Romance Languages (B.A.)
The study of other languages, literatures, and cultures not only provides important perspectives on the world, but also sharpens analytical and reasoning skills, deepens understanding of English, and enhances the quality of one's writing. Linguistic and broadly-based cultural studies provide excellent grounding for various professional programs, including law, business, medicine or health sciences, teaching at the high school or university level, library and information science, and museum practice.
Students should refer to the CMLLC program requirements for admission, degree, and general education requirements.
All majors with concentrations in Italian and Spanish are required to take a minimum of two cognate courses approved by the advisor. They are encouraged to take as much work as possible in the literatures of other languages, both ancient and modern, as well as in history, philosophy, linguistics, art, and music.
French Major Concentration Requirements
A concentration in French consists of:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FRE 2100 | French through Film I | 4 |
| FRE 2110 | French through Film II | 4 |
| Select two from the following list of four courses: | 6 | |
| Anguish and Commitment: European Existentialist Literature | ||
| Introduction to French Civilization I | ||
| Introduction to French Civilization II | ||
| Understanding the Fairy Tale | ||
| FRE 3200 | French Cafe | 3 |
| FRE 3300 | Professional French through Literary and Filmic Texts | 3 |
| FRE 4620 | Topics in Sociocultural Analysis | 3 |
| FRE 5100 | Advanced Composition | 4 |
| FRE 5600 | Translation Studies | 3 |
| FRE 6200 | Renaissance to Revolution | 3 |
| or FRE 6300 | Modernity, Postmodernity, and Extreme Contemporain | |
| Electives - select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| French Phonetics and Pronunciation (Electives) | ||
| Topics in French and Francophone Culture | ||
| Topics in French and Francophone Literature | ||
| Internship in French Studies | ||
| Topics in Sociocultural Analysis | ||
| Introduction to French Linguistics | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Italian Major Concentration Requirements
The major concentration in Italian at Wayne State University (effective Fall 2014) is designed for maximum flexibility, offering students educational choices which can help prepare them for a wide variety of careers, including teaching, diplomacy, tourism, design, fine and performing arts, music, law, medicine, and international business, among others. A student with a particular historical or thematic interest can focus on history, art, music, literature, international studies, and other studies while completing a major concentration or a minor in Italian.
The major concentration in Italian requires a total of thirty-six credits beyond the basic language sequence (ITA 1010, ITA 1020, and ITA 2010). Majors are required to take ITA 2020 and an additional thirty-three credits, with at least two courses in each of three groupings: Language and Culture, Literature and Culture before 1700, and Literature and Culture after 1700. (For a list of courses within these classifications, consult the departmental advisor.) A total of nine credits can be elected from courses offered in a number of related disciplines.
Italian Summer Program in Gagliano
Students may also take courses in Italian language, literature, and culture in the Wayne summer program in Gagliano Aterno, Italy. The Gagliano program offers students the opportunity to complete up to eight hours of course work in four weeks.
Spanish Major Concentration Requirements
A student concentrating in Spanish is required to take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SPA 2025 | Cultural Connections, Grammar and Composition I | 3 |
| SPA 3025 | Cultural Connections, Grammar and Composition II | 3 |
| SPA 3300 | Introduction to Cultural and Literary Analysis | 3 |
| SPA 4610 | Introduction to Early Modern Spanish Literature | 3 |
| or SPA 4620 | Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Spanish Literature | |
| SPA 4630 | Introduction to Colonial Latin American Literature | 3 |
| or SPA 4640 | Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Latin American Literature | |
| SPA 5100 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| SPA 5200 | Spanish Phonetics | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Conversation | ||
| Spanish Culture and Its Tradition | ||
| Spanish American Cultures and their Traditions | ||
| Topics in Hispanic Culture or Language | ||
| Advanced Conversation | ||
| One elective at the 3000 level or above | 3 | |
| One literature course at the 6000 level or above | 3 | |
| Two electives at the 5000 or 6000 level | 6 | |
| All students majoring in Spanish, at the beginning of the semester in which they intend to graduate, should consult the Major Advisor regarding the evaluation of Spanish called Assessment of Knowledge in the Major. This is a requirement of all graduating majors. | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
Foreign Languages: Teacher Preparation
Students who are preparing to teach French, Italian, or Spanish in the secondary schools and who wish to obtain a B.A. degree with a concentration in one of these languages must complete the appropriate concentration as defined above. Students interested in pursuing teacher preparation course work should also refer to the Teacher Education Division of the College of Education.
Business Careers Language Preparation
Foreign language majors who do not plan to teach may wish to consider a series of courses in the Mike Ilitch School of Business which will provide some background for potential employment with multinational corporations. These courses will also prepare them for entrance into the Master of Business Administration degree program after completion of the B.A. For information, contact the Associate Dean of the Mike Ilitch School of Business, 226 Prentis Building, telephone: 313-577-4503.