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Foreign Languages

Program Information

Introduction

The department offers a Foreign Languages major with Literature/Professional and/or Secondary Education tracks in French, German, and Spanish. In addition, the department offers minors in French, German, Italian and Spanish. To satisfy General Education requirements, courses are also offered in Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin and Russian. 

Major in Foreign Languages

Students earning a Foreign Languages major with a Literature/Professional track in French, German, and/or Spanish must complete at least 30 units in the target language beyond the intermediate (201/202) level. Of the 30 units, at least 15 units must be completed at Towson University. Students pursuing the Foreign Languages major with a Secondary Education track in French, German, and/or Spanish consult with both the Foreign Languages Department and the Department of Secondary Education to confirm degree requirements. All Foreign Languages majors are assigned an advisor in the target language and receive advising each semester.

Minor in Foreign Languages

The minor programs in French, German, Italian and/or Spanish provide majors in other disciplines with the educational language background necessary to broaden and enhance their career opportunities. The minor requirements include 12 units of 300 and 400-level courses, in addition to the intermediate level courses I and II, to complete 18 units. All Foreign Languages minors are assigned an advisor in the target language and receive advising each semester.

Additional Program Information

Placement in Languages

The department's policy regarding placement of entering students with high school language study is as follows:

• One year of high school language study, students may register for 101 or 102.

• Two years of high school language study, students may register for 102.
• Three years of high school language study, students may register for 102 or 201.
• Four years of high school language study, students may register for 201 or 202.
• Five years of high school language study, students may register for 202 or 301.

Bachelor of Arts Language Requirements

Completion through the intermediate (201 and 202) level of a foreign language or its equivalent is required of all Bachelor of Arts degree candidates. This requirement may be met by:

• Completing two or more years of the language in high school plus intermediate levels I and II in college;

• Completing the elementary and intermediate level courses of the language in college;

• Successfully completing one semester of any course beyond the intermediate level II; or

• Successfully completing a Credit for Prior Learning examination in any language offered at the 301-302 level at Towson University (Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese and/or Spanish.) The exam is administered each November by the Department of Foreign Languages.

Credit for Prior Learning Exam

The exam is given only in November each academic year and only in the following languages offered by the Department of Foreign Languages at the 301-302 levels: Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The credits for 201-202 may not be earned unless the student takes 301 as a course. Upon completing the exam, a grade of “A” is required to earn six units and a grade of “B” earns the student three units. Exam applications and instructions are provided by contacting the department.

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Dr. Badis Guessaier, Assistant
Professor, teaching an Arabic class