Department of Languages and Literatures

Regents’ Professors: Foster, Keller

Professors: Alexander, Baldini, Ballon-Aguirre, Chambers, Croft, Ekmanis, Guntermann, Horwath, Losse, Valdivieso, Volek, Wetsel, Williams, Wixted, T. Wong

Associate Professors: Acereda, Candela, Canovas, Choi, Colina, Garcia-Fernández, W. Hendrickson, Hernández-G., B. Lafford, Ossipov, Rees, Reiman, Sanchez, Suwarno, Tompkins, Urioste-Azcorra, Vitullo

Assistant Professors: Cashman, George, Gilfillan, Ginsburg, Gruzinska, Haberman, Orlich, Siegel-Valdes, Tipton

Senior Lecturer: Foard

Lecturers: Cao, S. Hendrickson, Lage, Martinez, Petersen, Poudrier, Shimomura, Stiftel, Walton-Ramirez, E. Wong, Zhang

Instructors: Deal, Le, Oh, Pang

Associate Research Professional: P. Lafford

Academic Associate: Glessner

Research Associate Professor: Sipka

BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE - Back to Top

The faculty in the Department of Languages and Literatures offer majors in Asian Languages (Chinese/Japanese), French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Each major consists of 45 semester hours, of which 30 must be in one language and 15 in a second language or in closely related fields to be approved by the advisor in consultation with the student. Of the 30 hours required for the major, a minimum of 24 hours must be taken at the 300 or 400 level and must include at least nine hours at the 400 level. Specific required courses for each major area are shown in this section and in a brochure available in the department. See College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “College Degree Requirements.”

MAJORS - Back to Top

Asian Languages (Chinese/Japanese)—B.A. - Back to Top

Students majoring in Asian Languages (Chinese/Japanese) may select a course of study that focuses on either language. The major requires 45 semester hours.

Chinese. At least nine semester hours must be at the 400 level. In addition to the courses shown below, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least 15 semester hours of courses, including six semester hours of JPN prefix courses such as Japanese language and calligraphy, Japanese literature in Translation (FLA 421) or KOR prefix courses such as Korean language and/or Korean culture, and nine semester hours from appropriate courses in art, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and business.

Japanese. At least nine semester hours must be taken from FLA 421, and JPN 321 and 414. No more than eight semester hours may be selected from JPN 309, 310, 311, and 312.

In addition to these courses, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least 15 semester hours of courses, including six semester hours of CHI prefix courses such as Chinese language and calligraphy, Chinese literature in translation (CHI 321 and 322 and FLA 420) or KOR prefix courses such as Korean language and/or Korean culture. At least three semester hours must be in an approved course that provides an overview of Japanese history. The remaining hours may consist of appropriate courses in art, humanities, literature, public programs, social and behavioral sciences, business, etc.

French—B.A. - Back to Top

Select 15 semester hours from the following list, including at least nine semester hours from the 400 level:

In addition to the courses, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least 15 semester hours of courses from appropriate social and behavioral science, humanities, business courses, and other language courses.

German—B.A. - Back to Top

In addition to these courses, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least 15 semester hours of courses from appropriate social and behavioral science, humanities, business courses, and other language courses.

Italian—B.A. - Back to Top

Note: ITA 315 Italian for Business may be substituted for either ITA 311 or 312.

Fifteen semester hours are required from the following list, including at least nine semester hours from the 400 level:

In addition to the courses shown above, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least 15 semester hours of courses from appropriate social and behavioral science, humanities, business courses, and other language courses.

Russian—B.A. - Back to Top

Note: Heritage speakers and other advanced speakers of Russian are, with permission from the Slavic language section head, admitted into a separate track for completion of the major. That track entails completion of 12 of the above semester hours (six semester hours of RUS 495, SLV 498 [or SLV 498], and SLV 304), to be accompanied by 18 additional semester hours from the list below (excluding RUS 303, 411, 412, and 417). At least 12 of the additional 18 semester hours must be at the 400 level.

Nine semester hours are required from the following list, including at least six semester hours from the 400 level:

In addition to the 30 semester hours of course work required for the major, students majoring in Russian must take 15 additional semester hours from a list of approved courses in related fields, at least six semester hours of which must be taken at the upper-division level. Related fields courses should be chosen in consultation with an advisor. Russian majors are encouraged to take related Slavic/East European language courses in the annual summer Critical Languages Institute (CLI). CLI courses may be applied toward the related field requirements.

Spanish—B.A. - Back to Top

In addition to these courses, the student must meet with an advisor and choose at least six semester hours of courses from appropriate social and behavioral science, humanities, business, and other romance language courses.

SPA 311 and 312 are not counted toward the major or minor in Spanish.

MINORS - Back to Top

Each minor in Asian Languages (Chinese/Japanese), French, German, Italian, and Russian consists of 18 semester hours, of which 12 semester hours must be in the upper division. The Spanish minor requires 18 upper-division semester hours. In addition, specific required courses for each area follow and are in a brochure in the department.

Chinese - Back to Top

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses.

French - Back to Top

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses. Twelve hours must be at the 300 level or above.

German - Back to Top

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses.

Italian - Back to Top

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses.

Japanese - Back to Top

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses.

Russian - Back to Top

RUS 211 and 212 are the only lower-division courses that may count toward the Russian minor.

Consult with the departmental advisor for other courses.

Spanish - Back to Top

The minor in Spanish requires a minimum of 18 upper-division semester hours.

SPA 311 and 312 are not counted toward the major or minor in Spanish.

CERTIFICATES AND EMPHASES - Back to Top

The following are certificate programs or emphases offered in the Department of Languages and Literatures. For more information, see College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Certificate Programs and Areas of Emphasis.”

Asian Studies Certificate. Foreign language students majoring in Asian Languages (Chinese/Japanese) may elect to pursue an Asian Studies Certificate combining courses from the major with selected outside courses of predominantly Asian content.

Classical Studies. Any undergraduate major can earn a certificate in classical studies

Latin American Studies Certificate. Foreign language students majoring in Spanish may elect to pursue a Latin American Studies Certificate combining courses from the major with selected outside courses of wholly Latin American content.

Russian and East European Studies Certificate. Any undergraduate major can earn a Russian and East European Studies Certificate by successfully completing one of the options mentioned in the section on College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Russian and East European Studies.”

Scandinavian Studies Certificate. Any undergraduate major can earn a Scandinavian Studies Certificate.

Southeast Asian Studies Certificate. To earn a Southeast Asian Studies Certificate, a student must complete a minimum of 40 semester hours of course work related to Southeast Asia, including two years (20 semester hours) of a Southeast Asian language.

Translation Certificate (Spanish/English). The Translation Certificate program is designed to provide the advanced training required for professional translation in both public and private sectors, preparation for the rigorous examinations required by national and international agencies, and training as an ancillary skill for professional fields, such as international business, public health and medicine, and law, in accordance with guidelines recommended by the American Translators’ Association. The certificate is a nondegree program consisting of 15 semester hours of course work and two hours of in-service practicum primarily into the receptor language of English from the source language of Spanish. It may be taken simultaneously with course work leading to an undergraduate degree, as a related area sequence, or as the sole program of study for members of the community who meet the admission requirements of the certificate program and are enrolled in the university. A complete brochure is available at the Department of Languages and Literatures in LL 440.

While the certificate program is not yet available in French, FRE translation courses may be available. See the Schedule of Classes for course offerings.

Admission Requirements. Since entrance to professional translation is through work, cultural experience, and examination, the two entrance requirements to this certificate program are (1) written proficiency examination in the source and the receptor languages at the level of completion of the fourth year or most advanced composition course in Spanish, which at ASU is SPA 412, and (2) either an academic year at a university in a Spanish-speaking country, an extensive work experience using Spanish, or demonstrated bilingual facility, both written and oral, in English and Spanish.

Certificate Requirements. The certificate program consists of the following requirements:

Also required are nine hours of applied translation electives in specialized areas chosen from the following courses:

B.I.S. CONCENTRATIONS - Back to Top

Students seeking to focus on a language as one of their concentration areas for the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree may choose from Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Spanish for native speakers, and translation (Spanish/English). They may also choose from any of the approved certificate programs. The requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) concentrations are the same as for the minor in that language. See “Minors” for specific course requirements. For more information, see Division of Undergraduate Academic Services, see “Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.”

SECONDARY EDUCATION—B.A.E. - Back to Top

This degree is offered through the Initial Teacher Certification program in the College of Education. Students pursuing a major in Secondary Education have an advisor in the College of Education and an advisor within the department of their academic specialization area.

See “College of Education” for information on admission eligibility requirements, admission deadlines, field experiences, and student teaching. For more information, or to schedule an appointment with an advisor, call the Office of Student Services in the College of Education at 480/965-5555.

French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Each of the major teaching fields in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish consists of 45 semester hours, of which 30 must be in one language and 15 in a second language or in closely related fields to be approved by the advisor in consultation with the student. Of the 30 hours required for the academic specialization, a minimum of 24 hours must be taken at the 300 or 400 level and must include at least nine hours at the 400 level. Specific required courses for each major area are listed in curriculum check sheets of the individual language areas available in the department.

Applications are not being accepted at this time for Chinese and Russian.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS - Back to Top

The faculty in the Department of Languages and Literatures offer programs leading to the M.A. degree in French, German, and Spanish and the Ph.D. degree in Spanish. See the Graduate Catalog for requirements.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONS - Back to Top

The sequence of two semesters, listed under numbers 107 and 207 in two languages (French and Spanish), integrates an accelerated study, a functional approach to course design, and preparation for international professions (e.g., business, diplomacy, international political economy). It is parallel to the traditional sequence of 101 through 202 and also satisfies the college’s foreign language requirement. The sequence differs from traditional basic language programs in that all aspects of the language—vocabulary, grammar, and skill development—are practiced within the context of authentic communication for social and professional purposes in the target culture. Classes meet eight hours weekly, for eight semester hours in each of two semesters.

Students who have had success in learning one foreign language are encouraged to join this program in a second language. Students should contact the Department of Languages and Literatures before registration.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT - Back to Top

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires knowledge of one foreign language equivalent to the completion of two years’ study at the college level. This normally includes a sequence of courses numbered 101 and 102 and 201 and 202 or 107 and 207. However, important exceptions exist in Greek, Latin, Portuguese, and Romanian.

Greek. To satisfy the foreign language requirement, students must take GRK 301 and 302.

Latin. Students must take LAT 201 before entering LAT 202 or must have completed at least three years of high school Latin before entering LAT 202 to satisfy the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement.

Portuguese. To satisfy the foreign language requirement, students must take POR 314 or a higher numbered POR course.

Romanian. To satisfy the foreign language requirement, students must complete ROM 314.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLACEMENT - Back to Top

Students who transfer from other postsecondary institutions with foreign language credits below the 202 level are placed in a course at the level directly above the work completed.

Students who have completed their secondary education at a school in which the language of instruction was not English are considered to have satisfied the foreign language requirement. Certification of this status is made at the time of admission to ASU.

Questions should be addressed to the International Admissions program within Undergraduate Admissions. For more information, call 480/965-2688, or visit the Web site at www.asu.edu/admissions.

The foreign language requirement can be met in languages not taught at ASU either by transferring credit from another institution or by passing a proficiency examination. When possible, the Department of Languages and Literatures recommends to the college an appropriate source for such examinations and proctors them. Grading is done by the institution that provides the examination, and the student pays any costs incurred. The examination can be used only to demonstrate proficiency; it does not produce semester hours of credit.

Students desiring placement above the 101-level course in French, German, or Spanish should take the placement exam for that language in the Computer Language Laboratory in LL 65.

Ordinarily, no placement or proficiency examination is administered to students who wish to continue studying languages for which high school credits have been earned. Students should be guided by the following principles of equivalency: (1) one unit (one academic year) of high school-level study is considered, for placement purposes only, to equal one semester of study of the same language at the university level. Thus, students with one year of high school study would enroll in the second semester course (102); students with two years of high school study, in the third semester course (201), and so on. (2) Students who feel that their high school language preparation was inadequate may choose to place themselves in a lower level, but not lower than 111 with two or three years of high school study and 201 with four years of high school study.

Students with prior knowledge of a language may meet the college foreign language requirement in any one of the following ways:

1. by satisfactory results in a nonrepeatable college-approved proficiency examination;
    
2. by achieving a grade of at least “C” in the last course of the required sequence; or
    
3. by achieving a grade of at least “C” in a course taught in the language for which the last course of the required sequence is a prerequisite.
    

Students are expected to follow the progressive sequence of 100, 200, and 300. Once a grade of “C” or higher is earned in a 300-level class in a language, students may not earn lower-division credit in that language.

First-year foreign language courses taught by the Department of Languages and Literatures are not open to students who have spent one or more years in a country where that language is the predominant language. Individual language areas may have different policies. Students with questions about this policy should check with the appropriate language coordinator in the department.

If transfer students are uncertain about course equivalencies, they should contact the Department of Languages and Literatures.

LANGUAGE LABORATORY REQUIREMENT - Back to Top

All students enrolled in 101, 102, 201, and 202 language courses are expected to spend a minimum of one hour per week in the language laboratory or in other assigned audio-lingual tape exercises in addition to the regular class periods.

Page Last Updated: November 16, 2005 | Visits to this page: | Web Site Feedback | Copyright © Arizona Board of Regents