2010-2011 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2010-2011 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Foreign Languages and Literatures Major


Overview


Undergraduate Program


The Foreign Languages and Literatures Department is part of the Alice Coonley Higgins School of Humanities. The program investigates how peoples and nations express themselves through language, literature and other cultural phenomena. The interdisciplinary spirit of the program illuminates the relationship between national literatures and other areas of the humanities and social sciences.

The major is offered in French and Spanish. It is also possible, at the department’s discretion, to major in more than one language (the combined foreign languages major).

There are majors available in comparative literature and ancient civilization as well. Though based in foreign languages and literatures, these two programs–together with the minor offered by ancient civilization–are described elsewhere in the catalog under their own headings.

Courses


The Adviser System


Advisers are faculty in appropriate disciplines who are assigned to students when their major or minor is declared. Students and advisers should meet regularly. Advisers suggest a course of study, discuss and approve related courses and, for majors, identify areas of special interest that could lead to an honors project.

Language Placement


Refer to Summer Newsletter 2007

Study Abroad


Information on study-abroad programs in France, Germany and Spain is available at Clark’s Office of Study Abroad Programs.

Course Listing by Fields of Specialization


Chinese


Classics


German Literature Courses conducted in English


  • GERM 188 - The Culture of the Weimer Republic in Literature, Film and the Arts

Program Requirements:


1.


Eight courses above the intermediate level. In French, major credit is given for courses above FREN106; in German, above GERM102; in Spanish, above SPAN127.

The eight required courses include:


  • An introductory-level course in literature
  • A course in culture criticism
  • For Spanish majors, an advanced grammar and composition course (SPAN 237  or the equivalent); for French majors, FREN 137 
  • The Advanced Topics course (297)
  • At least two courses taken in a Clark-sponsored or Clark-approved study-abroad program (This requirement may be waived in special circumstances.)

At least four of the eight required courses must be taken in residence at the Worcester campus.


2.


Five related courses, at least one of which must be CMLT 130 - The National Imagination . These five related courses are to be selected with the major adviser. They might be courses in other languages and literatures, or in subjects further afield that enrich the student’s understanding of core material. When the major program is concentrated in one language, a reading knowledge of a second language is strongly recommended. Only course grades of C or better may be counted toward the major.

Requirements for the Combined Foreign Languages Major


  • Five courses in each of two languages, chosen from the list of courses that would count toward a single-language major (GERM 103  and above; FREN 120  and above; SPAN 131  and above)
  • The Advanced Topics course (capstone course, numbered 297) in at least one of the two language areas chosen
  • One course in Comparative Literature, normally the core course (CMLT 130 ) required of all our majors
  • Four related courses, as determined in consultation with the student’s major adviser
  • At least two units of study abroad in a culture in which one of the target languages is spoken. Ordinarily, courses taken abroad may be counted toward the five required courses in each language area.