World Languages and Cultures
Department website: http://www.odu.edu/languages
Elizabeth Black, Chair
Peter Schulman, Chief Departmental Advisor for French
Kerstin Steitz, Chief Departmental Advisor for German
Minori Marken, Chief Departmental Advisor for Japanese
Andrew Gordus, Chief Departmental Advisor for Spanish
Lee Slater, Chief Departmental Advisor for World Cultural Studies
Maria Gomez-Periago, Director of K-12 Teaching Licensure Programs (French, German, Spanish)
Angelica Huizar, Director of Latin American Studies
Betty Rose Facer, Director of the Language Learning Center
Foreign Language in High School
Students may be exempt from the General Education Foreign Language requirement (without credit) in one of the following ways:
- presentation of three high school credits in one foreign language or American Sign Language (ASL);
- presentation of two high school credits in each of two foreign languages or one foreign language and American Sign Language (ASL); or
- presentation of an appropriate passing score on the CEEB Foreign Language Achievement Test, internal ODU placement test, or its equivalent. Appropriate passing scores can be found below and on the Office of Admissions website.
Students who have studied a foreign language in high school for three or more years must take a placement exam before continuing in the same language. Students with less than three years of foreign language study in high school may take the placement test if they wish to begin higher than 101F or 111F; otherwise, they must begin with the 101F or 111F course. This policy does not apply to students who have advanced placement credit. Contact the Testing Center for additional information.
The General Education Foreign Language requirement as well as the foreign language proficiency requirement for the BA degree in the College of Arts and Letters may be exempted through acceptable scores in the CEEB Achievement Test in French, German or Spanish or departmentally administered examinations in other languages. Contact the Testing Center for additional information. Credit is granted for scores of 3, 4 and 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) language exams in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish and literature exams in French, Latin and Spanish. No more than nine credits will be awarded if both AP language and literature exams are submitted. Credit is also granted for scores of 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the A2 and B exams in French, German, Latin and Spanish of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Contact the department for additional information. Additional information can be found on the equivalency charts on the ODU website at https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/score-analysis/ap-ib.
Native and heritage speakers: Foreign language courses below the 300 level are not open to native speakers; native speakers are not eligible to earn credit for foreign language courses below the 300 level through coursework or external testing services such as CLEP. Heritage speakers may be eligible to take language courses below the 300 level. Both native and heritage speakers wishing to take language classes at any level should consult a foreign language faculty member for advising.
Foreign Language Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees
The College of Arts and Letters requires foreign language proficiency at the fourth-semester level for students pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees. Students pursuing all other undergraduate degrees must meet the lower-level Language and Culture general education requirement.
Students whose native language is not English are exempt from taking a foreign language for General Education. Students pursuing degrees that require proficiency beyond the 100 level must be certified by the World Languages and Cultures Department to obtain a waiver of the 200-300 level courses.
- a TOEFL exam at the time of ODU admission;
- a high school transcript showing that the student's education was primarily in another language;
- for those languages not commonly taught in the World Languages and Cultures Department, a translation exam evaluated by a faculty member indicating the student would pass the appropriate level.
Special emphasis at all levels of language instruction is placed on oral proficiency through dialogues, oral reports, class discussions and assignments in the Language Learning Center.
Language Learning Center
The goal of the Language Learning Center is to serve the needs of faculty, students and the Hampton Roads community in promoting the study of foreign languages offered at Old Dominion University through the use of technology-enhanced methods and materials. The center has been an integral part of the World Languages and Cultures Department since its inception in 1992. Serving over 1,200 students each semester from the Department of World Languages and Cultures and the English Language Center, the center is committed to instructional technology for foreign language learning and quality instruction.
Programs
Bachelor of Arts Programs
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in French (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in German (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in Japanese (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in PreK-12 French Education (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in PreK-12 German Education (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in PreK-12 Spanish Education (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in Spanish (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures with a Major in World Cultural Studies (BA)
Minor Programs
BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study. The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree. Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study. Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.
BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.
Courses
Arabic (ARAB)
This is an introductory class to Modern Standard Arabic and Middle Eastern Culture. Students are expected to reach intermediate low to intermediate mid-level. The Arabic alphabet and sounds are introduced as well as simple language in context reflecting the authentic cultural nuances dealing with simple topics ranging from family, school and hobbies. No prior knowledge is required.
Special topics in Arabic.
The class is a continuous sequence of ARAB 111F or an equivalent class. The students are expected to reach intermediate high level. The class focuses on expanding the topics of communication the students developed in the introductory class. Modern standard and Levantine Arabic will be the means of communication in class and the student will be exposed to practical grammar, authentic media and texts. The students will produce culture through role plays and group work simulations and recognize the different registers in the targeted culture through paying attention to sociolinguistic variations.
A topics course in Arabic, with topics announced prior to the semester in which they are offered.
The purpose of the class is to reinforce the vocabulary and grammar introduced in ARAB 111F and ARAB 212 through activating the learned materials and pushing the students to the advanced level. The language of interaction will be Levantine and Standard Arabic, which students will be able to manipulate to the specific language situations as in the countries this deglosic phenomenon exists. In addition to the grammar and vocabulary introduced in the textbook, the class will incorporate an extensive authentic reading component and a variety of Arabic contemporary media to reflect the linguistic and cultural aspects of the Middle East.
The class is a continuous sequence of ARAB 311 or an equivalent class. Students are expected to reach advanced low level and explore the Middle Eastern cultures through the language spoken there. Levantine and Standard Arabic are the only means of communication in this class. The class incorporates a high load of writing to express students' ideas relating to a wide variety of Middle Eastern topics and current events, which will be introduced through weekly readings and authentic media. This is a crucial class for students planning to travel to the Middle East, who want to explore the Arab world first hand.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule booklet and will be more fully described in a booklet distributed to academic advisors.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described in a booklet distributed to academic advisors.
Chinese (CHIN)
This course focuses on the fundamental elements of the Chinese language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on building a foundation of basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course includes Chinese Pinyin phonetic system, character formation, basic sentence structures, and Chinese culture and cultural activities. Students are expected to comprehend and respond to essential topics in Chinese and demonstrate their cultural awareness.
This course continues to focus on the fundamental elements of the Chinese language within a cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the development of basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course includes Chinese basic sentence patterns and real-life topics on Chinese cultural activities. Students are expected to comprehend and respond with grammatical accuracy to spoken and simple written Chinese and demonstrate their cultural awareness.
Study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest.
This course takes students to an advanced level of communicative competence and language social interaction. The course includes more complex sentence patterns and Chinese cultural activities. Students learn to respond to topics of interest to college-age students, such as campus life, career planning, and Chinese cultural traditions. Students are exposed to the speech of native speakers in real cultural situations and develop sensitivity to communicative strategies and cultural competency.
This course takes students to a higher level of communicative competence and language social interaction. The course gradually introduces more formal speech and written-style language in the real cultural context. The course trains students to interpret textual and cultural meanings and to express their opinions and cultural understanding by using connected paragraph length discourse.
Selected topics, genres, authors and/or literary, cultural, sociopolitical, or historical movements in the Chinese-speaking world. May be repeated for credit if the topic is different.
Seminars engage students in in-depth study of a specified topic through readings, research and oral and written student reports. Special attention is paid to theoretical and bibliographic issues. Topics vary according to the areas of expertise and professional interests of departmental faculty. May be repeated if topics are different.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. May be repeated for credit if the topic is different.
French (FR)
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises, and reading assignments.
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises, and reading assignments.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Graded readings with grammar review. Emphasis on civilization and culture, also on speaking and listening competency.
Graded readings with grammar review. Emphasis on civilization and culture and also speaking and listening.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for nonmajors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for nonmajors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This course is primarily a conversation course to develop linguistic and cultural proficiency in verbal communication. Task-oriented communication strategies in cross-cultural training will be practiced by presenting students with models that demonstrate appropriate linguistic and cultural competencies. Students will practice these skills by role-playing, giving presentations, enriching self-awareness with practiced in-group discussions on various topics (such as, prejudice, racism, values, and customs) that dispel stereotypes and foster more in-depth social-cultural understanding, and with participation in guided cultural encounters. Students will improve their listening and comprehension skills and deepen cultural proficiency by learning how to communicate and collaborate with other people and cultures in a global age. (This is an oral skills course.)
This is a writing intensive course designed with writing assignments that examine various cultural contexts that enable students to understand cultural content, style, audience and organization. The main objective of the course is increased awareness of and sensitivity to appropriate word choice, and syntax in the language. Students will engage in writing for different cultural audiences and in varied contexts such as literary, artistic and media expressions around the world. Special emphasis is placed on the methodology of close reading as students hone the analytics skills and vocabulary necessary to interpret idioms, regionalism, cultural expressions and overall intercultural skills observed in various genres and cultures. Students will analyze compelling global issues and the diverse cultural perspectives that inform them.
This course introduces students to social, political, economic, intellectual and artistic manifestations of France and the French-speaking world today. Students learn to analyze socio-cultural trends as well as innovations in industry as they unfold and develop by reading French and Francophone newspapers and magazines, watching news broadcasts, and exploring online content such as blogs, advertising, and social media.
Students will be introduced to a selection of French/Francophone short stories, which will give them a general sampling of a variety of different styles and periods from the 18th to the 20th century, contextualized in historical, social, political, and cultural milieux. Students will learn different ways of approaching the French short story (historical, stylistic, philosophical), what to look for in a given story (ideas, language, plot) and how to write about French prose critically and creatively.
Students will be introduced to a selection of French plays, which will give them a general sampling of a variety of different dramaturgical styles and periods from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, contextualized in the historical, social, political, and cultural milieu. Students will learn different ways of approaching French theater (historical, stylistic, philosophical), what to look for in a given play (ideas, poetry, plot) and how to write about French theater critically and creatively.
Survey of French-language literary movements and an introduction to the genre of poetry from the Middle Ages to the present day. Poems and poets are contextualized in the historical, social, political, and cultural milieux. Course aims: allow students to gain an understanding of literary developments in the French language; introduce methods of literary analysis primarily through close reading of texts; give an experience of the creative process that goes into writing fixed-form poetry; practice recitation; allow students to reflect on recurrent themes in French-language poetry; and assess the pertinence of a literary form in the creative imagination of a nation.
Students are introduced to the culture, politics, economics and commerce of modern France as they relate to the French business world, providing a background for all students regardless of specific career goals. They will learn to write and speak in a professional context and learn to apply what they have learned through the study of business documents and training in commercial correspondence. This class will also be useful preparation for those interested in internships abroad or in the U.S. (for more information about internship possibilities, contact Career Development Services in Webb Center).
Internships in private, public and business organizations that deal with foreign nationals, foreign products or are involved in teaching French.
A study of selected topics designed for non-majors, or for elective credit within a major. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
A study of selected topics designed for non-majors, or for elective credit within a major. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
This class is designed to solidify and refine students' working knowledge of written skills in the language, with an emphasis on increasing their written sophistication. Focus is on analysis of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural nuances in the syntax to examine how language reflects the ways of life and beliefs of its speakers, contrasted with the extent of language's influence on culture. Students will refine their skills in written inter-cultural communication, paying attention to idioms and the fine points of 'cultural grammar,' communicative competence and specialized discourse to develop excellent communication skills. This course is intended to prepare students for using their knowledge of language and culture in professional settings.
This course explores the cultural movements that have characterized the German-French commonalities and differences from the early 1900s through the 1990s in cross-disciplinary discourses such as film, literature, art, politics, and economics. Cross-listed with WCS 410/WCS 510.
This class is a skills-based, laboratory class on French phonetics designed to develop students' mastery of spoken French. Students will acquire a more native-like French accent and see clear correspondences between orthography and pronunciation. By using oral texts with social and cultural themes students acquire knowledge of French pronunciation in a culturally relevant way. Students additionally investigate non-standard accents from Quebec, the south of French, and Belgium.
This seminar traces the historical narratives of French colonialism up until contemporary times, examining the roots of unrest in the Maghreb and other ex-French colonies through representative political, literary, and cinematic texts relating to today's political flashpoints in the Maghreb and West Africa as well as other former French colonies. It also approaches different aspects of France's colonial and post-colonial legacy through a historical lens as students explore texts from such revolutionary leaders as Cesaire, Senghor, Memmi and others. Examination of both the revolutionary movements that propelled France's ex-colonies towards independence and France's shifting perspectives from ex-colonizer to Francophone ally.
Following a preparatory period, the political stability of the French monarchy ushers in the golden age of classicism. Representative works from comic and dramatic theater, philosophy, poetry and the evolving novel.
A study of the two main currents of ideas of the Age of Reason or Enlightenment; the rationalistic drive to question established authority, exemplified by the 'Encyclopedie' and leading to the Revolution of 1789; and the Rousseauistic return to nature and emotivity. Representative readings.
A study of the post-Revolutionary (1789) literary movements: Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Symbolism, which opened new horizons of modern science and culture in France. Representative works.
A survey of representative works and movements in 20th century French and Francophone literature.
This course will function as a survey of French film classics from the birth of cinema through contemporary times, and also shed light on various French cultural and literary movements as they are represented in film (Surrealism, WWII, Nouvelle Vague, decolonization).
The advanced study of the selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described in information distributed to all academic advisors.
The advanced study of the selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
Independent reading and study on topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
Independent reading and study on topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
German (GER)
This is the first part of a two-semester introductory German language and culture course. Through the study of German culture, such as German geography, etiquette, customs, holidays as well as university, family, and work life, students learn basic grammatical concepts and vocabulary. The communicative cultural approach, interactive in-class and homework assignments, and the inclusion of multimedia (online resources, Youtube videos, songs, texts, films, etc.) enhance the acquisition of the basic skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competency.
This is the second part of a two-semester introductory German language and culture course. Through the study of German culture, such as food and leisure culture, the German health system, and traveling in Germany, students continue to learn basic vocabulary and grammatical concepts. The communicative cultural approach, interactive in-class and homework assignments, and inclusion of multimedia (online resources, Youtube videos, songs, texts, films, etc.) enhance the acquisition of the basic skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competency.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This is the first part of a two-semester intermediate German language and culture course. Through the study of German culture, students continue to learn basic vocabulary and grammatical concepts and deepen their understanding of German culture. The communicative cultural approach, interactive in-class and homework assignments, and inclusion of multimedia (German websites, Youtube videos, songs, texts, films, etc.) enhance the acquisition of the basic skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competency.
This is the second part of a two-semester intermediate German language and culture course. Through the study of German culture, students continue to learn basic vocabulary and grammatical concepts and deepen their understanding of German culture. The communicative approach, interactive in-class and homework assignments, and inclusion of multimedia (online resources, Youtube videos, songs, texts, films, etc.) enhance the acquisition of the basic skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competency.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This course is primarily a conversation course to develop linguistic and cultural proficiency in verbal communication. Task-oriented communication strategies in cross-cultural training will be practiced by presenting students with models that demonstrate appropriate linguistic and cultural competencies. Students will practice these skills by role-playing, giving presentations, enriching self-awareness with practiced in-group discussions on various topics (such as, prejudice, racism, values, and customs) that dispel stereotypes and foster more in-depth social-cultural understanding, and with participation in guided cultural encounters. Students will improve their listening and comprehension skills and deepen cultural proficiency by learning how to communicate and collaborate with other people and cultures in a global age. (This is an oral skills course.)
This is a writing intensive course designed with writing assignments that examine various cultural contexts that enable students to understand cultural content, style, audience and organization. The main objective of the course is increased awareness of and sensitivity to appropriate word choice, and syntax in the language. Students will engage in writing for different cultural audiences and in varied contexts such as literary, artistic and media expressions around the world. Special emphasis is placed on the methodology of close reading as students hone the analytics skills and vocabulary necessary to interpret idioms, regionalism, cultural expressions and overall intercultural skills observed in various genres and cultures. Students will analyze compelling global issues and the diverse cultural perspectives that inform them.
Over the centuries, German culture and history have exerted a tremendous influence on Western Civilization. This course will trace Germany's historical and cultural development from Emperor Barbarossa's Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation to World War I. Readings will include segments from various chapters of Die Deutschen reflecting central aspects of the major cultural epochs of Western Civilization including the Middle Ages, the Age of Reformation and the Nordic Renaissance, Baroque, The Age of Enlightenment, German Classicism and Romanticism, Young Germany during the revolutionary period of 1848 and up to German Expressionism and World War I. The central themes will be complemented by a variety of other samples drawn from poetry, philosophy, music and the visual arts.
Readings and discussions of selected master works by Frisch and Durrenmatt, the two literary giants of modern Swiss literature. Topics include the multicultural aspects of modern Switzerland, the concepts 'Heimat,' provincialism versus globalism, Old World versus New World, the dialectics of myth and modernity, the mixed blessings of technology, as well as the discourse of gender ideology and matriarchal mythography. The course is complemented by a film screening and slide presentations. Readings and discussions are in German.
This course will focus on a particular German city such as Berlin, Vienna, or Munich in light of historical and cultural shifts and continuities. Students will read literary and historical texts, poetry and newspaper articles and screen films.
This is an advanced intermediate German language and culture course that prepares students for using German in professional settings. Since the course focuses on German language usage in personal, business, and employment situations, the vocabulary is geared toward living and working abroad. Students gain a deep knowledge about German business culture and social etiquette, engage in situational role-playing, create an application portfolio in German geared towards the German job market, and prepare for job interviews. The workshop format of the course, the inclusion of online resources and authentic materials provide students with hands-on immersion in German business culture. This course offers some grammar review and practice.
An extracurricular activity approved for credit based on objectives, criteria, and evaluative procedures as formally determined by the department and the student prior to the semester in which the activity is to take place. Such credit is subject to review by the provost.
Readings and critical interpretations of exemplary literary works and historical documents that reflect the various representative periods of German and European culture and history from the second half of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. In addition to understanding and appreciating these texts for their own artistic and historical value, students will also interpret them as first intellectual articulations of issues that will become central for the social and cultural history of (post-) modernity. They include the topics of religious relativism, issues of gender and sexual politics, aesthetics, social justice and multicultural diversity. The course will be complemented with video clips, films, and samples from musical history and the visual arts. Readings and discussions in German.
A study of selected topics designed for non-majors, or for elective credit within a major. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed for non-majors, or for elective credit within a major. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This class is designed to solidify and refine students' working knowledge of written skills in the language, with an emphasis on increasing their written sophistication. Focus is on analysis of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural nuances in the syntax to examine how language reflects the ways of life and beliefs of its speakers, contrasted with the extent of language's influence on culture. Students will refine their skills in written inter-cultural communication, paying attention to idioms and the fine points of 'cultural grammar' communicative competence and specialized discourse to develop excellent communication skills. This course is intended to prepare students for using their knowledge of language and culture in professional settings.
This course is designed to further develop the mastery of spoken and written German, review grammar, build vocabulary and fine-tune the student's stylistic proficiency in German. The textbook Anders gedacht is an intermediate/advanced reader that covers a wide variety of historical, political and cultural events and developments in contemporary German speaking countries. The Ubungsbuch accompanies the grammatical and thematic features of the textbook and provides further exercises. The course will be complemented by several video screenings and multi-media presentations covering a variety of aspects in contemporary German speaking culture.
This course explores the cultural movements that have characterized the German-French commonalities and differences from the early 1900s through the 1990s in cross-disciplinary discourses such as film, literature, art, politics, and economics. Cross-listed with WCS 410/WCS 510.
This course will delineate 800 years of German poetry, analyzing exemplary works within their cultural and historical context such as the courtly love tradition of the Middle Ages, the spirituality of the German Reformation, the (meta-)physical passions of the Baroque, the humanist ideals of Weimar Classicism, the profound longings and ultimate ironies of German Romanticism, fin de siecle symbolism and European decadence, the avant-garde of Weimar culture, the legacy of the Third Reich, and the poetics and politics of East/West Germany up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany. The close readings will be complemented by videos, film clips, slides and musical samples. Readings and discussions in German.
The first half of the 20th century was the most creative and destructive period in German and European history. Its rich cultural achievements included Viennese psychoanalytical theory of the turn of the century, Art Nouveau, German Expressionism, and the avant garde aesthetics of the Weimar Republic. Conversely, World War I and II exposed the cultural agony and human depravity of modern civilization. This course will trace these various aspects and developments in a variety of exemplary genres. Readings and discussions in German. (Cross-listed with WCS 445/WCS 545 and COMM 444/COMM 544)
A study of comical and satirical features in exemplary literary and visual texts ranging from late medieval broad sheets and moralistic narratives to postmodern parodies in literature, music, film and graphic design. Students will study a wide variety of texts and analyze them as critical reflections of their social and cultural contexts, which include the spiritual conflicts and religious challenges of the Age of Renaissance and Reformation, anti-Nazi collages, and the permanent quest for pleasure and entertainment in our present-day multi-media Spassgesellschaft (fun society). Readings and discussions in German.
The first half of the 20th century was the most creative and destructive period in German and European history. Its rich culture achievements included Viennese psychoanalytical theory of the turn of the century, Art Nouveau, German Expressionism in painting and poetry, and the avant garde aesthetics of the Weimar Republic (film, dance, cabaret, architecture etc). They played a central part in the evolution of a modern and postmodern sensibility. Conversely, World War I and World War II exposed the cultural agony and human depravity of modern Civilization. This course will trace these various aspects and developments in a variety of exemplary verbal and visual texts, including the genres of poetry, novella, drama, painting and film. Readings and discussions in German.
The course will cover representative literary texts and cultural events of divided and united Germany, including Heinrich Boll, Gunter Grass, Max Frisch, Christa Wolf, Doris Dorrie et al, as well as film, painting, popular music, the culture of memory and German Jewish relations after the Shoah.
A survey of seminal texts by German-Jewish philosophers and writers from the Enlightenment to the present day, including Marx, Kafka, Freud, Schnitzler and Arendt. (cross-listed with WCS 476/WCS 576).
This course provides a survey of representative examples from 200 years of German drama. Texts include plays from Weimar Classicism, Young Germany, Naturalism and Symbolism, fin de siècle Vienna, German Expressionism, Weimar Modernism, Exile Literature, "Vergangenheitsbewältigung" (texts of coming to terms with the past), and post-modern experimentalism. The course will focus on issues such as mythology, psychopathology, sexual morality, epic theater, Marxist ideology, fascism and guilt, and feminist politics and aesthetics. The readings will be complemented by screenings of various film adaptations. All readings and discussions are in German.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Independent reading and study on a topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
Independent reading and study on a topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
Hebrew (HEBR)
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises and reading assignments.
Oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises and reading assignments.
Italian (ITAL)
Aural comprehension, oral drills and discussion of grammar principles; written exercises, and reading assignments.
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles; written exercises, and reading assignments.
Aural comprehension, oral drills and discussion of grammar principles; written exercises, and readings assignments.
Aural comprehension, oral drills and discussion of grammar principles; written exercises, and reading assignments.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described in information distributed to all academic advisors.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described in information distributed to all academic advisors.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Japanese (JAPN)
This course introduces basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, including the three forms of written Japanese: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Students will have the opportunity to interact with Japanese students on campus through the coursework. The course enhances speaking and listening skills and provides awareness of the Japanese style of communication. Analyzing Japanese sentence structures and grammar leads students to be aware of the different value systems of a high context culture.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
The main focus of this course is to build communication skills, developing the basic language skills acquired in JAPN 111F. Students may have an opportunity to exchange emails with a Japanese speaker in addition to direct or online conversation. Through this interaction, skills to negotiate meaning are gained. Use of authentic TV materials introduces pragmatic features that are unique to Japanese. Through systematic explicit instruction of the skills using pragmatic elements, skills for a Japanese style of communication are enhanced.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
This course aims to develop the oral and written communicative proficiency gained up until the JAPN 212 course. Students learn vocabulary, sentence structures, kanji, communication skills, and various aspects of Japanese culture. Throughout the course, students evaluate and monitor their own progress and utilize feedback from others for further progress.
This course aims to develop the oral and written communicative proficiency gained up until the JAPN301 course. Students learn vocabulary, sentence structures, kanji, communication skills, and various aspects of Japanese culture. Throughout the course, students evaluate and monitor their own progress and utilize feedback from others for further progress.
In this course, each student will work with a Japanese speaker as a mentor to learn natural communication skills in both speaking and writing. Keeping a journal in the blog style and having the entries revised by their mentor, students will utilize a variety of learned sentence structures and expand their vocabulary.
This course introduces the basic structure of kanji, which is one of the forms of written Japanese, and the history behind its creation as well as cultural aspects of kanji usage in Japanese society. Identifying radicals or parts of kanji, and understanding the system of Kanji compounds, makes it possible to easily guess the meaning of kanji characters. Advanced reading skills are efficiently developed by guessing the meaning of kanji. Daily journal writing on authentic novels or newspaper articles builds vocabulary and enhances flexibility with reference materials.
Exploration of Japanese culture and society from local and global perspectives. Topics may include language, arts, literature, music, food, traditional and contemporary culture, entertainment, media, religion, gender, education and work. The course aims to foster in-depth cultural understanding beyond stereotypes and to develop critical thinking and analytical skills to reflect on one's own experiences and assumptions about cultural similarities and differences. All readings, discussions, and lectures in English. No knowledge of Japanese is necessary. Cross-listed with WCS 310.
This is primarily a conversation course to develop linguistic and cultural proficiency in verbal communication. Task-oriented communication strategies in cross-cultural training will be practiced by presenting students with models that demonstrate appropriate linguistic and cultural competencies. Students will practice these skills by role-playing, giving presentations, enriching self-awareness with practiced in-group discussions on various topics (such as, prejudice, racism, values, and customs) that dispel stereotypes and foster more in-depth social-cultural understanding, and with participation in guided cultural encounters. Students will improve their listening and comprehension skills and deepen cultural proficiency by learning how to communicate and collaborate with other people and cultures in a global age.
This is a writing intensive course designed with writing assignments that examine various cultural contexts that enable students to understand cultural content, style, audience and organization. The main objective of the course is increased awareness of and sensitivity to appropriate word choice and syntax in the language. Students will engage in writing for different cultural audiences and in varied contexts such as literary, artistic and media expressions around the world. Special emphasis is placed on the methodology of close reading as students hone the analytics skills and vocabulary necessary to interpret idioms, regionalism, cultural expressions and overall intercultural skills observed in various genres and cultures. Students will analyze compelling global issues and the diverse cultural perspectives that inform them.
This course explores Japanese culture and society from traditional to current perspectives. Through readings, discussions, interviews, and reflections, the course aims to foster deeper understanding of current Japanese culture where lifestyles, customs, and value systems are rapidly changing. Students have an opportunity to develop their critical thinking, especially by analyzing what they learn from their interviews with Japanese people and comparing this to information they gained from their readings. Major topics this semester include group consciousness and social relationships, food and society, history of Japanese language.
This course explores the social and cultural aspects of the Japanese language. It examines actual language use in various social settings and contexts by different people, including the use of regional dialects, gendered language, speech levels, and fictional role languages.
This course provides a study of selected topics in Japanese. Topics vary with the semester and the instructor. Expectations for materials covered and produced for the class vary with the level (higher-level classes will have higher expectations). Contact the Japanese Program Coordinator for details about specific topics covered in a given semester.
A study of selected topics in Japanese. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
This course examines Japanese conversation from a comparative perspective using the framework of Conversation Analysis. It explores the basic mechanisms of social interaction in English and Japanese spoken discourse with a particular focus on everyday talk.
This course introduces students to fundamental principles of second language acquisition (SLA) and teaches them practical skills to develop course materials and class activities informed by SLA principles. The course covers world language learning and teaching in general but focuses on Japanese as a second or world language when working on course material and activity development.
This course provides a study of selected topics in Japanese. Topics vary with the semester and the instructor. Expectations for materials covered and produced for the class vary with the level (higher-level classes will have higher expectations). Contact the Japanese Program Coordinator for details about specific topics covered in a given semester.
A study of selected topics in Japanese. These courses will appear in the course schedule and will be more fully described by academic advisors.
Independent reading and study on a topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
Latin (LATN)
Introduction to Latin literature and Roman civilization.
Latin is immortal! Roman mythology, the destruction of Pompeii, and the rise of the Colosseum are some of the topics. Reading Latin and building your vocabulary are reinforced with interactive student activities and videos.
Latin Lives! Roman mythology, gladiator fights, and comedy in the theater are some of the topics. Advanced Latin readings and grammar are reinforced with interactive student activities and videos.
Carpe diem! The poetry of Catullus and Horace is funny, nasty and philosophical. Translate analyze, and compare their poetry to our culture today. Also read parts of Ovid's Metamorphoses the mythology book which kept Latin alive through the Dark Ages until its resurgence in the Renaissance.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. Study Roman literature, culture, and its influence. Translate, analyze, discuss relevance to today's world.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule booklet and will be more fully described in a booklet distributed to all academic advisors.
Latin American Studies (LAS)
The objective of this course is to enhance students’ understanding of the region of Latin America. It will seek to engage more closely with the culture, politics, social and human landscape of the region through the concepts of land, peoples, exchange and creativity. Readings, lectures, film viewings, and discussions will constitute integral components of the course and draw upon the work of various academic disciplines and artistic traditions. The course insists on the inter-disciplinary nature of Latin American Studies and the different insights offered by its different constituent disciplines. All readings and lectures are in English.
An introductory, panoramic course that covers a wide, but representative array of eras in Latin American history (colonial, post-colonial, present-day) and problems (indigenous groups, exploitation of the land and natural resources, political tendencies, and U.S. sphere of influence). Literary and historical readings will be paired with other media in order to discuss issues of colonialism, wars of independence, revolutions, exile, migration, race, class, and gender. All readings and lectures are in English.
This course will explore through poetry, songs, music, stories, (auto)biographical accounts and novels the importance, creativity, and meaning produced by people of African descent living in or from Latin America. It will focus on the Afro- Latinx narrative forms coming out of Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United states. Through examining the narrative expressions of Blackness throughout regions of Latin America students can consider the relationship that social historical processes such as colonialism, nation-making and continued racism have on narrative production. Key to this course will be examining the ways race and gender/sexuality intersect within the multiple forms of expression of the Afro-Latinx community. Readings and lectures in English.
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Brazil’s regions and cultural history, to Brazil’s unique place in the Americas, and to its place in the world of Portuguese language. It presents major topics in the panorama of Brazilian cultural history and civilization from 1500 to the present through readings on regions, cultures, peoples, and arts, including the architects of Brazil’s national cultural identity, its chronological development, and modern self-description. Topics include discovery and rediscovery of Brazil, baroque architecture, romanticism and empire, regionalism, immigration, urbanization, and modernization. The main texts draw on a cultural history of Brazil through selected writings by major authors and scholars. All lectures and readings in English.
Course focuses particularly on works produced by the three major groups of U.S. Latinx (Mexican Americans or Chicanos, Puerto Ricans or Nuyoricans, and Cuban Americans) during the 20th and 21st centuries but will also include some pieces representative of other Latinx identities. Students will analyze works from a range of genres and cultural expressions including poetry, fiction, memoirs, film, and performance, along with recent literary and cultural theory works. Topics to be discussed include identity formation and negotiation in terms of language, race, gender, sexuality, and class; the colonial subject; diaspora and emigration; the marketing of the Latinx identity; and activism through art. Lectures and readings are in English.
Investigation of special topics on Latin America. All readings and lectures are in English.
This course evaluates human rights movements, mechanisms, and their impacts in Latin America. Students will examine different human rights crises to understand how these events have shaped the region and what the response to them has been. The class is less a study of the specific legal mechanisms used in human rights practice and more a study of how human rights have evolved as a discourse and political strategy in struggles for justice. It adopts a more anthropological and geographic approach to understanding human rights theory and practice. All readings and lectures in English.
In this course students will study the ideas of some important Latin American thinkers whose work has helped to shape Latin American history and society from Independence in the early 19th Century to the present. Even though special attention will be paid to some writers, works by a larger number of intellectuals will be analyzed as a way of understanding some of the central ideas in Latin American culture: “mestizaje,” nationalism and popular culture, among others. All readings and lectures in English.
This course will explore some of the unique contradictions shaping Brazilian reality as related to notions of race and culture by tracing the history of race relations in the ongoing transformation of Brazilian culture, examining such key examples and events as slavery and the plantation economy, popular music, Carnival, populism, racial democracy, affirmative action, and urban and rural violence. All readings and lectures in English.
Investigation of special topics on Latin America. All readings and lectures are in English.
Portuguese (PRTG)
Introduction to the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of elementary Portuguese.
This course will build and expand on the linguistic proficiency in the four skills areas (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of elementary Portuguese.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Russian (RUS)
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises, and reading assignments.
Aural comprehension, oral drill and discussion of grammar principles, written exercises, and reading assignments.
A study of selected topics designed as electives. These courses will appear in the course schedule. Highly interactive.
A study of selected topics designed as electives. These courses will appear in the course schedule. Highly interactive.
Graded readings with grammar review followed in the second semester by an introduction to Russian literature.
Graded readings with grammar review followed in the second semester by an introduction to Russian literature.
A study of selected topics designed as electives. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected dialogues emphasizing the spoken language and designed to improve oral proficiency and aural comprehension.
A study of selected topics designed as electives. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Spanish (SPAN)
This course is the first of the beginning Spanish language sequence. The course takes a task-based, content-based, communicative approach to language learning and teaching. It develops beginning skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The course also builds communicative competence and enhances social and cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world.
This course is the second of the beginning Spanish language sequence. The course takes a task-based, content-based, communicative approach to language learning and teaching. It develops beginning skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The course also builds communicative competence and enhances social and cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world.
This is an accelerated introductory-level course that combines SPAN 101 and SPAN 102. This course is designed for students planning on minoring or majoring in Spanish, or receiving a teaching license in Spanish. However, ALL students are welcome with permission of the instructor. Class is conducted in Spanish.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for non-majors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This first course of the intermediate language sequence is designed to improve the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills of students and to provide insight into the language and culture of Spanish-speaking people. Meant to integrate and extend earlier learning, the course is intended to keep building communicative competence and social and cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world.
This course is a continuation of SPAN 201 that further improves the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills of students and provides insight into the language and culture of Spanish-speaking people. It is intended to keep building communicative competence and social and cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world.
This is an accelerated course that combines SPAN 201 and SPAN 202 and continues the focus of SPAN 121F. This course is designed for students planning on minoring or majoring in Spanish, or receiving a teaching license in Spanish. However, ALL students are welcome with permission of the instructor. Class is conducted in Spanish.
This course seeks to develop Spanish language abilities for students involved in the health professions, i.e., medical fields, dentistry, physical therapy, etc. Although this course develops all skill areas (reading, writing, speaking, listening), it will concentrate on the development of oral communication and the cultural issues facing professionals and Spanish-speaking patients.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for nonmajors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics designed as electives for nonmajors. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
May be taken concurrently with SPAN 312W. The objective of the course is to improve the student's knowledge of Spanish grammar and syntax through the review of grammatical rules and their application. Emphasis is placed on how grammatical forms codify meaning and how grammar and meaning interact to construct the language and textual structure of different genres. This course is recommended for students who wish to major or minor in Spanish and need a grammar review. As this course is considered a review, it will not count toward the major or minor.
This course is primarily a conversation course to develop linguistic and cultural proficiency in verbal communication. Task-oriented communication strategies in cross-cultural training will be practiced by presenting students with models that demonstrate appropriate linguistic and cultural competencies. Students will practice these skills by role-playing, giving presentations, enriching self-awareness with practiced in-group discussions on various topics (such as, prejudice, racism, values, and customs) that dispel stereotypes and foster more in-depth social-cultural understanding, and with participation in guided cultural encounters. Students will improve their listening and comprehension skills and deepen cultural proficiency by learning how to communicate and collaborate with other people and cultures in a global age. (This is an oral skills course.)
This is an intensive writing course designed with writing assignments that examine various cultural contexts that enable students to understand cultural content, style, audience and organization. The main objective of the course is increased awareness of and sensitivity to appropriate word choice, and syntax in the language. Students will engage in writing for different cultural audiences and in varied contexts such as literary, artistic and media expressions around the world. Special emphasis is placed on the methodology of close reading as students hone the analytics skills and vocabulary necessary to interpret idioms, regionalism, cultural expressions and overall intercultural skills observed in various genres and cultures. Students will analyze compelling global issues and the diverse cultural perspectives that inform them.
This course examines historical and cultural identities in Spain and Latin America, beginning with a study of the historical constructs that helped create the basis of Spanish and Latin American identities. These include the concept of Convivencia (co-existence) of the three religions in Medieval Spain, pre-Columbian civilizations, the Spanish Conquest, the Colonial period, and the fight for Independence. The course also addresses more modern notions of culture and identity by focusing on themes such as globalization, immigration, economic crises, political leadership, and daily life. Along with these themes, popular culture will be discussed at length in order to understand the role it plays in generating identities.
This course introduces students to the basic theoretical and practical aspects and approaches to literary analysis, in order to learn how to read Hispanic literature from the Middle Ages to the present. Literary texts will be examined in terms of content, style, and form. The objectives of the course are to learn how to do a close reading of the texts – a poem, a short story, a novel, or a theater play – and interpret them as a literary scholar, while developing skills of critical thinking, speaking and writing in Spanish. Discussions will focus on literary themes and their relationship to current events rather than a chronological survey of literature.
This course aims to equip students for the eventuality of working with or for a Spanish company here or abroad. It is a language course, with a strong cultural component, for the intermediate learner. The emphasis of the course is on Spanish language usage in personal, business, and employment situations. The course provides a background for all students regardless of specific career goals. Students learn about cultural mores and social etiquette, engage in situational role playing, and prepare for job interviews. Students will combine their various practical assignments, involving realistic employment-seeking tasks, into an electronic portfolio of neatly-kept revisions.
Internships in private and public organizations that provide an opportunity for students to apply and enhance language skills or cultural knowledge in a workplace setting.
Selected topics, genres, authors and/or literary, cultural, sociopolitical, or historical movements in the Spanish-speaking world. May be repeated for credit if the topic is different.
Seminars engage students in in-depth study of a specified topic through readings, research and oral and written student reports. Special attention is paid to theoretical and bibliographic issues. Topics vary according to the areas of expertise and professional interests of departmental faculty. May be repeated if topics are different.
This class is designed to solidify and refine students' working knowledge of written skills in the language, with an emphasis on increasing their written sophistication. Focus is on analysis of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural nuances in the syntax to examine how language reflects the ways of life and beliefs of its speakers, contrasted with the extent of language's influence on culture. Students will refine their skills in written inter-cultural communication, paying attention to idioms and the fine points of 'cultural grammar,' communicative competence and specialized discourse to develop excellent communication skills. This course is intended to prepare students for using their knowledge of language and culture in professional settings.
This course provides an introduction to Spanish linguistics and establishes the basis for the application of linguistic principles, including an introduction to the description and organization of data dealing with phonology (how sound patterns form words), discussion on topics in morphology (word formation and verbal inflection) and the description and organization of data dealing with syntax (how words combine to form phrases and sentences). In addition, the course analyzes the regional variations of Spanish (dialectology), and applying linguistics concepts, students contrast and compare the regional categories of Spanish use world-wide. It will provide students with a level of knowledge to make connections between the structure of Spanish and relevant issues in contemporary Hispanic linguistics, such as second language learning, language variation, bilingualism, and Spanish in the United States.
This class is an introduction to the descriptive analysis of Spanish sounds and provides a comprehensive presentation of phonetics concepts as well as the comparisons drawn between the sounds of Spanish and those of English from a theoretical perspective. Students will gain a solid understanding of the sound system and strengthening of their pronunciation of Spanish from engaging, culturally driven activities taken from real-life modern Spanish sources, as well as enhancing awareness through aural comprehension of the nuances of the different dialects from speakers across the Spanish-speaking world.
A study of selected works of the major playwrights of the Golden Age: Lope de Vega, Calderon de la Barca, Tirso de Molina, Ruiz de Alarcon.
Through reading and analysis of the most representative texts of Spanish drama of the last decades, this course intends to introduce students to contemporary theater production in relation to the social, political and cultural trends that dominate in Spain today. Readings will allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the debates predominating within Spanish society and of possible correlations linking Spanish and European culture today.
In this course students will read at least thirteen Spanish-American plays from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through class discussions and presentations, students will learn an appropriate vocabulary to converse about the plays as well as literary theory to enable them to analyze and interpret the plays. By the end of the course, students should be able to see literary trends and begin to form opinions about the direction that Spanish-American theater has taken and why.
Students study a variety of current cultural texts from the U.S. and Mexico to explore the multiplicity of images that surround and define the highly contested and increasingly important area of the U.S.-Mexico border. Discussions are grounded in an ideological analysis with the goal of developing a description of the historical and social parameters and strategies that are utilized in the critical revision of the Borderlands. Specifically, this course focuses on questions dealing with subaltern identities, for example women, indigenous groups, immigrants, and the poor.
A study of fictional and non-fictional works by Spanish, Spanish-American, and U.S. Latina writers from the 16th to the 20th century. The course analyzes gender identity and roles and the interaction of gender, race, and class in literary representations of courtship and marriage, spirituality, nationalism, colonialism, and multiculturalism. (Cross-listed with WCS 471/WCS 571)
The course focuses on poetry, prose fiction and theater written by Chicana, Puerto Rican, Cuban-American, and Dominican-American women authors in the last twenty years. Attention will also be paid to the very influential theoretical work written by Chicanas.
The course is designed to provide Spanish majors with a small group setting that facilitates in-depth discussion of key concepts of critical theory, literary studies, and the discipline. The seminar will encourage students to research and explore relevant topics related to Hispanic literature and the arts and experiment with the application of the different concepts under discussion. This is a writing intensive course.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Independent reading and study on a topic to be selected under the direction of an instructor. Conferences and papers as appropriate.
World Cultural Studies (WCS)
This multicultural course introduces the student to the forms and meanings of cultural expressions from around the world, with an emphasis on world literature. It provides students with the skills necessary for the appreciation and comparative analysis of these works as representations of rich and diverse cultural values. A primary focus of the course will be the role of culture in the formation of national and individual identity, paying special attention to gender, sexuality, race, class, and struggles for social justice. All works will be read in English.
This multicultural course introduces the student to the forms and meanings of cultural expressions from around the world, with an emphasis on world literature. It provides students with the skills necessary for the appreciation and comparative analysis of these works as representations of rich and diverse cultural values. A primary focus of the course will be the role of culture in the formation of national and individual identity, paying special attention to gender, sexuality, race, class, and struggles for social justice. All works will be read in English. This course is reserved for students enrolled in the Honors College.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This course provides students with an historic overview of films from a variety of European countries. Students will gain the vocabulary necessary to analyze individual films and for the comparative analysis of films from different cultural and historical contexts. The course will focus on issues such as national and individual identity, film as aesthetic form, gender and sexuality, and popular culture. (cross-listed with COMM 307)
Exploration of Japanese culture and society from local and global perspectives. Topics may include language, arts, literature, music, food, traditional and contemporary culture, entertainment, media, religion, gender, education and work. The course aims to foster in-depth cultural understanding beyond stereotypes and to develop critical thinking and analytical skills to reflect on one's own experiences and assumptions about cultural similarities and differences. All readings, discussions, and lectures in English. No knowledge of Japanese is necessary. Cross-listed with JAPN 310.
This course is primarily a 'hands on' communicative course to develop cultural competence (verbal communication). Task-oriented communication strategies in cross-cultural training will be practiced by presenting students with models who demonstrate appropriate cultural skills. The course will include cognitive learning with lectures from experts (invited speakers), analysis of critical incidents and assigned readings, and application of sophisticated concepts from the behavioral and social sciences. Students will practice these skills by giving presentations, enriching self-awareness with group discussions on prejudice, racism, values and customs, and participation in guided cultural encounters (such as field trip assignments that demand new behaviors). Students will participate in role-playing and in simulations of real-life demands in extended experimental encounters with another culture or complex approximations of another culture. Effectively, students will learn how to communicate and collaborate with other people and cultures in a global age.
This is an intensive writing course designed with writing assignments that examine various cultural contexts that enable students to understand cultural content, style, audience and organization. The main objective of the course is increased awareness of and sensitivity to appropriate word choice, and syntax in the targeted languages. Students will engage in writing for different cultural audiences and in varied contexts such as literary, artistic and media expressions around the world. Special emphasis is placed on the methodology of close reading as students hone the analytics skills and vocabulary necessary to interpret idioms, regionalism, cultural expressions and overall intercultural skills observed in various genres and cultures. Students will analyze compelling global issues and the diverse cultural perspectives that inform them.
Struggles for human rights and social justice often find their most evocative expression in creative works from around the world. In this course, students will work toward an understanding of different cultural perspectives that inform global concepts of human rights. The course will focus on literary texts, film, testimonies, visual art, and other cultural forms of bearing witness. Students will also consider the fundamental value of these artistic expressions as both spaces of empathy and agents of change in society. Overall, students will consider how these narratives, embedded within, and coded by, sociopolitical contexts, contribute to today’s language of human rights and its application in struggles for social justice.
A study of film as a means of communication from an intercultural perspective. The course is designed to cultivate an ability to deal with film in a critical way, as well as broaden understanding of film and culture in a global context. A variety of cinematic traditions will be examined including film works from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
In this course, students learn to value diverse global perspectives, and to seek multiple approaches to defining and solving problems based on intercultural awareness. This course will focus on the ways that culture and language influence human behavior, and on the practical development of communicative strategies, from compelling writing to effective discussion and collaboration.
Internships in private, public, non-profit and business organizations that deal with global communications and world cultures.
This course invites students to discover approaches to global problems and concerns through an analysis of cultural expressions from around the world. Students will consider the ways in which literary and artistic expression (literature, film, visual art, music) draw from and impact broader social and political contexts.
This course will examine selected cultural studies perspectives on mass communication. It will cover cultural studies philosophies, theories, and/or approaches to the study of cultural artifacts and practices that may include some of the following: postmodernism, deconstruction, feminism, and post-colonialism. The readings will include theoretical texts as well as artistic or cultural texts that will more clearly illustrate the theoretical positions.
A study of communication styles and strategies around the world. Students will analyze how global concerns and national priorities are articulated across cultures and languages, and they will navigate techniques necessary for effective communication within intercultural contexts. This course, through interactive lectures, discussions, guest speaker presentations and case studies, is intended to prepare students to be fluent in intercultural understanding and global collaboration and to apply these skills in professional settings.
This course explores the cultural movements that have characterized the German-French commonalities and differences from the early 1900s through the 1990s in cross-disciplinary discourses such as film, literature, art, politics, and economics.
This class explores how societies across the world choose to remember people and events through culture. Students will consider 'official' manifestations – government-sponsored or public memorials and art – as well as general and popular culture such as museums, literature, film, TV, music, etc. The class will interrogate not only what is chosen to be memorialized but how it is memorialized, and how public memory of events is shaped by such choices. Students will consider what decisions are made at the local and national level, how those decisions are made, and what consultations or processes are considered necessary or desirable when deciding public memorials and artwork.
The first half of the 20th century was the most creative and destructive period in German and European history. Its rich cultural achievements included Viennese psychoanalytical theory of the turn of the century, Art Nouveau, German Expressionism, and the avant garde aesthetics of the Weimar Republic. Conversely, World War I and II exposed the cultural agony and human depravity of modern civilization. This course will trace these various aspects and developments in a variety of exemplary genres. Readings and discussions in German. (Cross-listed with GER 445/GER 545 and COMM 444/COMM 544)
A study of fictional and non-fictional works by Spanish, Spanish-American, and U.S. Latina writers from the 16th to the 20th century. The course analyzes gender identity and roles and the interaction of gender, race, and class in literary representations of courtship and marriage, spirituality, nationalism, colonialism, and multiculturalism.
A survey of seminal texts by German-Jewish philosophers and writers from the Enlightenment to the present day, including Marx, Kafka, Freud, Schnitzler and Arendt.
Interdisciplinary research and the preparation of a senior thesis in international studies. This is a writing intensive course.
This course is designed to help students enhance their personal and professional development through innovation guided by faculty members and professionals. It offers students an opportunity to integrate disciplinary theory and knowledge related to world languages and cultures through developing a nonprofit program, product, business, or other initiative with other students.
This course invites students to discover approaches to global problems and concerns through an analysis of cultural expressions from around the world. Students will consider the ways in which literary and artistic expression (literature, film, visual art, music) draw from and impact broader social and political contexts.
This course invites students to discover approaches to global problems and concerns through an analysis of cultural expressions from around the world. Students will consider the ways in which literary and artistic expression (literature, film, visual art, music) draw from and impact broader social and political contexts.
Independent readings and study on a topic to be selected under direction of professor.
Independent readings and study on a topic to be selected under direction of professor.
World Languages and Cultures (WLC)
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
A study of selected topics for elective credit. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
This course provides opportunities for world language students with study-abroad and international experience to expand their knowledge of language and culture-learning experiences, and to enrich local public school language classrooms. In addition to attending training workshops on topic section, methodology, and techniques, students will confer with the instructor and host teachers/community partners to develop individual projects for presentations in school classrooms. Particular activities will depend on the knowledge and interests of the students and the requests of the host teachers (International Education Week, National French Week, etc.).
Internships in private, public and business organizations that deal with foreign nationals, foreign products or are involved in teaching a foreign language.
This course provides students with a foundation of major theoretical methods of teaching and learning a world language, focusing mainly on current theories; laws, regulations, and policies in Virginia; language advocacy; and a systematic approach to the practical tools of creating a positive learning environment, designing a pacing guide, syllabus, unit and lesson plans, rubric and assessment guides, formulating a personal teaching philosophy, teaching mini lessons, and creation of a professional e-Portfolio based on VDOE Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers. Offered in asynchronous format with a few meetings with the professor and classmates, this course precedes student teaching.
Students complete 30-hours of observation and may practice teaching methods under supervision in a PreK-12 world language classroom. By the end of the semester, students must provide qualifying scores on the VCLA, PRAXIS II Subject Area Assessment of Spanish, French, or German, ACTFL Oral and Writing Proficiency Assessments, and certificates for Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training, Emergency First Aid, CPR & AED Certification, Dyslexia Awareness Training, and Behavior Intervention and Support Training. Available for pass/fail grading only.
Interdisciplinary research and the preparation of a senior thesis in international studies. This is a writing intensive course.
The advanced study of selected topics designed to permit small groups of qualified students to work on subjects of mutual interest which, due to their specialized nature, may not be offered regularly. These courses will appear in the course schedule.
Independent readings and study on a topic to be selected under direction of professor.
Independent readings and study on a topic to be selected under direction of professor.