HANDBOOK FOR ROMANCE LANGUAGES MAJORS AND MINORS

This Handbook attempts to answer the most frequent questions students ask when considering a major or minor in Romance Languages:

I.      What are the Romance Languages at CC?

The Romance Languages Department currently offers a major in French, Spanish, Italian Studies and a combination of Romance languages (French/Spanish; Spanish/French; French/Italian; or Spanish/Italian), as well as language minors in French, Italian and Spanish. The Department consists of five professors who teach Spanish, two who teach Italian, three who teach French, and three native speakers, from France/French speaking Africa, Italy and Mexico, who teach adjunct classes and serve as Head Residents of our language houses. In addition to the permanent faculty, the Department regularly invites guest professors from other countries.

II.     How and when do I sign up to major?

              Students interested in majoring or minoring in one or more of the Romance Languages should consult with an advisor, who can be any permanent professor in the Department. Application forms are available from the Registrar, and should be signed by the Chair of the Department and an advisor within the Department. It is important to declare as soon as possible (preferably by the end of your sophomore year) so that we can help you plan the best sequence of courses to complete your major. This is even more essential for students considering a double major, in order to avoid scheduling conflicts Senior Year.

              The Spanish and French majors include ten courses above the intermediate level. All courses are taught in the target language.

The Romance Languages majors include from eleven to twelve courses, with the option of taking a third Romance Language at the 101 level, or Introductory Latin. Overall GPA, course work in the major, and the senior thesis determine distinction in the major.  Students may choose to take some of their classes by using the optional grading system, the P Track (audit), but students interested in being considered for distinction must choose the G Track in order to calculate their GPA.  

III.   Should I study more than one of the Romance Languages, and if so, in what order?

              Many of our students take all three languages at the College. This is really a personal choice. For those students who come with no previous language experience, mastering three languages in four years is quite a challenge and requires an enormous investment of blocks as well as energy.  Students interested in Spanish can now also study elementary, intermediate, or advanced Spanish in our newly created Summer Session program in Salamanca, Spain.  Since 305 is the minimal level of proficiency required for the major, students must take four blocks of language (elementary and intermediate) before reaching the 305 level. To do so in all three languages requires twelve blocks, the equivalent of a major in many other departments. For those students who come with at least one of the languages, the Romance Languages combination is a good deal easier. Many French and Spanish students take elementary Italian in Italy during summer school, and some of our majors participate in all three of our study abroad programs. There is no magic order, but you should have completed the intermediate level in one language before attempting a second or a third.

IV.      How many classes should I take before deciding to major or minor?

              Many students fall in love with a language after one or two blocks and think they want to major, only to discover that our majors emphasize literature and culture rather than language skills. All majors require 305 and 306 as prerequisites to the advanced courses of the major. 304 is an elective which emphasizes language proficiency in speaking, but is not a prerequisite for 300-level courses.  305 emphasizes language proficiency, both in writing and speaking, and 306 emphasizes analysis of literary texts. It is a good idea then, to take at least 305, and probably 306 as well, before committing to a major in Romance Languages. Remember that you can use your language skills in many other majors, and with 305 you can do well in study abroad programs whether you decide to major in one of the Romance Languages or not.

V.     How can I retain my language skills when not taking a language class?

              Maintaining proficiency is difficult on the Block Plan. For this reason the Department offers weekly Adjunct classes at the elementary, intermediate and advanced levels so that students can continue to speak and hear the language. We also recommend participation in departmental activities that reinforce language skills. All three language houses maintain weekly language tables and events. The library has a large collection of foreign language films, and the Department puts on plays annually, as well as sponsoring lectures and concerts. You can stay immersed in the target language by reading newspapers on the net, listening to music, watching Univision or Scola, meeting with international and returning students from study abroad programs. All these activities can help to maintain speaking and listening comprehension.

VI.    How should I handle the problem of interference when studying multiple Romance Languages?

              While proficiency in one Romance Language generally makes learning a second Romance Language easier, there is inevitably a certain amount of interference, which can be frustrating when beginning a second or third Romance Language. For this reason, it is a good idea to reach at least the intermediate level in the first language before attempting to learn another Romance Language. Although many students who major in RL come to CC already proficient in one RL language, we have majors who begin all three languages at the College. This requires careful planning and usually means some study abroad or during the summer.

              There are a number of strategies that can help when confronted with the interference of one or more Romance Languages. Students sometimes find they are writing and speaking a kind of Esperanto or ensalada, instead of French, Spanish or Italian. It is helpful to make a list of frequent false cognates, differences in spelling (for example the double s or f in French (classe/différence) versus single in Spanish (clase/diferencia). The most frequent problems come with differences in pronunciation (the French R versus the Spanish R) and as always with language, patience and practice pays off. While interference can be very frustrating, the Latin roots of the Romance languages gives you a head start in comprehension when tackling a second or a third Romance Language.

VII.   Should I study abroad? When? Where? For how long?

              While the Department does not require study abroad, we strongly encourage it and offer financial assistance to students requiring aid to realize their dream of studying on one of our programs. We offer study abroad programs in France, Italy, Mexico, Senegal and Spain.  We encourage students to plan to spend at least a semester abroad, and we will accept up to 2 blocks of credit for our major from course work in non- Colorado College programs. Students should remember that classes in political science, art, history, or geography taught in the target language of the country where they are studying, while very valuable, do not satisfy the requirements for our majors.  Classes in cinema, literature and culture do apply to our major, but students planning to study abroad should consult first with the Chair or an advisor in the Department before selecting courses they hope to count for their major. Generally we advise students to take classes that they would be unable to take on campus. For example, while studying in Peru a student might elect to take a course in the Peruvian novel.

              Students should note that some courses taken in non-Colorado College programs abroad may not transfer as full CC credit.  For example, courses consisting of 45 contact hours will transfer as a .75 CC credit; for a full CC credit, courses must consist of 60 contact hours.  Taking these discrepancies into account, the department will accept up to a .5 unit from advanced adjunct courses (at the 301 and 302 level).    

              It is also possible to use a semester program abroad as a thematic minor, in consultation with a professor within the department and another faculty member from another division of the college. One such model is the thematic minor Contemporary Spain, which many students create from their semester course work in Spain and an integrative experience through a GS 320 Independent Study course.

              Students participating in the Romance Languages Mexico and France semesters can automatically count these programs as a thematic minor.

VIII.        How do I pick an advisor?

              Any full time professor in the Department can serve as your advisor. Students often ask the first professor they take a more advanced course with to serve as their advisor, but this is a very personal choice and you should feel free to ask a professor even if you have not yet studied with them yet. Be aware that faculty are sometimes on leave so you should check with any potential advisor about their availability, and if your advisor is on leave, ask for a recommendation for someone to stand in for them. Most faculty use email, or you can leave a note on their door requesting an appointment. All faculty hold regular office hours, posted on their door. The Chair can answer many questions as well.

IX.    Where can I find information about course requirements and sequencing?

              All courses and requirements are listed in the College Catalogue as well as on the Departmental website. The Department assistant, Teresa Latimer, has copies of the requirements for all our majors and minors. It is a good idea, however, to discuss your program with a professor in the Department before choosing the sequence of courses. All majors begin at the 305 level and 305 is the prerequisite for 306, which in turn is the prerequisite for all advanced literature courses. Some students request the consent of instructor to take a literature course without having taken 306. This is not a good idea, because often the student later decides to major in Spanish or French and still needs to take 306, sometimes after completing their thesis!

X.     Do I need to major to become proficient?

              Many students become fluent in one or more of the Romance Languages without deciding to major in the Department. If you don’t have time to major, you can still keep up your language. Students interested in continuing one of the Romance Languages begun in High School should take the Placement Test in the Keck Lab in Armstrong 314 to choose the appropriate course. Students who have taken Advanced Placement in High School can receive up to 2 units of credit with a grade of 5 on the AP exam. If you began the language in High School, try to continue with a language course here as soon as possible so that you don’t lose your proficiency. If it has been more than a year since you took the Placement test, you should take it again in order to choose the appropriate level for your first language class at the college.