modern languages
A knowledge of foreign languages facilitates communication with people of other cultures and provides an introduction to other ways of thinking and of conceiving of the world. The study of another language, its people, its culture, and its literature invites students to examine the universal aspects of the human condition.
Second languages are increasingly important in careers. Many facets of American life have become international. The involvement of American business with foreign countries is continually expanding, and language versatility can be crucial to success. The United States itself is now a multicultural arena, which makes knowing a second language an exciting and necessary element of professional, educational, social, and community endeavors. Students interested in graduate school should keep in mind that many fields require knowledge of a second language. Language study is an integral part of such majors as International Business, Communications, and Liberal and Civic Studies.
The Department of Modern Languages offers courses in French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. There is a major in Spanish and French, and a minor in East Asian Studies, German Studies and Italian Studies. Courses in modern languages in translation, including culture and civilization courses in translation, are grouped separately below, following the individual language listings.
Saint Mary’s College proposes that all of its graduates should have knowledge and understanding of another culture and its language (see below, language proficiency requirement). To this end, the department has created a lower division
curriculum whose learning outcomes meet criteria established by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign
Languages. All students will demonstrate intermediate language skills: speaking, listening reading and writing in the target language. Instruction balances a solid grammatical foundation with practical training in both classroom and multimedia settings which include exposure to culture and geography.
Modern Languages Podcast
Alvaro Ramirez, Costanza Dopfel, Naoko Uehara, Kelly DeBarr
