Instructional Program
The instructional
program of the Department of Foreign
Languages is designed to afford students
the opportunity to begin and/or continue
the study of Arabic, Chinese, French,
German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish
languages, literatures and cultures.
- The first and second year language courses
develop your confidence and competence in speaking,
reading, writing, and understanding and help you
feel at ease with the culture.
- Intermediate and advanced skills courses offer
work in conversation, composition, phonetics and
diction.
- A variety of literature courses in French,
German and Spanish is offered. You will read,
discuss and write about works by internationally
known authors.
- Culture and civilization courses focus on
particular themes: "Post-Reunification Germany",
"Trends in Modern French Thought", and "Spain since
Franco" are recent offerings.
Majors and Minors
The Department
of Foreign Languages offers majors and minors in French,
German, and Spanish, as well as a minor in teaching
English as a Second Language. In addition to traditional
language majors, majors with a concentration in culture
studies are also available in French, German and
Spanish. A concentration in French, German and Spanish
is offered for business majors. Teacher certification is
offered in French, German, Spanish, and English as a
Second Language.
Teacher Certification in ESL
The ESL minor for
teacher certification prepares students to teach English
to speakers of other languages. It consists of 24-26
credits (including at least one year of college-level
foreign language), the methods of teaching ESL and
student teaching. The ESL minor can enhance employment
opportunities in virtually any teaching field. Contact:
Professor T. Barske.
Department Features
The Department
faculty consists of 10 faculty members, three in French,
three in German, four in Spanish and one in Chinese. The
Department maintains a computerized Language Laboratory
and Materials Center in the Collins Classroom Center,
room 305. The laboratory is open daily for students in
all courses to work with various materials including
audio, video and multimedia computer programs as well as
international television, magazines and newspapers.
Language and Culture House
Living in the
"Language House" of Baldwin Hall brings the language you
are studying alive, with the help of native speakers and
informal cultural and social activities.
Clubs: French, German, Spanish
These student
organizations meet regularly and offer a variety of
activities. They provide an excellent opportunity to get
to know your fellow students and faculty members. The
clubs also sponsor language tables which meet regularly
for informal conversation.
Study Abroad
In addition to
its on-campus offerings, UWSP offers study abroad
programs in France, Germany, Mexico and Spain. Most
students find study abroad one of their most rewarding
experiences. A semester in Valladolid, Magdeburg, or
Caen offers a great opportunity for learning the
language and culture directly. These programs offer full
academic credit.
High School Preparation
The best
preparation for college language study is four to six
years of foreign language study at the high school
level. Participation in high school exchanges abroad is
also highly desirable. With this preparation you may be
able to test into advanced language courses at UWSP
through the UW System placement exam. With advanced
placement you will be able to complete a foreign
language major or minor with relative ease. You will
also receive transcript credits toward graduation if you
are placed into an advanced course and achieve at least
a B- in that course. Advanced placement allows many
students to combine language studies with second majors
in Business, International Studies, and an unlimited
variety of other fields.
Employment Opportunities
Employment
opportunities for students with a high level of
proficiency in a language, study abroad, and expertise
in a second field are very promising. Examples of
language-related jobs of some recent graduates include
working for European companies having North American
branches, in international marketing, with airlines, as
bilingual customer service representatives, and
international account auditors.
Employment opportunities for students with teacher
certification in foreign languages are predicted to be
good to excellent in the next 10 years, as a large
number of current teachers reaches retirement age.
Recently, the job placement rate in foreign language
teaching and ESL has been close to 100%.
