Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

372 O’DOWD HALL
(248) 370-2060
Fax: (248) 370-4208

Department Website: oakland.edu/languages

Chairperson: Jennifer Law-Sullivan

Distinguished professor emeritus: Jack R. Moeller (German) 

Professors emeriti: John W. Barthel (German), Dolores Burdick (French), Carlo Coppola (Hindi-Urdu), Renate Gerulaitis (German), Don R. Iodice (French), David Jaymes (French), Barbara Mabee (German), Estela Moreno-Mazzoli (Spanish), Munibur Rahman (Hindi-Urdu), Robert E. Simmons (German), Amitendranath Tagore (Chinese), Carmen Urla (Spanish) 

Professor: Christopher Clason, (German)

Associate professors: Stephen Filler (Japanese), Stacey L. Hahn (French), Jennifer Law-Sullivan (French), Frances Meuser (Spanish), Seigo Nakao (Japanese), Aldona Bialowas Pobutsky (Spanish), Ronald F. Rapin (Spanish)

Assistant professors: Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo (Spanish), Hsiang-Hua Chang (Chinese), Mary Hartson (Spanish), Akiko Kashiwagi-Wood (Japanese), Daniel Lorca (Spanish), Maria Cecilia Saenz-Roby (Spanish), Anja Wieden (German)

Adjunct associate professor: Malik Balla (Arabic)

Special instructors: Dikka Berven (French), Julia Urla (Spanish) 

Special lecturers: Yukiko Aigbedo (Japanese), Elizabeth Cardozo Anderson (Spanish), Luz Clarke (Spanish), Bernadette Donohue (French), Jamila Doppke (French), Fátima Ferreira (Spanish), Tara Gardner (Spanish), Gina Iafano (French), Dunya Mikhail (Arabic), Angela Milliken (Spanish), Henryka Nemesh (French), Caterina Pieri (Italian), Eric Russell (Spanish), José Saenz (Spanish), Cornelia Schaible (German), Mayra Schmalzried (Spanish), Wendy Shyu (Chinese), Ulrike Treder (German), Grzegorz Tokarski (Italian), Holly Walker-Cote´ (Spanish)

Lecturers: Shubhangi Dabak (German), Tanita Ey (German), Masako Hirokawa (Japanese), Xue Jiang (Chinese), Nira Lev (Hebrew), Michele Plattenberger (Japanese), Elizabeth Williamson (French)

Chief adviser: Ronald F. Rapin

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The modern languages curriculum is designed to help students acquire competence in the language of a given country or countries and, through the study of literature and civilization, to acquaint them with the cultural background of the country or countries. It also prepares students for graduate work, teaching and careers in business or government service. The department houses an interactive video, audio and computer language-technology facility, in which students have access to a broad variety of tutorials, exercises and multimedia activities supporting their classroom learning experiences.

Students may wish to investigate the advantages of combining a knowledge of foreign languages and cultures with competence in other fields. Study of a foreign language and culture is an important asset for students with majors such as business, communication, computer science, economics, international management, international studies and journalism. Knowledge of a foreign language also enhances the study of other disciplines, such as anthropology, art, cinema studies, education, English, health sciences, history, integrative studies, liberal studies, linguistics, music, philosophy, political science, pre-law, religious studies, sociology, theatre and writing and rhetoric.

Placement Examinations

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers language placement testing in French, German and Spanish year round. Students can take the test using a personal computer or at computer labs in Kresge Library or in the Oakland Center or in the language lab. The test in French, German and Spanish can be accessed at webcape.byuhtrsc.org?acct=oakland. Password: grizzlies1. For placement in the other languages, please contact the department. Students who enter Oakland University with high school work in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish must take the appropriate placement test. In case of questions concerning proper placement, students should consult with the department advisers, (248) 370-2060.

Admission to Major Standing

To be eligible for a major in one or more foreign languages, a student must be admitted to major standing by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Normally, a student should apply for major standing at the department office after having attained 56 credits and no later than three semesters before graduation. A student planning to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree will be admitted to major standing after completion of 8 credits of language or literature at the 300 level with a minimum grade point average of 2.80.

Departmental Honors and Scholarships

Departmental honors may be awarded to graduating majors for outstanding achievements. In order to be eligible, students must submit for faculty review a writing project, usually either a research paper or a translation of superior quality, completed in a 400-level course. In addition, students must maintain a grade point average in major courses of at least 3.60 and have taken at least 16 credits of the major at Oakland University. Qualified students who wish to be nominated should contact a full-time faculty member in their major at the start of the semester in which they will graduate.

There are two scholarships specifically for majors in the department. The Don R. Iodice Grant-in-Aid for Foreign Travel is available for majors who will return to Oakland University for a minimum of two full semesters. The Carmine Rocco Linsalata Memorial Scholarship offers one stipend to an incoming student who intends to major in a foreign language and another to a major with a minimum of 28 credits. The Jack Moeller Gift Fund offers stipends to German majors for study at Oldenburg and for study in German courses at Oakland University. The department also offers the Holzbock Humanities Scholarship (For information, see General Information on Scholarships at the front of this catalog).

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad. Students should consult departmental advisers for information on a variety of foreign study opportunities. Students wishing to transfer credits from study abroad programs must arrange for that prior to their departure. Chinese language students interested in studying abroad should contact Professor Hsiang-Hua Chang.

Students majoring or minoring in French wishing to participate in the exchange program with the University of Orléans in France should contact Professor Stacey Hahn. Students majoring or minoring in German wishing to participate in the exchange program with the University of Oldenburg in Germany should contact Professor Christopher Clason.  Students may also participate in the Junior Year in Munich Program with Wayne State University.

Japanese language students interested in studying in Japan should contact Professor Seigo Nakao.

Students majoring in Spanish may participate in Study Abroad Programs in Spain and Mexico, administered by the Director of International Education, 160E North Foundation Hall. For further information on these programs, and on other study abroad opportunities, see the International Studies Program  section of the catalog.

Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language

Students may earn a certificate in teaching English as a second language (ESL) by completing the following courses:

Translation Program

Students qualify for a translation certificate by completing language courses numbered 355, 455 and 491. A 491 course does not apply toward the major.

Concentration in French Studies

Coordinator: Stacey Hahn

The concentration in French studies provides an interdisciplinary understanding of French culture for students not majoring in French. Courses in French language, literature, civilization, art history and history are required. Students should refer to the Other Academic Options  section for concentration requirements.

The department offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty. Specific offerings for each term may be found in the Schedule of Classes. Modern Language courses at the 114-level satisfy the general education foreign language and culture requirement. Students who place into 115, 214 or 215 may use the credits to satisfy the general education foreign language and culture area.

Programs

• Chinese Language and Civilization Minor
• Chinese Minor
• French Language and Literature Minor
• French Language and Literature, B.A.
• French Minor
• German Language and Literature Minor
• German Language and Literature, B.A.
• German Minor
• German Studies Minor
• German with a Concentration in German Studies, B.A. Program
• Japanese Language and Civilization Minor
• Japanese Language and Literature Minor
• Japanese Language and Literature, B.A.
• Japanese Minor
• Latin American Language and Civilization, B.A.
• Modern Language, Elementary Teaching Majors
• Modern Language, Elementary Teaching Minors
• Modern Language, Modified, with Select Majors and Minors
• Modern Language, Secondary Teaching Minors
• Modern Languages and Literatures (K-12), STEP
• Spanish Language and Literature Minor
• Spanish Language and Literature, B.A.
• Spanish Minor
• Translation Certificate, Modern Languages
• Two Modern Languages, B.A.

Courses

• JPN 491 - Independent Translation Project
• LIT 100 - Introduction to Asian Literature
• LIT 181 - European Literature I
• LIT 182 - European Literature II
• LIT 251 - Studies In Foreign Film
• LIT 375 - Topics in Foreign Literature
• ML 191 - Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 192 - Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 290 - Topics Related to Foreign Language Study
• ML 291 - Intermediate Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 292 - Intermediate Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 390 - Advanced Study of Topics Related to Foreign Languages and Cultures
• ML 391 - Advanced Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 392 - Advanced Tutorial in Foreign Language
• ML 399 - Field Experience in a Modern Language
• ML 440 - Interactive Technology: Computers in Foreign Language Teaching
• SPN 114 - Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture I
• SPN 115 - Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture II
• SPN 119 - Accelerated Review of Elementary Spanish and Spanish Culture
• SPN 214 - Second Year Spanish I
• SPN 215 - Second Year Spanish II
• SPN 290 - Directed Readings in Spanish
• SPN 313 - Spanish Phonetics
• SPN 314 - Spanish Grammar Review
• SPN 316 - Spanish Conversation
• SPN 318 - Spanish Composition
• SPN 350 - Latin American Civilization
• SPN 351 - Spanish Civilization
• SPN 355 - Translation: Spanish into English
• SPN 358 - Spanish Language and Culture for Health Care Professionals
• SPN 369 - Field Experience in Teaching Spanish in Elementary and Middle Schools
• SPN 370 - Introduction to Spanish Literature
• SPN 380 - Introduction to Spanish-American Literature
• SPN 390 - Directed Readings in Spanish
• SPN 408 - Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition
• SPN 415 - Medieval Literature of the Iberian Peninsula
• SPN 416 - Spanish Literature - Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries
• SPN 417 - Spanish Literature - Seventeenth Century
• SPN 418 - Cervantes
• SPN 419 - Spanish Literature - Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
• SPN 420 - Spanish Literature - Twentieth Century
• SPN 455 - Translation: English into Spanish
• SPN 457 - Business Spanish
• SPN 480 - Undergraduate Seminar
• SPN 488 - Spanish-American Literature before 1888
• SPN 489 - Spanish-American Literature after 1888
• SPN 490 - Independent Reading and Research
• SPN 491 - Independent Translation Project