Foreign Languages and Literatures

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344 David M. French Hall
(810) 762-3370
Fax: (810) 762-3066
http://www.umflint.edu/fll

Chair: Dr. D. J. Trela

Administrative Support Staff:
Finances - Lesa Callcut
Public Relations & Advising - Mandy Myers
Personnel & Course Scheduling - Cassie Walker

Full-time Lecturers: Dr. Mohamed Daassa, Dr. Jing Fu and Dr. Dolores Pons-Hervás

Professors Emeriti: Dr. Juan E. Mestas, Dr. Paul E. O’Donnell, Dr. Frank C. Richardson (deceased); Associate Professor Emeritus: Dr. Douglas E. Miller

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures provides a sequence of courses that leads to familiarity with a particular foreign language and the experience associated with that language. Students may select language programs necessary to their development as educated and aware individuals, and to their pursuit of a career goal. These programs aid students in acquiring fluency in a language, acquiring a thorough understanding of a foreign culture, and experiencing a variety of linguistic approaches to the world.

Foreign language concentration programs aim at mastery of the language, an understanding of its literature and culture, and a knowledge of the linguistic processes which make up a native speaker’s competence. Such knowledge is needed for teaching, for graduate work, and for other careers requiring specialized linguistic knowledge and skill. All courses, however, are open to any student who has satisfied the prerequisites.

Department Mission and Program Assessment

The goal of the Foreign Languages Department is to provide students with an opportunity to become conversant with the languages and cultures of other nations. This mission is consistent with institutional purposes and College core curriculum goals. The Department fosters the development of proficient oral and written communication skills in various foreign languages. Also, as an integral part of a liberal arts curriculum, its programs offer instruction that is necessary to the development of educated and aware individuals who are capable of adapting to a changing and increasingly diverse world. The Foreign Languages Department offers opportunities for study that promote the understanding and value of human, cultural, and ethnic diversity. The Department participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://www.umflint.edu/assessment.

Programs in Foreign Languages

General programs, honors programs, teacher’s certificate programs, and combination programs in language and linguistics and in language and international studies are offered in French and Spanish, as well as minors in Mandarin Chinese , French and Francophone Studies , German  and Hispanic Language and Literary Studies . Courses in Arabic, American Sign Language, Japanese, Latin and Russian are also available.

Arabic (ARB)

There is no concentration program in Arabic. However, Arabic courses are available.

American Sign Language (ASL)

There is no concentration program in American Sign Language. However, introductory American Sign Language courses are available.

Mandarin Chinese (CHN)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jing Fu

Programs in Mandarin Chinese

A Minor in Mandarin Chinese  is available.

French (FRN)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mohammed Daasa

Programs in French

A Minor in French (FRN)   is available.

French and Francophone Studies (FFS)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mohamed Daasa

The French and Francophone Studies program offers courses taught in English that deal with topics in French and Francophone language, literature and culture from a linguistic and/or humanities perspective. The program is offered in response to the growing interest in fostering a culturally sensitive and historically contextualized approach to the study of language, literature and culture, and to address students’ interest and desire to learn about French and Francophone literatures and cultures without necessarily learning the French language in depth.

Programs in French and Francophone Studies (FFS)

A Minor in French and Francophone Studies  is available.

German (GER)

Faculty Advisor: Ms. Elke Kramer

Programs in German

A Minor in German  is available.

Hispanic Language and Literary Studies (HLS)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jamile Lawand

The Hispanic Language and Literary Studies program offers courses taught in English that deal with topics in hispanophone languages and literatures from a linguistic, humanities, and literary perspective. The program is offered in response to the growing interest in programs that foster a culturally sensitive and historically contextualized approach to language and literary studies, and is intended to address students’ interest and desire to learn more about hispanophone languages and literatures without necessarily learning the Spanish language in depth.

Programs in Hispanic Language and Literary Studies

A Minor in Hispanic Language and Literary Studies  is available.

Japanese (JPN)

There is no concentration program in Japanese. However, introductory Japanese courses are available.

Spanish (SPN)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jamile Lawand

Programs in Spanish

Five concentration programs are offered, all leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree: the General Program in Spanish , the Honors Program in Spanish , the Program in Spanish and Linguistics , the Program in Spanish and International Studies , and the Teacher’s Certificate Program in Spanish . A Minor in Spanish  and a Teacher’s Certificate Minor in Spanish  are also available.

Students selecting a concentration in Spanish are expected to have completed the equivalent of SPN 111  in high school. If not, they must go beyond the 120 credits normally needed to graduate.

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