You are in the official 2001-2002 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
David A. Ross, Chair
Jacinta R. Amaral, Graduate Adviser
Jacinta R. Amaral (Spanish), Luis F. Costa (Spanish), David G.
Engle (German), Alvin J., Figueroa (Spanish), Maurice C. Gendron
(French, Italian), June M. Gill (French), Amy E. Gregory (Spanish),
Victor D. Hanson (Classics), Herlinda R. James (Spanish), Saul
Jimenez-Sandoval (Spanish), Rose Marie Kuhn (French), Maria Jose
Martinez-Gutierrez (Spanish), David A. Ross (French), Ignacio
B. Santesteban (Spanish), Bruce S. Thornton
(Classics, Humanities), Cosme M. Zaragoza (Spanish)
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 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 also offers a minor in German.
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.
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).
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 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