You are in the official 1998-99 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Foreign Languages and Literatures
The School of Arts and Humanities
BRUCE S. THORNTON, Chair
Engineering East, Room 218
(559) 278-2386
FAX: (559) 278-7878
http://www.csufresno.edu/forlang/welcome.html
Single Subject
Teaching Credential in French, German, and Spanish
Faculty
Bruce S. Thornton, Chair
Jacinta R. Amaral, Graduate Adviser
Adriana N. Slaniceanu, Graduate Adviser
Jacinta R. Amaral (Spanish), Luis F. Costa (Spanish), David G. Engle (German),
G. Ronald Freeman (Spanish), Maurice C. Gendron (French, Italian), June
M. Gill (French), Victor D. Hanson (Classics), Rose Marie Kuhn (French),
Maria Jose Martinez-Gutierrez (Spanish), David A. Ross (French), Ignacio
B. Santesteban (Spanish), Adriana N. Slaniceanu (Italian, Spanish), Bruce
S. Thornton (Classics), Cosme M. Zaragoza (Spanish)
The Department
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 modern foreign languages
of French and Spanish. It offers minors in German and Russian. Secondary
Teaching Credentials are available in French, German, and Spanish. The Master
of Arts degree may be earned in Spanish. The department also offers 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.
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).
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 Courses