You are in the official 1996-97 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.

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Foreign Languages and Literatures

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School of Arts and Humanities
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
MAURICE C. GENDRON, Chair
San Ramon 4, Room 131
(559) 278-2386

B.A. in French
B.A. in German
B.A. in Russian
B.A. in Spanish

M.A. in Spanish

Minor in Classical Studies
Minor in French
Minor in German
Minor in Russian
Minor in Spanish

Single Subject Teaching Credential in French, German, Russian, and Spanish

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Because of increasing mobility in our modern world, it takes no time at all to travel to places where people speak a language other than English. Even in California scarcely a day goes by that you do not hear people conversing in a foreign language. If you visit or go to work in another country you will quickly learn the fallacy of the phrase, "Everyone speaks English there; don't worry!" You can never fully appreciate the differences between your own way of life and the life of others unless you get out and communicate with them in their own language. When you know a foreign language you can learn even more about other cultures by reading newspapers, magazines, and books.

The goal of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is to prepare you for communication with other peoples, so that you may move about with greater ease in an ever changing world. We offer the study of the humanities through foreign languages. We provide training for teaching in secondary schools and junior colleges. We offer courses specifically to prepare individuals for bilingual/cross-cultural teaching in public schools. We provide basic foreign language training for professions such as health and agriculture. We offer courses to train translators. We prepare students who wish to pursue graduate studies.

The department offers a major and a minor in the following modern foreign languages: French, German, Russian, and Spanish. Secondary Teaching Credentials are available in French, German, Russian, and Spanish. The Master of Arts degree may be earned in Spanish. We also offer basic courses in Italian and Portuguese.

For those interested in the study of the Classics, we have a Minor in Classical Studies with areas of interest in Latin, Greek, or Classics.

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures has a foreign language laboratory to provide students with additional listening and oral practice.

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International Programs

Juniors and seniors have the opportunity for the invaluable experience of studying in a foreign country through the California State University International Programs. This one-year program is especially recommended for foreign language majors and minors. See International Programs (Overseas).

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Career Opportunities

Since a foreign language degree increases your ability to communicate with people, it provides a wide variety of career opportunities. In today's world of international markets and international professional exchange, the knowledge of another language and culture can be a great asset for success in any field. Many possibilities exist for employment with the U.S. government and with international organizations, airlines, shipping companies, agricultural enterprises, and multinational corporations, even though there may be strong competition for some types of positions both at home and abroad.

In California, fluency in Spanish can be a very useful adjunct to your education in the fields of social work, health, elementary or secondary school teaching, teaching English as a second language, or other public service work where ethnic understanding is important.

When your primary major is in another career area, a second major or a minor in a foreign language is a very good way to acquire and document language skills important for a job or profession.

A great number of foreign language majors aim for a teaching career. Teaching at the college level requires at least a master's degree, while teaching in the public schools requires a teaching credential. There is currently a strong demand for high school language teachers due to the establishment of a foreign language admissions requirement in the University of California and California State University systems. There are many opportunities for teaching in elementary schools having bilingual/cross-cultural programs in Spanish.

Do not hesitate to visit the department office to seek advice that can help you plan the course of study that will best meet your career goals. Faculty advisers can provide you with up-to-date information on career perspectives in foreign languages.


Foreign Languages and Literatures - Degrees

Foreign Languages and Literatures - Courses

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