, Hunt, and Maldonado-DeOliveira.

The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers a major in Spanish, minors in French and Italian Studies, and courses in Chinese. The purpose of the Department of World Languages and Cultures is to promote excellence in the undergraduate foreign language program. In our programs and courses, the student acquires basic and advanced skills by studying language, literature, and cultures; develops cross-cultural knowledge; enhances their understanding of their own language; and sharpens their critical thinking skills.

Student Learning Outcomes of the World Languages and Cultures Department

For all students enrolled in foreign language courses, upon completion of each level and appropriate to that level, our students will:

• demonstrate level-specific competence in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing;
• exhibit understanding of the targeted cultures and civilizations.

Advanced Placement and Proficiency

The General Education Foreign Language Requirement can be met in the following ways:

• Through coursework, the requirement will be fulfilled by passing the 205 (Intermediate I) level in a foreign language;
• For French and Spanish, the requirement can be fulfilled by being assigned into a level above 205 (Intermediate I) through the Meredith placement and additional proficiency tests;
• Successful completion of ITA-101, ITA-102, and a 1 credit hour Italian Conversation course completed during a semester in the fall or spring semesters in the Meredith Abroad in Italy program;
• By presenting a score of 5 or better on the IB higher level exam in French, German or Spanish; a score of 3 or better on the AP exam in French, German Spanish language or Latin/Lit or Latin/Vergil; or a score of 600 or better on the SAT II Latin test;
•  The foreign language requirement may be waived for students whose native language is not English after appropriate documentation is provided. Please see department head for more information.

You are encouraged to build on your knowledge of the foreign language you studied in high school by taking the appropriate foreign language courses early in your college career. If you have had two levels or more of French or Spanish, or if you have learned the language fairly well through other life experience, your skill level should be assessed during early registration or orientation through a placement test. Depending on the results of the placement test, the department will either place you in a specific course or, in the case of more advanced students, have you participate in additional testing before making a final determination regarding your placement level.

The department encourages you to pursue your study of a foreign language beyond the requirement. Those who place at the 300 level will receive 6 hours of credit for courses “skipped” at the intermediate level (FRE-205/FRE-206 or SPA-206/SPA-207) once they have completed two 3 credit hour language courses at the 300 level with a grade of C or better. You will then have earned a total of 12 credit hours in the language of study putting you well on your way to earning a major or minor.

Students who wish advanced study in a language other than Spanish or French should consult with the department head and arrange for this through special studies options. Students may also elect to take courses at other CRC (Cooperating Raleigh Colleges) institutions. Majors are advised to study a second language as a related field and are urged to take advantage of the overseas study programs offered through the department and the College. It is strongly recommended that majors consider working as assistants in the department for two to three semesters or longer. Future teachers are particularly encouraged to pursue an internship as these become available.

Student Learning Outcomes of Majors in Spanish

In addition, upon completion of the Spanish major, students will be able to:

• Communicate effectively in writing and in speaking in a range of formal and informal situations
• Demonstrate intercultural competence through engagement with Hispanic/Latino communities
• Apply specialized terminology and critical approaches in a variety of contexts
• Locate, evaluate, incorporate and document research sources in support of oral and written assignments