Foreign Languages and Literatures

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

Interim Chair: Guluma Gemeda
Principal Secretary: Gayle C. Marcum
Spanish Basic Course Coordinator: Dr. Dolores Pons-Hervas
Professors Juan E. Mestas, Paul E. O’Donnell; Associate Professors Imane A. Hakam, Jamile T. Lawand, Rafael H. Mojica
Professors Emeriti Dr. Theophilus Lynch, Dr. Frank C. Richardson, Dr. Birgitta J. Vance; 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

Concentration programs, combination programs in language and linguistics and in language and international studies, Honors Programs, Teacher’s Certificate Programs and Minors, and general minors are offered in French and Spanish. Courses in Arabic, German, Japanese, Latin and Russian are also available.

Arabic (ARB)

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

Mandarin Chinese (CHN)

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

French (FRN)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Imane Hakam 

Programs in French

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

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

French and Francophone Studies (FFS)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Imane Hakam 

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)

The concentration programs in German have been placed in moratorium. This means that for an unspecified length of time the Department is not offering concentrations or minors in German. However, introductory German courses, GER 205  and GER 392  are available.

Hispanic Language and Literary Studies (HLS)

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Jamile Lawand, Dr. Rafael Mojica, Dr. Paul O’Donnell

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 Studies

A Minor in Hispanic Language and Literary Studies  is available.

Japanese (JPN)

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

Latin (LAT)

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

Russian (RUS)

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

Spanish (SPN)

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Jamile Lawand, Dr. Rafael Mojica, Dr. Paul O’Donnell

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.