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Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Chair and Associate Professor: Dr. Lange, 450-5585
Professor: Dr. Bailey
Associate Professors: Dr. Parrack, Dr. Zambrano
Assistant Professors: Dr. Baker, Dr. Knapp, Dr. Monty, Dr. Parrack, Dr. Reid, Dr. Sorenson, Dr. Zhu, Dr. Zhuang
Lecturers: Ms. Carlin, Ms. Dodge, Dr. Giraud
Laboratory Instructor: Ms. Wilkes
Visiting Instructors: Ms. Barr, Ms. Koeth

[1] Purposes

  • To develop proficient students with a functional control of the four fundamental language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • To increase students’ awareness, critical understanding, empathy, and respect for other cultures.
  • To enable students to function effectively in a changing global community.
  • To stress the relevance of the study of language, culture, and literature to career preparation.
  • To develop a lasting appreciation for language, culture, and literature as a means of broadening our understanding of human experience.

[2] Programs

Major programs are offered in French and Spanish, and minor programs are offered in Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. The BA degree requirement for foreign language may be fulfilled in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish. The curriculum permits maximum authentic practice of everyday language and cultural situations as well as in-depth study of general and specific topics in culture and literature. Students are highly encouraged to study abroad as they complete their language program.

French and Spanish majors are counseled to combine a second major or a minor in a related area of interest that will enhance their preparation for a professional career. Upon graduation, majors may qualify to teach on the secondary level, to attend graduate school, or to secure employment in any one of a variety of fields requiring proficiency in a second language.

[3] Advanced Placement

The Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures participates in the advanced placement program. Courses and the minimum requirements to be met in order to earn credit can be found elsewhere in the bulletin (see the Advanced Placement Program section of this bulletin). In general, students who have an AP score and who are interested in continuing study in the same language at UCA will be able to receive more credit if they also follow the procedures described below for the Department’s Credit by Examination program.

[4] Credit by Examination

Students who have studied a second language in which they are not native speakers and who have not previously received undergraduate credit in that language at a college or university may receive credit by examination. Such credit is limited to a maximum of 6 hours in a language or 12 hours within the department and is granted for the six credit hours of course work that immediately precedes the course of placement when the following criteria are met:

  1. Achievement of a satisfactory score on proficiency examinations administered by the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
  2. Satisfactory completion, with a minimum grade of B, of the language course at the level of placement recommended by the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

[5] Foreign Language Requirement for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Bachelor of Arts degree requires completion of three (3) semester hours of a foreign language at 2000-level or above. Guided-study (i.e., correspondence) courses will not be accepted as transfer credit in fulfillment of the foreign language requirement. Note: Students with prior experience in a language must take the departmental placement test before enrolling in their first course. The French, German, and Spanish placement exams are available at https://uca.edu/wlan/placement. There is no fee to take a placement exam. As an alternative, students sufficiently proficient in a foreign language can apply for a B.A. Foreign Language Exemption with the chair of the World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures department.

[6] Undergraduate Scholars Program in French or Spanish

During the senior year, a student majoring in French or Spanish may be invited to participate in the undergraduate scholars program. Minimal requirements for graduation in the program are as follows:

  1. Achievement of a 3.25 GPA overall and a 3.50 in the major
  2. Demonstration of advanced level proficiencies in all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) on a senior exit examination
  3. Successful completion of course 4310 demonstrated by submission and approval of a research paper on a literary, cultural, or linguistic topic
  4. Presentation of an oral defense of the research paper before a committee made up of three members of the faculty of the department

[7] Baccalaureate Degrees

[7.1] Bachelor of Arts

The degree of Bachelor of Arts, with a major in French or Spanish, requires successful completion of 120 hours (of which 40 must be upper division), including (1) the general education component, (2) all degree requirements, (3) a major program in French or Spanish as outlined below, and (4) a minor as planned with the student’s minor advisor.

       [7.1.1] Major in Modern Languages (37 hours)

  1. Concentration in French or Spanish (37 hours)
  2. Traditional or Teacher Education track
    • Courses 3300 and 3303;
    • Three hours of culture and civilization (French 3312 or 3315; Spanish 3312, 3313, 3315 or 4396);
    • Three hours of literature (French 3315, 3320, 3321 or 4395; Spanish 3315, 3320, 3321 or 4395). Note: French 3315 may not be taken twice in fulfillment of both the culture and literature area requirements.
    • One course at the 4000 level (Spanish majors only). Spanish Teacher candidates must take Spanish 4350.
    • French 4350 (French majors only).
    • French or Spanish 4110: Senior Capstone Assessment
  3. Completion of either WLAN/LING 2350 (World Languages) or LING 2320 (Introduction to Linguistics).
  4. Satisfactory performance on proficiency tests upon entrance to and exit from the major program.
  5. A minimum grade of C in each course applying to the major program.

        [7.1.2] Modern Languages with Business Concentration in French or Spanish (37 hours)

  1. Completion of a 34-hour language concentration that includes FREN/SPAN 2330 and one advanced level French or Spanish course related to business.
  2. Completion of either WLAN/WRTG 2350 (World Languages) or WRTG 2320 (Introduction to Linguistics).
  3. Students strongly encouraged to study abroad at one of our numerous exchange partner schools in Belgium, Canada, France, Mexico, and Spain.
  4. Completion of a 24-hour General Business minor.

N.B. Students planning to pursue graduate study in business (i.e., MBA) should select MBA pre-requisite courses as their elective hours.

        [7.1.3] Major in French (31 hours)

A major in French requires the following:

  1. A minimum of 31 hours of courses at the 2310 level or above. These 31 hours must include:
    • Courses 3300 and 3303;
    • Three hours of culture and civilization (French 3312 or 3315);
    • Three hours of literature (French 3315, 3320, 3321 or 4395). Note: French 3315 may not be taken twice in fulfillment of both the culture and literature area requirements;
    • French 4350;
    • French 4110: Senior Capstone Assessment
  2. Satisfactory performance on proficiency tests upon entrance to and exit from the major program.
  3. A minimum grade of C in each course applying to the major program.
  4. Teacher candidates must graduate with a 2.75 GPA overall in major courses.

        [7.1.4] Major in Spanish (34 hours)

A major in Spanish requires the following:

  1. A minimum of 34 hours of courses at the 2310 level or above. These 34 hours must include:
    • Courses 3300 and 3303;
    • Three hours of culture and civilization (Spanish 3312, 3313, 3315 or 4396);
    • Three hours of literature (Spanish 3315, 3320, 3321 or 4395). Note: Spanish 3315 may not be taken twice in fulfillment of both the culture and literature area requirements;
    • One course at the 4000 level. Spanish Teacher candidates must take Spanish 4350;
    • Spanish 4110: Senior Capstone Assessment
  2. Satisfactory performance on proficiency tests upon entrance to and exit from the major program.
  3. A minimum grade of C in each course applying to the major program.
  4. Teacher candidates must graduate with a 2.75 GPA overall in major courses.

        [7.1.5] Minor in French, German, or Spanish (18 hours)

A minor in French, German, or Spanish requires the following:

  1. A minimum of 18 hours at the 2310 level or above. These 18 hours must include:
    • Courses 2310, 2320, and 3300
    • Three hours of culture/civilization or literature (French 3312, 3315, 3320, 3321, or 4395; German 3312, 3320 or 4395; or Spanish 3312, 3313, 3320, 3321, 4395, or 4396);
    • Six hours of courses chosen from among the following: 2330, 3303, 3312, 3313, 3315, 3320, 3321, 3160, 3260, 3340, 3398, 4350, 4395, 4396. Note: FREN 3315 may not be taken twice in fulfillment of both the culture and literature area requirements.
  2. Satisfactory performance on proficiency tests upon entrance to and exit from the program.
  3. A minimum grade of C in each course applying to the minor program.

        [7.1.6] Minor in Mandarin Chinese (18 hours)

A minor in Mandarin Chinese requires the following:

  1. A minimum of 18 hours at the 2310 level or above. These 18 hours must include:
    • Chinese 2310, 2320, 3300, and 3303
    • CHIN 3312 – Chinese Culture and Society
    • CHIN 3320 – Advanced Reading in Chinese
  2. Satisfactory performance on proficiency tests upon entrance to and exit from the program.
  3. A minimum grade of C in each course applying to the minor program

[7.2] Bachelor of Arts with Teacher Licensure and ESL Endorsement

The BA curriculum may be combined with preparation for P-8 and 7-12 Foreign Language Education licensure. For further information, contact the Chair of the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (450-5645), the Chair of the Department of Middle/Secondary Education and Instructional Technologies (450-3177), or the Office of Candidate Services and Field Experience (450-3131).

ESL Endorsement Courses: All teacher candidates with a major in foreign language who complete the teacher licensure program at UCA will graduate with ESL endorsement. In addition to WLAN 4315, 4325, and 4330 (described below), students must take EDUC 3309 in the College of Education.

[8] Proficiency Tests

All language majors and minors will be required to take a general proficiency test in the language before enrolling in upper-division courses. Exit assessment examinations in the language, literature, and culture of the target language are also required for all majors during the senior year. Additional courses will be required for students with deficiencies.

[9] Master’s Degrees

See Graduate Bulletin.

[10] Courses offered in English (WLAN)

Follow this link for WLAN course descriptions: course link.

[11] Courses in French (FREN)

Follow this link for FREN course descriptions: course link.

[12] Courses in German (GERM)

Follow this link for GERM course descriptions: course link.

[13] Courses in Japanese (JAPN)

Follow this link for JAPN course descriptions: course link.

[14] Courses in Latin (LAT)

Follow this link for LAT course descriptions: course link.

[15] Courses in Russian (RUSS)

Follow this link for RUSS course descriptions: course link.

[16] Courses in Spanish (SPAN)

Follow this link for SPAN course descriptions: course link.

[17] Courses in Chinese (CHIN)

Follow this link for CHIN course descriptions: course link.