Mission Statement

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is a central site on campus for the implementation of James Madison University internationalization efforts. Through its course offerings, study abroad programs, organizations and clubs, and the presence of faculty with research areas in diverse foreign cultures, the department embodies cultural diversity, particularly international diversity, at JMU. The strong presence of international students and faculty on campus is a critical indicator of this recognition of international diversity.
The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers students and the community a broad range of educational courses and programs that help develop foreign language competence, a global perspective, and an understanding of foreign cultures both ancient and modern.
The department’s mission is to ensure that all graduates with a B.A. have sufficient knowledge of a modern foreign language to build fluency in that language when future personal or professional needs require it; prepare language majors for success as professionals in language-related career fields; enhance the education of non-language majors by providing them foreign language skills that complement their chosen major; teach understanding and appreciation of foreign cultures and provide basic knowledge about the literature, culture, and intellectual achievements of countries other than the U.S.; play a leading role in internationalizing the college curriculum; provide opportunities for language and cultural study abroad; support cross-listed courses for the departments of English and History as part of their major requirements, and the General Education program with courses for the Cluster II requirements. The department also plays an important role in the university interdisciplinary minors by offering courses for Russian Studies, Latin American Studies, World Literature, and Classical Studies.

Goals and Objectives

The department strives to fulfill that mission by pursuing the following goals. Within each area, students should:

Knowledge

Be familiar with a variety of linguistic principles in both the target language and their own.
Understand the major literary movements of the target culture and be familiar with selected major literary texts of the target culture.
Be familiar with the great ideas of humanity and of Western civilization in particular, especially as they have originated in or influenced the target culture.
Understand the institutions and history of the target culture.
Understand similarities and differences between the target culture and their own.

Skills

Demonstrate reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in both English and the target language.
Think critically, analytically and objectively.
Make and formulate informed aesthetic and linguistic judgments.
Research a topic thoroughly using both traditional and online sources.
Use computers effectively for a variety of purposes, from word processors and spell checkers in the target language to terminological data bases and machine-aided translation tools.

Experiences

Ponder what it means to be human in response to literary and cultural studies.
Engage great texts and great ideas.
Realize what it is like to be a foreigner with incomplete cultural and linguistic competence.
See the world through the filter of another language and culture.
Realize that every language is an imperfect vehicle, riddled with traps and ambiguities.

Attitudes

Embrace life-long learning.
Approach issues from interdisciplinary, global and historical perspectives.
Respect diversity among cultures and within any given culture.
Respect the opinions and beliefs of other people - and other peoples - while defining and advancing their own.
Recognize the contingent nature of knowledge.

Program

The department offerings address a wide spectrum of student needs. Our program seeks to:

Offer a minor and a major in a specific language.
Strongly recommend a second major and/or minor in another discipline.
Offer advanced courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Offer basic courses required for Bachelor of Arts candidates.
Organize and participate in Honors courses.
Provide General Education courses in Cluster Two and reinforce Cluster One goals in all courses.

Faculty

The faculty members of the department strive to:

Meet the ever-evolving needs of the students.
Develop innovative teaching techniques, courses and programs while preserving a traditional core.
Engage consistently in scholarship.
Provide dutiful service to the college, the university and the profession.
Be a role model for students as educators and as human beings.

All language majors are expected to meet certain objectives.

General

To have a knowledge of critical thinking methods and to be able to apply these.
To have had an introduction to computers that includes word processing as well as working with software devoted to grammar exercises, vocabulary development, literature and culture.
To have developed an appreciation and affective feel for other cultures, not just an intellectual perspective.

Specific

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers programs designed to:

Teach students to understand and speak a language with facility.
Develop skills in reading and writing.
Provide an acquaintance with foreign literatures.
Develop an appreciation of foreign cultures.
Prepare students for professions in education, government work, international trade or for research leading to advanced degrees.

Career Opportunities

Banking
Education
Foreign Service
Import/Export
Law
Management
Marketing
Medicine
Museum work
Ministry
Public Relations
Social work
Translation

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

The department supports the following organizations:

Le Cercle Francophone
Dobro Slovo
German Club
Hispanic Studies Club
Italian Cultural Society
Phi Sigma Iota
Russian Club
Sigma Delta Pi

Degree and Major Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Modern Foreign Languages

A student can earn both a B.A. in Modern Foreign Languages and a minor in a specific language. Currently the department provides four years of instruction in French, German, Italian and Spanish, plus two years in Chinese and Japanese. Majors and minors in Russian are not available for the 2005-2006 academic year.
The minimum requirement for a major in languages is 33 upper-division credit hours in a specific language. However, students pursuing a second major in an unrelated field or whose choice of language makes it impossible to meet that requirement may seek substitutions and/or waivers from the department head.

Degree Requirements

Required courses	Credit Hours
General Education¹	41
Foreign Language classes (Intermediate level required)²	0-14
Philosophy course (In addition to General Education courses)	3
University electives	17-31
Additional language or cognate requirement³	12
Major requirements (listed below)	33

	120

1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232), or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Languages’ placement test.
3 Not required of double majors or education minors.

Major Requirements

All language sections share certain core requirements.

Core Courses	Credit Hours
2 Language courses (300 and 320)¹	6
2 Civilization courses (307, 308)	6
Literature courses in the target language	6-12
Other courses as specified by the section ²	9-15
(See lists for each language below)

	33

1 These courses fulfill the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.
2 The courses required for Spanish majors are different, as shown in the Spanish listing.

French

	Credit Hours
FR 300. French Grammar and Communication ¹	3
FR 307. A History of French Civilization	3
FR 308. Contemporary French Civilization	3
FR 320. French Oral and Written Communication	3
FR 335. Introduction to Literature	3
3 300- or 400-level FR literature courses	9
3 other 300- or 400-level FR courses	9

	33

1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

German

	Credit Hours
GER 300. German Grammar and Communication¹	3
GER 307. A History of German Civilization	3
GER 308. Contemporary German Civilization	3
GER 320. German Oral and Written Communication	3
GER/TR 341. German-English Technical/Commercial Translation	3
2 400-level GER literature courses	6
4 more courses (see following list)	12
1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.
Group 1:
GER 308. Contemporary German Civilization (second time) GER 330. Business German Any 400-level GER lit courses GER/TR 341. German-English Technical/Commercial Translation (second time)
Group 2 (no more than one):
ENG/GER 436. Studies in German Literature GHUM 200. (German works in translation) HIST 388. Germany Since 1871.

	33

Italian

	Credit Hours
ITAL 300. Italian Grammar and Communication¹	3
ITAL 307. A History of Italian Civilization	3
ITAL 308. Contemporary Italian Civilization	3
ITAL 320. Italian Oral and Written Communication	3
ITAL/TR 351. Italian-English Technical/Commercial Translation¹	3
3 300- or 400-level ITAL literature courses	9
3 other 300- or 400-level ITAL courses	9

	33

1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

Russian

Not available 2005-2006 academic year	Credit Hours
RUS 300. Russian Conversation and Composition¹	3
RUS 315. Russian Phonetics	3
RUS 320. Advanced Russian Grammar	3
RUS 400. Advanced Russian Conversation	3
RUS 405. Russian Literature of the 19th Century	3
RUS 426. Russian Literature of the 20th Century	3
Choose one of the following	3
RUS 308. Introduction to Russian Civilization GEOG 348. Russian and the Former U.S.S.R. HIST 385. Russian to 1855 HIST 386. Russian since 1855 HIST 475. Soviet Russia POSC 337. Russian Political System
Choose any four of the following	12
GHUM 200. Great Works in Russian RUS 490. Special Studies in Foreign Languages ² (may be repeated) RUS 405. Russian Literature of the 19th Century (second time) RUS 426. Russian Literature of the 20th Century (second time) TR 300. Introduction to Translation TR 361. Russian-English Technical/Commercial Translation¹ TR 400. Text Revision
RUS 405. Russian Literature of the 19th Century	3
RUS 426. Russian Literature of the 20th Century	9
Choose one of the following	9

	33

1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.
2 For the RUS 490 course description, see FL 490.

Spanish

	Credit Hours
SPAN 300. Grammar and Communication¹	3
SPAN 305. Introduction to Spanish Literature	3
SPAN 307. Spanish Civilization	3
SPAN 308. Latin American Civilization	3
SPAN 320. Oral and Written Communication	3
3 SPAN literature courses	9
3 other 300- or 400-level SPAN courses	9

	33

1 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

Additional Language or Cognate Requirement

Students majoring in modern foreign languages must complete the intermediate level of a second language or take at least 12 additional credit hours in other departments (e.g., art, English, geography, history, philosophy, political science, translation) in courses fully or partly related to their foreign language studies unless they are

taking a double major
taking an education minor

The 12 credit hours cannot be counted toward fulfillment of any other degree requirement, including General Education. Prior approval of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is required for each of these collateral courses.

Teaching Licensure

In conjunction with the College of Education, the department offers programs leading to the teaching license in French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. The Collegiate Professional Teaching License in a modern foreign language requires 36 credits in language study. In addition to the general education and academic major requirements, foreign language majors desiring secondary teacher licensure must complete the undergraduate education minor and the Master of Arts in Teaching degree offered in Education Programs. For a full description of the programs in education, refer to the College of Education.

Minor Requirements

Modern Foreign Language Minor

A minor in a modern foreign language consists of 15 upper-division credit hours in a specific language and must include a literature course. French minors are required to take FR 320 and FR 335.

French

	Credit Hours
FR 300. French Grammar and Communication	3
FR 320. French Oral and Written Communication	3
FR 335. Introduction to Literature	3
2 other 300- or 400-level FR courses	6

	15

German

	Credit Hours
GER 300. German Grammar and Communication	3
1 400-level GER literature course	3
3 other 300- or 400-level GER courses ¹	9

	15

1 Highly recommended: GER 308, GER 320 and GER/TR 341

Italian

	Credit Hours
ITAL 300. Italian Grammar and Communication	3
One 300- or 400- level ITAL literature course	3
3 other 300- or 400-level ITAL courses	9

	15

Russian

Not available 2005-2006 academic year.	Credit Hours
RUS 300. Russian Conversation and Composition	3
Choose one	3
RUS 405. Russian Literature of the 19th Century RUS 426. Russian Literature of the 20th Century
3 other 300- or 400-level RUS courses	9

	15

Spanish

	Credit Hours
SPAN 300. Grammar and Communication	3
SPAN 305. Introduction to Spanish Literature	3
3 other 300- or 400-level SPAN courses	9

	15

International Education and Studies Abroad

The department strongly supports – and greatly benefits from – the university’s excellent Studies Abroad programs. Majors are strongly encouraged to spend a significant amount of time abroad. Students are urged to check with their language advisers to see which courses taken abroad count toward the language major.

Placement Tests

Placement tests are given to students who have studied one language for two or more years in high school and who have not taken the College Board Advanced Placement Test or SAT II. Final decision on Advanced Placement rests with the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Placement tests are given for French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. There is no placement test for Latin.
Students who have taken one year or less of a language in high school or who want to start a new language may enroll in level 101 of that language for credit. Student who have taken two or more years of a language in high school (10th, 11th or 12th grade) are not permitted to enroll in levels 101, 102 or 111 of that language for credit.
Students with two or more years of a foreign language in high school must take the department placement exam. This exam is given in Keezell 103 during the posted hours. Tests for French, German and Spanish are available online at http://www.jmu.edu/forlang/flpe.htm. Tests for Italian and Russian must be taken in Keezell 103.
Students that place into the 300-level of a language must enroll at that level. Students that place into the 109 level for Spanish or French only, must obtain a permission number from the main office in Keezell 301 in order to register.

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

Dr. Giuliana Fazzion, Head

Mission Statement

Goals and Objectives

Knowledge

Skills

Experiences

Attitudes

Program

Faculty

General

Specific

Career Opportunities

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

Degree and Major Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Modern Foreign Languages

Degree Requirements

Major Requirements

French

German

Italian

Russian

Spanish

Additional Language or Cognate Requirement

Teaching Licensure

Minor Requirements

Modern Foreign Language Minor

French

German

Italian

Russian

Spanish

International Education and Studies Abroad

Placement Tests