World Languages and Cultures

Faculty

Linda Ledford-Miller, Ph.D., Chair
Richard J. Bourcier, Ph.D. (Emeritus)
Marzia Caporale, Ph.D.
Frank A. Cimini, M.A., L.H.D. (Emeritus)
Joyce M. Hanks, Ph.D. (Emeritus)
Thomas A. Kamla, Ph.D. (Emeritus)
Robert A. Parsons, Ph.D.
Virginia A. Picchietti, Ph.D.
Sergio Ramirez-Franco, Ph.D.
Jamie H. Trnka, Ph.D.
Joseph P. Wilson, Ph.D.
Habib K. Zanzana, Ph.D.

Overview

The program of the World Languages and Cultures Department is designed to enable students to read, write, speak and comprehend one or more world languages; to think and express themselves logically, precisely and critically in one or more world languages; to acquire skills in literary criticism by reading representative foreign authors; to gain insight into the evolution of the culture and civilization of foreign peoples as reflected in their literature.

The Bachelor of Arts program in Classical Languages gives students a solid foundation in Latin and Greek to engender an appreciation of the liberal aspects of Classical studies. Classics majors are encouraged to take their junior year abroad at Loyola University’s Rome Center of Liberal Arts, with which The University of Scranton is affiliated.

World Languages and Cultures majors and students pursuing teaching certification must complete 36 credits in one language beginning with the intermediate level if it is modern, and the elementary level if it is classical. Modern Language majors normally take at least 12 credits in a second language, either modern or classical, as their cognate. A double major may be pursued by taking 36 credits in one language, beginning with the intermediate or elementary level, and by satisfying the major and cognate requirements of another department. The placement of students at a particular foreign-language level is the responsibility of the department.

The department urges students to study abroad during their junior year. In addition, it strongly recommends that students who spend the entire junior year abroad plan their studies carefully, so that they will be able to take at least one course per semester in their major language during the senior year.

Minors in Language

French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Spanish: 18 credits at the intermediate level or higher.

Portuguese: 15 credits consisting of PORT 110, PORT 210, and two advanced Portuguese courses.

Minors in Arabic, Japanese and Russian are sometimes possible, depending upon the availability of courses in these languages or through study abroad . They consist of 18 credits at the elementary level or higher. For Russian: 16 credits consisting of RUSS 110, RUSS 210 and 6 additional credits.

Students who minor in two languages must complete 12 credits in each language beginning at the intermediate level or higher.

Elementary courses in any language are not open to students who have studied two or more years of the same language in high school. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Department of World Languages and Cultures.

World Languages and Cultures Curriculum
Dept. and No.				Descriptive Title of Course	Credits
				FIRST YEAR	FALL	SPRING
MAJOR (GE HUMN)		LANG 1 211-212 or 311-312		Intermediate or Conversation/Composition	3	3
COGNATE		LANG 101-102 or 211-212		Second Modern or Classical Language	3	3
GE SPCH- RTG		COMM 100 - WRTG 107		Public Speaking - Composition	3	3
GE QUAN		MATH 106 or 107		Quantitative Methods I or II		3
GE C/IL		C/IL 102		Computing and Information Literacy	3
GE PHIL-T/RS		PHIL 120 - T/RS 121		Intro. to Phil. - Theology I	3	3
GE FSE -PHED		INTD 100 - PHED ELECT		Freshman Seminar - Physical Education	1	1
					16	16
				SECOND YEAR
MAJOR		LANG 311-312 1		Adv. Conversation - Comp.	3	3
COGNATE		LANG 211-212 or 311-312		Second Modern or Classical Language	3	3
GE HUMN		HUMN ELECT		Humanities Electives	3	3
GE NSCI		NSCI ELECT		Natural Science Electives	3	3
GE PHlL - T/RS		PHIL 210 - T/RS 122		Ethics - Theology II	3	3
GE PHED		PHED ELECT		Physical Education	1	1
					16	16
				THIRD YEAR
MAJOR		LANG ELECT2		Advanced Lang. Electives	6	6
COGNATE		LANG-ELECT		Language Elective - Electives	3	6
GE PHIL-T/RS		PHIL - T/RS ELECT		Philosophy or T/RS Elective	3
GE S/BH		S/BH ELECT		Social/Behavioral Electives	3	3
GE ELECT		ELECT		Free Electives	3	3
					18	18
				FOURTH YEAR
MAJOR		LANG		Advanced Lang. Electives	6	6
COGNATE		ELECT		Cognate Electives	3	3
GE ELECT		ELECT		Free Electives	6	6
					15	15
					Total: 130 Credits
1 Students who begin language at the Advanced (311) level will take 6 fewer credits in the major and 6 more credits in the cognate or free elective area in either the junior or senior year. In their second year, they will choose advanced language electives. 2 Spanish majors will take SPAN 320-321 and three of the following four courses: SPAN 313, 314, 330, 331.