Department of World Languages and Cultures

David C. Julseth (chair), Paulo J. Boero, Christopher Born, Cheryl Brown, Kaitlyn M. Holland, Parker Lawson, Qingjun Li, Mitch McCoy, Cecilia Moix*, Francesca Muccini, Natalia Pelaz, Regine Schwarzmeier, John Gale*, Mei Yen Cracraft*, Abigail Smith*, and Hannah Garcia*.

*Part-time.

Vision:

The Department of World Languages and Cultures 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 World Languages and Cultures 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 World Languages and Cultures 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 the Department of World Languages and Cultures. 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:

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.
By completing 40 hours in one or a combination of the following categories:
1. Attending conversation hours in an appropriate language with a native speaker.
2. Attending language club events that are conducted in the language.
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.