SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY   2000-2001 Catalog
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Foreign Languages and Literatures
Churchill 255
541-552-6435
Daniel Morris, Chair

Professors: Priscilla Hunter, Daniel Morris, Roger Stevenson

Associate Professor: Gudrun Gill

Assistant Professors: Marianne Golding, Silvia Gonzalez-Martinez, Fernando Rubio

Adjunct Faculty: Marina Kendig, Noriko Kuwabara, Maria Lumbreras, Denise Prado, Ruth Rush

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers courses and degree options in French, German, and Spanish. The courses range from beginning language instruction to the study of literature, linguistics, and culture at the graduate level. First- and second-year instruction is also available in Japanese.

After earning a bachelor's degree, a student can earn a basic teacher license in French, German, or Spanish at the secondary level through the Education Department's Master of Arts in Teaching. The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers graduate coursework toward the interdisciplinary master's degree in education.

Degrees

Note: The German option is currently available on a limited basis and requires additional work in study abroad programs.

Minors

French, German, or Spanish

Language Requirements

International Studies Degree

Students who major in international studies through the Department of Political Science must complete 12 credits of upper division coursework or a year of foreign study in a foreign language that corresponds to the area of specialization.

BA in Language and Culture

A major in language and culture with options in French, German, or Spanish prepares students for a variety of careers in which cultural understanding, international or community- based work experience, and practical application of a second language are important. A major in language and culture is an excellent complement to a second major in many fields. It will add valuable foreign language and cultural competency and international or multicultural experience to knowledge in other disciplines, preparing students for careers in government or civil service, law enforcement, health and human services, travel and tourism, or entrepreneurial business. The degree also prepares students for graduate work in the language, literature, and culture of their concentration, as well as in linguistics, comparative literature, cultural studies, international studies, international business, teaching, or law.

The language and culture major is designed to enable intermediate to advanced students to maximize their competency in language skills and cultural proficiency by placing an emphasis on communication, practical applications, research and analysis, language fluency, and cultural knowledge and understanding. In French and Spanish, two options are offered in the language and culture major to enable undergraduate students with varying needs to reach their potential in language and culture proficiencies. Option A is called the International Residency/Internship option and requires a threemonth foreign residency and a tenweek work internship with an international component; preferably, the internship will be completed abroad. Option B: Integrated Skills requires additional coursework and a 120- to 150-hour community-based or foreign work internship with either a multicultural or an international component; the internship may be completed locally or abroad.

The language and culture major is also designed to increase students' preparedness to enter the work world. To this end, both options require the student to complete either a minor or a second major in another field.

Accelerated Baccalaureate

The language and culture major is an option for students participating in the Accelerated Baccalaureate Degree Program. For information on this program, see printed catalog page 145.

Admission to the Major

To be admitted into the language and culture baccalaureate program, students must have:

1. Completed the equivalent of the first and second years of French, German, or Spanish at the college level;

2. Attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in all coursework;

3. Attained a cumulative GPA of a least 3.0 in all coursework in the language option chosen; and

4. Demonstrated an oral proficiency level equivalent to intermediate mid on the scale published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Requirements for Major

Students in all languages and options complete the following minimum requirements:

1. All core curriculum and baccalaureate degree requirements as stated beginning on printed catalog page 30.

2. A core of cultural credits (8 credits).

3. Interdisciplinary electives in related fields (8 credits).

4. A set of language-specific core credits (20 credits).

5. All language electives of either Option A: International Residency/Internship or Option B: Integrated Skills.

6. A culture-specific work experience (4-6 credits).

7. A capstone project (2-4 credits).

8. A minor or a second major.

9. The research paper requirement, which must be met by completing Fr 316, GL 303, or Span 312 in courses on the SOU Ashland campus.

10. A minimum 3.0 GPA in all upper division coursework in the language of specialization.

11. At least 16 credits of the major must be completed in courses offered on the SOU campus in Ashland. Contact the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures for specific courses that must be taken on the Ashland campus to meet individual language option requirements.

Students in Option A in all languages also complete the following:

1. A twelve-week foreign residency in the culture of concentration.

2. A final senior interview.

Language and Culture Core Courses

(required of all students)

All students complete the 8-credit culture core, the 8 credits of electives in related fields, and the 20-credit upper division language core in the language of specialization—French, German, or Spanish—as listed below.

Culture Core Requirements (8 credits)

Eight (8) credits of upper division courses in fields related to the language of specialization. Students may use required minor (or second major) courses to meet this requirement. See advisor for approval of courses.

Language Core Requirements

(20 credits)

1. Complete 12 credits in the language of specialization:

2. Complete 8 credits in the language of specialization:

Language and Culture Options

After completing the above requirements, students select either Option A: International Residency/Internship or Option B: Integrated Skills. Option B is only available in French and Spanish.

Option A: International Residency/Internship

French, German, Spanish (18 credits)

Language Electives (12 credits)

Choose 12 credits from the language of specialization.

French

German

Spanish

Internship

(minimum of 6 credits)

Under Option A, the internship comprises a minimum of 6 credits (Fr 408, GL 408, or Span 408), covers a minimum of ten weeks of fulltime work, has an international focus, and, preferably, is completed abroad. Students who complete the internship in a foreign country meet the foreign residency requirement for Option A. Students in Option A who have financial or other hardships that prevent them from completing this requirement abroad may petition to fulfill it locally in an approved internship in which the language of specialization is used in an international context.

The internship is undertaken once the student has achieved an appropriate level of oral, aural, reading, writing, and cultural proficiency, usually toward the end of the junior year. The internship project or projects are carried out in the language of specialization and are overseen by a member of the foreign languages and literatures faculty. The internship includes statements of work objectives, journals, interviews, reports, and employer evaluation.

Foreign Residency Requirement and Study Abroad

(no specific credit)

Option A: International Residency/Internship in all languages requires a minimum threemonth residency abroad in an approved international work or study program in a country where the language of specialization is spoken. International experience gained prior to entering the program may fulfill this requirement, upon approval of the advisor.

Capstone

(2 credits)

All students must complete a capstone project in the language of specialization that demonstrates the skills and knowledge acquired during the completion of the major.

Choose from the following:

Under Option A in all languages, the student, in consultation with a faculty member, designs an independent research project (Fr 490, GL 490, or Span 490). The capstone reflects the student's personal interests and career goals and, with advisor approval, may be linked to the internship. The project results in an analytical research paper and an annotated bibliography written in the student's language of specialization. Capstones may be in the areas of language, literature, or culture. An oral presentation of the project is made in the target language to the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures faculty. Spanish students in Option A may also choose the Span 498 capstone course (see Option B below) to fulfill their capstone requirement.

Senior Interview

(no credit)

During the final quarter of the student's program, the student must complete a senior interview as specified above. The interview must be with a faculty member other than the student's advisor.

Option B: Integrated Skills

French or Spanish (22 credits)

Language Electives (18 credits)

1. Choose 6 credits in the language of specialization:

2. Choose 12 credits in the language of specialization:

Foreign Residency and Study Abroad

Option B: Integrated Skills (French and Spanish) encourages students to take advantage of the many varied and high-quality study abroad programs available, but it does not require students to study or reside abroad. Approved study abroad and OUS exchange program credit is accepted as approved by the advisor.

CultureBased Work Experience (4 credits)

Complete the culturebased work experience (minimum of 120 hours) in the language of specialization.

Under Option B, the internship offers a minimum of 4 credits (Fr 408, Span 408), covers the minimum equivalent of three weeks, may have either an international or multicultural focus, and is completed in an advisor-approved internship or practicum undertaken locally or abroad.

The culture-based community work experience under Option B is undertaken once the student has achieved an appropriate level of oral, aural, reading, writing, and cultural proficiency, usually toward the end of the junior year. The Option B internship project or projects are carried out in the language of specialization and are overseen by a member of the foreign languages and literatures faculty. The internship includes statements of work objectives, journals, interviews, reports, and an employer evaluation.

Capstone (2 credits)

All students must complete a capstone project that demonstrates the skills and knowledge acquired during the completion of the major.

Under Option B in Spanish, the student completes a reading, research, and writing project in a senior capstone seminar (Span 498, 4 credits). The capstone project results in an analytical research paper and annotated bibliography based on the seminar topic. The paper and bibliography follow standard MLA rules and are written in Spanish; they are then presented in Spanish to the faculty of foreign languages and literatures. Two credits from the capstone seminar may be applied toward the language electives with advisor approval. (Spanish students in Option A may also choose this course to fulfill their capstone requirement.)

Minors

Students may earn a minor in French, German, or Spanish by completing 24 upper division credits in one language.

French

Required Courses

Select 24 upper division credits in French as follows. At least 8 credits must be in courses taken on the SOU campus in Ashland.

Choose 8 credits from the following:

*These courses may be used as electives when not used to fulfill requirements above.

German

Required Courses

Select 24 upper division credits in German as follows. At least 8 credits must be taken in courses on the SOU campus in Ashland.

Select 12 credits from the following:

Spanish

Required Courses

Select 24 credits of upper division courses in Spanish. Span 312 and 301, 322, or 323 (total of 8 credits) must be taken in courses on the SOU campus in Ashland.

Optional electives (0-4) chosen from:

Teacher Licensing

Students who want to teach French, German, or Spanish at the middle school or high school level in Oregon public schools must complete a bachelor's degree in Spanish, or the language and culture degree with an emphasis in French, German, or Spanish, before applying for admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at SOU. Interested students should consult the department chair for an appropriate advisor and the Education Department regarding admission requirements for the MAT teacher education program.

This competitive program requires students to prepare in advance to enhance their chances of acceptance into the program. Practica, internships, and volunteer experiences working with children in the public schools prior to application to the MAT program are required.

Study Abroad

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures strongly recommends and encourages its students to participate in any of the study abroad opportunities available through the Oregon University System (OUS) or Southern Oregon University. There are OUS programs in Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, and Mexico. Southern Oregon University has an exchange program with the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. For most yearlong programs, students must complete two years of study in the foreign language prior to participation.

Credit earned for study abroad programs is transferred back to the home campus. Financial aid can be used for these programs. Students interested in these programs should consult the director of international programs or faculty members of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

 

This material is from the 2000-2001
Southern Oregon University Catalog.

Page revised August 14, 2000
Copyright 2000, Southern Oregon University.
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