Languages and Cultures

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Faculty

Susan E. Brownell, Professor, Chairperson
Ph.D., University of California-Santa Barbara
Lorna V. Williams, Professor, Spanish
Ph.D., Indiana University
Jeanne Morgan Zarucchi, Professor, French and Art History
Ph.D., Harvard University
Lauren B. Schmidt, Assistant Professor, Spanish
PhD., Indiana University
Roland A. Champagne, Professor Emeritus, French,
Ph.D., Ohio State University
Albert J. Camigliano, Associate Professor Emeritus, German
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Ingeborg M. Goessl, Assistant Professor Emerita, German
Ph.D., University of Kansas
Deborah Baldini, Teaching Professor, Spanish
Ph.D., University of Missouri-St. Louis
Anne-Sophie Blank, Associate Teaching Professor, French
M.A., Washington University
Martha Caeiro, Associate Teaching Professor, Spanish
M.A., Washington University
Donna Cays, Associate Teaching Professor, Spanish
M.A., Saint Louis University
Elizabeth Eckelkamp, Associate Teaching Professor, Japanese
M.A., Washington University
Suzanne Hendrickson, Associate Teaching Professor, French
Ph.D., Washington University
Nancy Mayer, Associate Teaching Professor, ESL
M.A.T., Webster University
Denise Mussman, Associate Teaching Professor, ESL
M.A., University of Illinois-Chicago
Margaret B. Phillips, Associate Teaching Professor, Latin
Ph.D., Saint Louis University
Sandra Trapani, Associate Teaching Professor, French
M.A., University of Missouri-Columbia
Susan Yoder-Kreger, Associate Teaching Professor, Spanish
M.A., University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Maria Teresa Balogh, Assistant Teaching Professor, Spanish
M.A., Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, MFA, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Andrew Bennett, Assistant Teaching Professor, Spanish
M.A., Arizona State University
Elizabeth Fonseca, Assistant Teaching Professor, Spanish
Ph.D., University of Iowa, Iowa City
Kersten Horn, Assistant Teaching Professor, German
M.A., University of Texas, Austin
Elizabeth Landers, Assistant Teaching Professor, French, Director of Language Programs
Ph.D., Washington University
Maria Kouti, Lecturer, Greek and Spanish
M.A., International University Menéndez Pelayo, Spain
Fushun, Le, Lecturer, Chinese
M.A., Iowa State University
Rosalinda Mariles, Lecturer, Spanish
M.S., Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Amy Michael, Lecturer, Japanese
M.A., Washington University

General Information

Degrees and Areas of Concentration
Languages and Cultures in the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Languages offers course work in French, German, Japanese and Spanish, leading to the B.A. in Modern Language degree, and a field of concentration in each of these languages for students seeking the B.S. degree in education. In addition, the program offers courses in English as a Second Language, Arabic, Chinese, Ancient Greek, Modern Greek, and Latin.

Minors may also be earned in the department.  For details, see specific requirements for the minor, which appear later in this section.

Study Abroad
Language students who have been at the University of Missouri-St. Louis at least one semester and have studied the language for at least one year may receive credits for formal study abroad. Students must present a list of language course descriptions from the institution abroad to receive prior consent of the department, and must present a transcript for evaluation upon return to receive credit for those courses. Exchange programs are available with several universities in foreign countries. For information, please contact the study abroad office.

Alumni Scholarship
Qualified junior and senior language majors may apply for the Modern Language Alumni Scholarship, which is renewable each semester on a competitive basis. For information, please contact the department.

Marcus Allen Memorial Scholarship
Qualified students of French may apply for the Marcus Allen Memorial Scholarship which is awarded on a competitive basis and must be used within one semester of the award.  For information please contact the department.

Baldini Family Scholarship
Qualified full-time UMSL students pursuing a Modern Language and literature degree with teacher certification may apply for this scholarship which is awarded on a competitive basis and must be used within one semester of the award. For information, please contact the department.

Community College Scholarship
Qualified community college students may apply for the Modern Language Community College Scholarship to be applied for educational fees toward the enrollment in third semester or higher courses in French, German, Japanese, or Spanish. This scholarship must be used within one semester of the award. For information, please contact the department.

German Scholarships
Students of German may apply for the German Scholarship. Funds may be used toward educational fees for German courses during the following semesters or toward study abroad in a German-speaking country.  For information please contact the German section coordinator

Departmental Honors
Candidates for departmental honors in Modern Languages must meet the following requirements:

1) Achieve a GPA of 3.5 in the major for all hours attempted beyond the first two semesters. (Language Courses 1001 and 1002)
2) Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0.
3) Successfully complete an honors thesis or project.

Undergraduate Studies

General Education Requirements
Each language major must satisfy the general education requirements of the university and the general education requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Specific Requirements or Restrictions
Students entering with no high school language units must enroll in Language 1001 or may enroll in Language 2115. Language 2115 (a, b, and c) is the intensive study of a language and will satisfy the foreign language requirement. 2115a, 2115b, and 2115c are co-requisites and must be taken concurrently. All three sections must be completed with a grade of C- or better, to satisfy the foreign language requirement.

A grade of D in a Language 1001 course is a passing grade but not an entrance grade for a Language 1002 course. A grade of D in a Language 1002 course is a passing grade but not an entrance grade for a Language 2101 course or its equivalent. A grade of D in a Language 2101 course fulfills the language requirement, but is not an entrance grade for a higher-level course.

Demonstration of a high level of proficiency may affect the number of hours required for the major. Native or heritage speakers of a language should consult with the department concerning appropriate placement.

Students may not take for credit an elementary course if they have already completed a higher-level course for which the elementary course, or its equivalent, is a prerequisite.

Degree Requirements
All courses for the major must be passed with a grade of C- or better. No course required for the major may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (s/u) basis with the exception of those taken abroad as part of a university program that has received departmental approval.

Bachelor of Arts
All students seeking a B.A. in a Modern Language must successfully complete FL 2100 Languages and World View, and must meet the departmental requirement of a minimum of 33 hours in French and German, 37 hours in Japanese and 36 hours in Spanish (excluding Language 1001 and 1002). The maximum number of hours that may be taken in the major is 45 (including Language 1001 and 1002). In addition, students seeking the B.A. in Modern Language who desire a teaching certificate must also  FL 4589 (same as SEC ED 4589), Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages, FL 4590 (same as SEC ED 4590), Foreign Language Teaching Seminar, and fulfill the professional secondary education requirements of the College of Education.
 

Bachelor of Science in Education
Those students seeking the B.S.Ed. degree, with a concentration in a modernlanguage, are required to complete 30 hours of work (excluding credit for Language 1001 and 1002) of which 9 hours must be on the 4000 level. Students working toward a degree in elementary education, with related work in a modern language, should consult the College of Education concerning their program.

Post Baccalaureate Certification Students
Students who have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking teacher certification in a language must have completed 30 hours in that language and will be required to take the Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview exam to determine proficiency.  Students who do not demonstrate sufficient proficiency will be required to take additional coursework in the language.

Transfer Students
Transfer students majoring in one of the modern languages must complete at UMSL a minimum of 12 graded hours in language courses at the 3000 level or above with a grade point average of 2.0 or better in these courses.

Native Speakers
Native speakers must complete at least two courses at the 3000 level and four courses at the 4000 level to obtain a major in their native language.

Specific Requirements for concentration in French

Each major with a French concentration must complete the following courses:
FRENCH 2101 French Language and Culture III, or the equivalent
FRENCH 2170, Intermediate French Language and Culture
FRENCH 2180, Readings in French

Five of the following six:
FRENCH 3200, French Grammar in Review
FRENCH 3205, French in Commerce and Media
FRENCH 3211, Contemporary French Culture
FRENCH 3271, Intermediate French Conversation
FRENCH 3280, French Literature and Culture to 1800
FRENCH 3281, French Literature and Culture after 1800
and three courses at the 4000-level.

Specific Requirements for concentration in Spanish

Each major with a Spanish concentration must complete the following courses:
SPANISH 2101, Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture, or the equivalent or

SPANISH 2172, Spanish Composition +2172A Grammar for Spanish Composition

One of the following two:
SPANISH 2180, Readings in Spanish +2180A Grammar for Readings in Spanish or
SPANISH 2199, Special Topics: Language Immersion: Spanish + 2199A Grammar for Special Topics: Language Immersion


SPANISH 3210, Hispanic Culture and Civilization: Spain, or SPANISH 3211, Hispanic Culture and Civilization: Spanish America + 3210/3211A Grammar for Hispanic Culture and Civilization
SPANISH 3280, Introduction to Hispanic Literature: Spain
SPANISH 3281, Introduction to Hispanic Literature: Spanish America

 Plus two additional courses at the 3000-level (see course descriptions for more details) and three courses at the 4000-level, one of which must be SPANISH 4399, Seminar on Hispanic Literature

Specific Requirements for the concentration in German
Each major with a concentration in German must complete the following courses:
GERMAN 2101 Intermediate German Language and Culture
GERMAN 2170  Intermediate Practice in Speaking and Writing German
GERMAN 2180 Intermediate Readings in German
GERMAN 3201 Introduction to German Literature
GERMAN 3202 Introduction to German Film
GERMAN 3208 The German-Speaking Countries in the Modern World
Plus one additional course at the 3000-level
And three courses at the 4000-level

 
Specific Requirements for the concentration in Japanese
Each major with a concentration in Japanese must complete the following courses:
JAPAN 2101 (5) Intermediate Japanese I
JAPAN 2102 (5) Intermediate Japanese II
JAPAN 3201 Intermediate Japanese III
JAPAN 3202 Intermediate Japanese IV
JAPAN 3280 Readings in Japanese
JAPAN 4301 Advanced Japanese I
JAPAN 4302 Advanced Japanese II
JAPAN 4390 Advanced Readings in Japanese
Plus three courses for a total of 9 hours in Japanese Studies 

Learning outcomes for Majors
 Students completing the BA in Modern Languages should be able to demonstrate competencies in 4 major Skills and Knowledge areas in the language of concentration: Linguistic, Critical Thinking, Cultural/Global Awareness, and Self- Reflection. The competencies should include the ability to:

Minor in French, German, Japanese or Spanish
A minor in French, German, Japanese or Spanish requires the completion of four courses in the language beyond the basic foundation sequence (Language 1001, Language 1002, and Language 2101) along with any associated “A” courses for Spanish minors. Transfer students must complete at least two courses for the minor at UMSL. All courses must be passed with a grade of C- or better.
Specific requirement for the minor in French  
FRENCH 2170 Intermediate French Language and Culture 
FRENCH 2180, Readings in French
Plus two French courses on the 3000-level or above.

Specific requirement for the minor in German
GERMAN 2170 Intermediate Practice in Speaking and Writing German 
GERMAN 2180 Intermediate Readings in German
Plus two German courses on the 3000-level or above.

Specific requirement for the minor in Japanese
JPN 2102(5) Intermediate Japanese II
JPN 3201 Intermediate Japanese III
JPN 3201 Intermediate Japanese IV
Plus one course in Japanese Studies

Specific requirement for the minor in Spanish
Two of the following three
SPANISH 2199, Special Topics: Language Immersion: Spanish + 2199A Grammar for Special Topics: Language Immersion
SPANISH 2172, Composition  + 2172A Grammar for Spanish Composition
SPANISH 2180, Readings in Spanish   + 2180A Grammar for Readings in Spanish

Minor in Modern Languages
A minor in Modern Languages requires the completion of 4 courses beyond the introductory sequence (1001, 1002 and 2101), two in each of two different languages.  For students who are seeking a BA in Modern Language, the two languages must be different than the language in which they are majoring.

Minor in Classical Studies
The minor in Classical Studies is an interdisciplinary course of studies intended to encourage undergraduates in various disciplines to come to a fuller awareness of the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome and of the classical tradition that underlies much of modern Western civilization.  Specific requirements for the minor are detailed at online

Students pursuing a graduate degree in secondary education may select an emphasis area in French, German, Japanese or Spanish. These required eighteen hours may be selected from 3000 and 4000 level courses in these languages.

Certificate in Modern Language and Study Abroad
Students seeking the certificate must complete language courses at UMSL and abroad. International Studies and Programs and Languages and Cultures cooperate in offering the Certificate.

1) Modern language study at UMSL

Students must select one of the following languages and complete the required courses at UMSL. Total: 6 credit hours. (8 hours for Spanish)
A. French
FRENCH 2170, Intermediate French Language and Culture
FRENCH 2180, Readings in French
B. German
GERMAN 2170, Composition and Conversation
GERMAN 2180, Readings in German
C. Spanish
SPANISH 2172, Spanish Composition + SPANISH 2172A Grammar for Spanish Composition
SPANISH 2180, Readings in Spanish + SPANISH 2180A Grammar for Readings in Spanish
D. Japanese
JAPAN 2102 Intermediate Japanese II
JAPAN 3201 Intermediate Japanese III

2) Foreign language study abroad

Students must complete a minimum of two additional three credit hour courses taught in the target language, at a foreign university that is affiliated with the UMSL Study Abroad Program, with the goal of increasing linguistic competence. All courses must be approved by Language faculty members.

Students should consult the study abroad advisor in International Studies and Programs to select a site for their study abroad experience. Then, students should consult their advisor in Languages and Cultures to select appropriate courses.

Career Outlook

Career options for graduates with a major or minor in modern languages include the following fields: teaching, social work, nursing, engineering, business, communications, government, journalism, travel industry, translation, and research.  Our graduates have been especially successful when they combine advanced study in a modern language with another major.  They are then able to add proficiency in a foreign language and culture to their knowledge and skills in another specialty. Experience with world cultures makes our graduates more adaptable and better prepared to meet the challenges of a global and increasingly diverse job market.