Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Department of Languages


Chair
David Tingey

Professors
Christopher Anderson, Spanish
Eduardo Faingold, Spanish
Bruce Dean Willis, Spanish

Associate Professors
Lydie Meunier, French
Karl Pollin, French
David Tingey, German
Victor Udwin, German
Huiwen Zhang, Chinese

Applied Associate Professor
Elena Doshlygina, Russian

Applied Instructors
Marta Chamorro, Spanish
Véronique Conway, French
Tania Garmy, Spanish
Rosana Khan, Portuguese and Spanish
Elsa Plumlee, Spanish
Karen Rubio, Spanish

For more information about degree offerings by the faculty of languagues, visit the Department of Languages webpage.

Students who fulfill the requirements for a major in the Department of Languages acquire greater awareness of and appreciation for other cultures; develop proficiency in a target language and a basic understanding of its linguistic structure; gain a deeper understanding of textual analysis and literary genres, styles, and periods; engage with current scholarship; and prepare themselves to participate in a global society. Majoring in a language provides students with a strong pre-professional background for graduate studies in the arts and humanities as well as for careers in business, teaching, and government.

The first and second-year language courses offered by the Department of Languages are designed to help students throughout the University develop intermediate-level proficiency in a second language, as specified in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines. Students enrolled in these courses likewise gain insights into other cultures.

Placement in Language Courses

Prior to coming to campus to enroll, incoming students with previous classroom or life experience in Chinese, French, German, or Spanish who intend to continue studying the same language must take its placement exam. This policy also applies to native speakers of a Romance language who intend to take courses either in their native tongue or in another language taught by the department. The placement examination does not grant academic credit, nor can it be used to test out of the language proficiency requirement.

Delayed Proficiency Credit

By petitioning the Department of Languages, students who begin their language study in a course above the level of first semester and complete it with a grade of C or higher receive credit for the previous course as well, up to and including fourth semester. Such credit may not exceed four hours. Students with previous college, AP, or IB credit in a language are not eligible for delayed proficiency credit in that language, nor are native speakers who choose to study their native language. Delayed proficiency credit is awarded toward the completion of a College’s language proficiency requirement, but it is not granted if the language is being taken as an elective.

Beginning and Intermediate Language Courses

Students whose College requirements or personal goals include one or two years of language study may select from Chinese, French, German, ancient Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The first course in each language sequence has no prerequisite and assumes no prior knowledge of the language. Each subsequent course in the beginning and intermediate sequences has as its prerequisite a grade of C or higher in the previous course or its equivalent, or departmental approval through placement. Students who elect to repeat a 1000- or 2000-level language course for a higher grade may do so only in the most advanced course they have taken in the sequence, and they may not take language courses out of sequence.

Study Abroad

As a significant component for the college experience, every language student is encouraged to participate in a study abroad program to acquire cultural literacy and fluency in a foreign language. For more details on TU’s programs abroad, contact the Center for Global Education (CGE) at 918-631-3229 or visit www.utulsa.edu/globaleducation.

Related Studies

Courses in comparative literature are taught in English and have no prerequisites. These draw from various traditions and time periods and provide strategies for relating literature to such areas as psychology, philosophy, politics, cinema, and the literatures of other cultures. The faculty of the Department of Languages also offers a variety of courses in areas such as linguistics, classics, film studies, and women’s and gender studies. Many of these are taught in English and are appropriate for students in a wide range of fields.

Language Majors

Major programs are offered in Chinese studies , French , German , Russian studies , and Spanish . The curriculum of a language major provides a wide range of experiences inside and outside the classroom. Many students combine their language major with a concentration in an additional field. Such a concentration may be a minor, a certificate program, or a second major. Prospective language teachers complete the major in Chinese studies, French, German, Russian studies, or Spanish, along with the licensure and certification requirements for grades K-12 as determined by the School of Urban Education .

Learning Objectives

Learning objectives at all levels of languages programs are met through students’ demonstration of the following:

  • Language skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) that aid in communication and understanding among persons and groups of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds;
  • Critical thinking and creative insights in the disciplined study of cultural media (such as literature and film) and linguistics;
  • Fluency and coherence when presenting ideas in writing and in speech.

Student-designed Areas of Concentration

Students may design a Bachelor of Arts in classics or linguistics. For information on student-designed areas of concentration, see Student-Designed Area of Concentration .

Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Studies

The Chinese studies major  is an interdisciplinary program drawing from the disciplines of political science, history, literature and language, business, and economics to prepare students for a variety of professional careers and academic programs related to China.

Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies

The Russian studies major  is an interdisciplinary program in Russian language, literature and culture, history, and politics. The major provides students with the knowledge of historical and contemporary Russia, as well as with the ability to use the Russian language.

Bachelor of Science in International Business and Language

Career goals that include both language and business may be realized through the Bachelor of Science in International Business and Language (B.S.I.B.L.)  degree offered through the Collins College of Business. This single major combines specialized training in international business with the Chinese studies, French, German, Russian studies, or Spanish major curriculum.

Programs

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