The Department of Foreign Languages is committed to graduating women and men proficient in the second language of their choice, conscious and accepting of the crucial role language, culture and humanistic literacy play in the diverse world of the 21st century. We recognize the need to instill respect for multicultural awareness, historical and global perspectives, tolerance and appreciation for the traditions from which we as individuals and those around us spring.
To achieve this goal we accept the need as teachers and mentors to keep pace with and apply the technological and pedagogical developments that can facilitate the accomplishment of this vision. Our curriculum aims to produce graduates who are functionally proficient in all five skill areas -- speaking, reading, writing, listening and culture -- described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines as well as the ACTFL Standards for Foreign Language Learning.
While significant emphasis is placed on the functional application of languages, the department vigorously continues to teach the traditional literatures of the present concentrations in French, German and Spanish. We strive also to expand the canon of these literatures to include as diverse a variety of time periods, geographical, and ethnic elements as possible. In addition to its current concentrations, the department will aggressively seek to provide training in other languages as need and opportunity arise.
