Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

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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 a broad range of careers.

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 other majors. 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, among others.

Placement Examinations

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers online language placement testing in Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish year-round. The tests in Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish can be accessed on the website (password: grizzlies1). For placement in the other languages, please contact the department. Students who enter Oakland University with a background in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish must take the appropriate placement test. In case of questions concerning proper placement, students should consult with the department advisers. Call the department office for more information at (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. A student should apply for major standing at the department office, normally 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 3000 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 4000-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.

The DMLL offers a variety of scholarships that apply to both majors and minors. 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. Also available are the Plattenberger Study Abroad Scholarship, the Rosemont Scholarship for China Immersion, the Robert and Genevieve Simmons Scholarship for Study in Germany, the Holzbock Humanities Scholarship, and the Chinese Language Book Award. For information, see link to Scholarships.

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. For more information, contact the Office of International Education, 328 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2889.

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 Jennifer Law-Sullivan. Students majoring or minoring in German wishing to participate in the exchange program with the University of Oldenburg in Germany or with the Kapito Language Institute in Munster, Germany, should contact Professor Anja Wieden. Students may also participate in the Junior Year in Munich Program with Wayne State University.

Students interested in studying in Angers, France, should contact Professor Dikka Berven.

Japanese language students interested in studying in Japan should contact Professor Stephen Filler.

Students majoring in Spanish may participate in Study Abroad Programs in Spain and Argentina, administered by the Office of International Education.

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 3550, 4550 and 4800. A 4800 course does not apply toward the major.

Concentration in French Studies

Coordinator: Jennifer Law-Sullivan

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.

Programs

• Chinese Language and Civilization Minor
• Chinese Minor
• French Language and Literature Minor
• French Language and Literature, B.A.
• French Minor
• French Studies Concentration
• German Language and Literature Minor
• German Language and Literature, B.A.
• German Minor
• German Studies Minor
• German, B.A., Concentration in German Studies
• Italian Minor
• Japanese Language and Literature, B.A.
• Japanese Minor
• Latin American Language and Civilization, B.A.
• Modern Language, Additional Major
• Modern Languages and Literatures K-12
• Spanish Language and Literature Minor
• Spanish Language and Literatures, B.A.
• Spanish Minor
• Two Modern Languages, B.A.

Courses

• ARB 1140 - Introduction to Arabic Language and Culture I
• ARB 1150 - Introduction to Arabic Language and Culture II
• ARB 2140 - Second Year Arabic I
• ARB 2150 - Second Year Arabic II
• ARB 3160 - Arabic Conversation
• ARB 3180 - Arabic Composition
• ARB 3510 - Arabic Civilization
• ARB 3700 - Arabic Literature
• ARB 3920 - Directed Readings in Arabic
• CHE 1140 - Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture I
• CHE 1150 - Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture II
• CHE 2140 - Second Year Chinese I
• CHE 2150 - Second Year Chinese II
• CHE 3140 - Chinese Grammar and Reading
• CHE 3160 - Chinese Conversation
• CHE 3180 - Chinese Composition
• CHE 3510 - Chinese Civilization
• CHE 3550 - Translation: Chinese
• CHE 3570 - Chinese Business Communication
• CHE 3920 - Directed Readings in Chinese
• CHE 4080 - Advanced Chinese Conversation and Reading
• CHE 4550 - Advanced Translation from English to Chinese
• CHE 4570 - Advanced Business Chinese
• CHE 4800 - Independent Translation Project
• FRH 1140 - Introduction to French Language and Culture I
• FRH 1150 - Introduction to French Language and Culture II
• FRH 1190 - Accelerated Review of Elementary French and French Culture
• FRH 1600 - Texts from the French and Francophone World (pre-1800)
• FRH 1610 - Texts from the French and Francophone World (post-1800)
• FRH 2140 - Second Year French I
• FRH 2150 - Second Year French II
• FRH 2160 - Basic French Conversation
• FRH 3140 - French Grammar through Short Stories
• FRH 3180 - French Creative Writing
• FRH 3510 - French Civilization
• FRH 3550 - Translation into English
• FRH 3570 - French Business Communication
• FRH 3700 - Cinema and Literature from the Francophone World
• FRH 3800 - Introduction to Great Works of French Literature
• FRH 3920 - Directed Readings in French
• FRH 4081 - French Conversation and Phonetics
• FRH 4160 - French Literature from the Middle Ages through the Sixteenth Century
• FRH 4170 - French Literature - Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
• FRH 4190 - French Literature - Nineteenth Century
• FRH 4200 - Modern and Contemporary French Literature
• FRH 4550 - Translation into French
• FRH 4800 - Independent Translation Project
• FRH 4970 - Undergraduate Seminar
• FRH 4995 - Independent Reading and Research
• GRM 1140 - Introduction to German Language and Culture I
• GRM 1150 - Introduction to German Language and Culture II
• GRM 2140 - Second Year German I
• GRM 2150 - Second Year German II
• GRM 2920 - Directed Readings in German
• GRM 3000 - Germany Exchange: Oldenburg I
• GRM 3010 - Intermediate German
• GRM 3140 - Adv GRM Grammar/Texts/Contexts
• GRM 3160 - German Conversation
• GRM 3180 - German Composition
• GRM 3400 - German Culture I
• GRM 3550 - Translation: German
• GRM 3710 - Introduction to the Study of German Literature
• GRM 3810 - Great Works in German Literature
• GRM 3920 - Directed Readings in German
• GRM 3930 - Field Experience in Teaching German in Elementary and Middle Schools
• GRM 4000 - Germany Exchange: Oldenburg II
• GRM 4080 - Advanced German Conversation
• GRM 4130 - German Literature from the Middle Ages through the Seventeenth Century
• GRM 4180 - German Literature - Eighteenth Century
• GRM 4190 - German Literature - Nineteenth Century
• GRM 4200 - Modern and Contemporary German Literature
• GRM 4400 - German Culture II
• GRM 4550 - Translation into German
• GRM 4570 - Business German
• GRM 4800 - Independent Translation Project
• GRM 4970 - Undergraduate Seminar
• GRM 4995 - Independent Reading and Research
• HBR 1140 - Introduction to Hebrew Language and Culture I
• HBR 1150 - Introduction to Hebrew Language and Culture II
• HBR 2140 - Second Year Hebrew I
• HBR 2150 - Second Year Hebrew II
• IT 1140 - Introduction to Italian Language and Culture I
• IT 1150 - Introduction to Italian Language and Culture II
• IT 2140 - Second Year Italian I
• IT 2150 - Second Year Italian II
• IT 3140 - Italian Grammar Review
• IT 3160 - Italian Conversation and Composition
• IT 3510 - Italian Civilization
• IT 3550 - Translation into English
• IT 3570 - Italian Business Communication
• IT 3920 - Directed Readings in Italian
• JPN 1140 - Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture I
• JPN 1150 - Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture II
• JPN 2130 - Practical Japanese: Kanji Characters and Japanese Vocabulary
• JPN 2140 - Second Year Japanese I
• JPN 2150 - Second Year Japanese II
• JPN 3140 - Japanese Grammar and Reading
• JPN 3150 - Japanese Texts and Contexts
• JPN 3160 - Japanese Conversation
• JPN 3180 - Japanese Composition
• JPN 3510 - Japanese Civilization

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