Undergraduate programs

The Department of World Languages and Literatures offers undergraduate major programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish; minor programs in the above languages and in Italian, Persian, Turkish, and Classical Studies; and instruction in the above languages, as well as in American Sign Language, Ancient Greek, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swahili, Swedish, and Vietnamese. Other languages may be offered from time to time.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

World Language B.A.

World Language Minor

Classical Studies Minor

Certificate of Advanced Proficiency in Russian (CAPR)

Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (TJFL) Certificate

Foreign Language Secondary Education Program

Arabic Major

Chinese Major

French Major

German Major

Japanese Major

Russian Major

Spanish Major

World Language B.A.

The Department of World Languages and Literatures offers undergraduate majors in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. An undergraduate world language major must complete 32 upper-division credits (numbered 300 or higher) in language, literature and culture, an additional 8 credits in 400-level language and literature courses (excluding 401-410), 8 credits in adviser-approved electives, and 4 credits in linguistics (Ling 390, WLL 390, or a linguistics course in the target language). French majors must include a minimum of two courses from the 341, 342, 343 sequence and a minimum of 16 400-level credits in their total program. Spanish majors must include at least one course from the 341, 342, 343, 344, 345 sequence and a minimum of 16 400-level credits in their total program.

Requirements

Courses

Language, literature, and culture (32 credits)

(in Fr this must include two courses from the 341-342-343 sequence and at least 16 400-level credits in their total program)

(in Span this must include one course from the 341-342-343-344-345 sequence and at least 16 400-level credits in their total program)

400-level courses in the major language (8 credits)

(excluding 401-410)

Adviser-approved electives (8 credits)

Linguistics (4 credits)

WLL 390Languages of the World

4

Ling 390Introduction to Linguistics

4

or

a linguistics course in the major language

Total Credit Hours: 52

  • Before being admitted to 400-level courses, students will be expected to demonstrate proficiency at a level determined by the individual language program.
  • No more than 8 credits of courses numbered 404 (Cooperative Education) may be counted toward the major.
  • 20 of the required 52 credits must be taken in residence at PSU (excludes credit by exam but includes study abroad credit from PSU approved programs).
  • All courses used to satisfy major requirements must be passed with a grade of C or higher. (C- and P are not acceptable.) Students majoring in a world language must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50 on all courses used to satisfy the major requirements.