Language & Cultural Studies (Minor)
Overview
The need for multilingual communication continues to grow as globalization affects our businesses, our politics, our economics and our teaching. Our students study historical, political and literary relations across national, linguistic and cultural boundaries. Our graduates are sensitive to the needs of the world community, open to exploring new ways to improve life through communication and ready to approach complex issues from an intercultural perspective.
Our minor in language and cultural studies supports any career path you choose by providing you with a high level of linguistic and cross-cultural understanding. Many of the courses in the program are interdisciplinary, connecting concepts from courses in languages with those in international affairs, history and literature.
We encourage you to experience and gain an appreciation for the artistic expressions of the cultures associated with the languages we offer: Spanish, French, and Arabic. Furthermore, we help you reflect on the interdependent nature of the world, considering the complexity and richness of diverse cultures while developing your language skills.
The program is coordinated by:
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Featured Courses
SPAN 301 Reading and Writing for Advanced or Native SpeakersDesigned for Spanish speakers whose dominant language is English, this course draws from the students linguistic background in both languages in order to teach them to write effectively in Spanish. Activities include news reporting, book reviews, essays, and business and formal letters. Students may suggest their own topics of interest to be used in three out of the six papers required. Grammar explanations including accentuation, orthography, verb tenses and uses of the subjunctive mood will be used in relation with vocabulary and idiomatic expressions to enhance language development. Readings based on the cultural life and experience of Spanish-speaking people in the U.S. Formerly SPA 401 Advanced Composition.
3 credits
Prereq: Native or near-native proficiency in Spanish
FREN 201 Intermediate French IReviews and develops aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: FREN 102 or placement
ARBC 202 Intermediate Arabic IIA continuation of ARBC 201, this course enhances students' proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic through the further development of speaking, reading, writing and listening skills. Emphasis will be placed on correct use of syntax and grammar, and students will engage in increasingly complex oral and written communication. Students will also work with more varied, challenging readings on a variety of cultural topics.
4 credits
SPAN 213 Latina VoicesFosters awareness and understanding among women of the Americas, their different cultures and traditions as told through their own stories. Students will also reach a better understanding of the ethnic and racial diversity that characterizes the whole American continent including the United States, thus becoming more able to participate in a multicultural environment, both in the labor force and in their personal lives. Readings and discussions will be in English. Native speakers of Spanish may choose to do written assignments in Spanish. Formerly SPA 210 Latina Voices.
3 credits
FLC II
General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry
SPAN 223 An Introduction to Latin American LiteratureThe course will serve as an introduction to Latin American authors through the study of short tales and poetry. The readings will always be in Spanish, though the instruction will be in both Spanish and English.
3 credits
Prerequisites: SPAN 102 or Permission of Instructor.
INAF 311 Current Issues in the AmericasExamines contemporary political, economic, environmental and social issues that concern governments and citizens in North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Focuses on strengthening and promotion of democracy, human rights, gender equality, combating illegal drugs, the environment and sustainable development, international trade, and hemispheric security. This course is a prerequisite for students planning to participate in INAF 411 Model Assembly of the Organization of American States. Formerly INS 301 The Western Hemisphere: Contemporary Multilateral Issues.
HIS 255 Contemporary History of the Third WorldLooks at the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. After first examining the factors that created the global imperial order at the end of the 19th century, the course traces the rise of nationalism, the impact of the world wars, the process of decolonization, and the challenge of nation building in an age of global politics.
3 credits
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Career Paths
- Translator
- International Business Consultant
- Travel Writer
- Teacher / Professor
- Foreign Correspondent
- Human Resource Specialist
- Lawyer
- Counselor
- Entrepreneur
- Non-Profit Administrator
- Government Program Analyst
- Training and Development Manager
- Educational Administrator
- Public Relations Specialist
- Journalist
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Internships
Students can apply for internships at many DC-based organizations, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Caucus and the Inter-American Development Bank.
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