This is an archived copy of the 2014-2015 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uta.edu/.

Modern Languages - Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Modern Languages (MODL) offers courses in Arabic , Chinese , French , German , Korean , Portuguese , Russian , and Spanish .

MODL offers a Bachelor of Arts in French , Spanish , Spanish Translation and Interpreting, and a Bachelor of Arts with major in Critical Languages and International Studies (Chinese, German, and Russian), as well as certificate programs in Translation (Spanish) , Interpreting (Spanish), and Localization and Translation (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian). At the graduate level, MODL offers a Master of Arts in Modern Languages with concentrations in French or Spanish . The department also offers minors in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Spanish Translation and Interpreting, as well as area studies and other options.

Learning other languages has always formed a critical part of a well-rounded education. In today's global economy, the ability to communicate in languages other than one's own has become an increasingly valuable asset sought after by employers across the public and private sectors. Our substantive programs prepare students for research, translation, literary studies, linguistic studies, teaching, and business.

The goal of language study is to develop deep translingual and transcultural competence. In view of these aims, MODL provides a full range of language offerings from beginning to advanced courses in a variety of languages from around the globe. In addition to development in the four basic language skills -- speaking, listening, reading, and writing -- a major aim is to gain understanding of the diversity of human culture as represented in several of the world's languages, literatures, and other cultural media.

Ultimately, these aims contribute to the development of informed and capable communication and interaction with educated native speakers of the target language as well as the ability to reflect on the world and oneself through the lens of other languages and cultures.

Criteria for Admission to a Major in the Department of Modern Languages

In addition to satisfying the entrance requirements for the College of Liberal Arts, prospective majors in the Department of Modern Languages must meet the following criteria:

  • A 3.0 GPA is required in the 1441-2314 Modern Language sequence, or a grade of B on the Modern Language placement test, or approval of the departmental advisor.
  • After admission to the Modern Language major, students must maintain a 2.75 GPA in major classes.

Intensive Language Program

Students with no previous experience or courses in a modern language may choose to begin by enrolling in one of the Intensive Programs:

  • French, German and Russian can be completed by taking Levels I and II (8 credit hours), or Levels III and IV (6 credit hours) of these languages in the Fall, Spring, or Summer sessions.
  • An Intensive Spanish course is offered for Levels III and IV (6 credit hours) during the Fall and Spring semesters.
  • Students may also choose to fulfill their language requirement by enrolling in Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese. These classes may not be offered every semester or every summer. Check with the Department of Modern Languages for available courses.

Students are cautioned to take these courses prior to their senior year because of the possibility of enrollment limitations.

Language Acquisition Center

The Department of Modern Languages maintains a fully equipped computer lab on the third floor of Trimble Hall. The lab has a library of CDs and DVDs for student use, as well as specialized software to assist students in their language studies.

Credit by Examination and Placement Tests

Spanish, French, and German. Students with one year of background in the language they will study are strongly recommended to take an advanced placement examination for placement at the appropriate level. Students wishing to earn credit by examination for any of the first four (1441, 1442, 2313, 2314) levels of French, German, or Spanish must present an official score received on one of two nationally administered examinations recognized by the department:

  1. Advanced Placement Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB), or
  2. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the CEEB.

At UT Arlington the examinations will be administered by the Testing Services Office of Counseling and Career Development on dates to be announced. Native or heritage speakers in the French, German, or Spanish program must take either the CLEP or the CEEB exam, as described above.

Russian. Non-native speakers of Russian with previous exposure to the language, who intend to enroll in Russian courses at UT Arlington, may be eligible to take a placement test at the discretion of the department. Native or heritage speakers intending to major or minor in Russian must take the Russian placement test.

Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese. Non-native speakers of Arabic, Chinese, Korean, or Portuguese with previous exposure to the language, who intend to enroll in courses in these languages at UT Arlington, may be eligible to take a placement test at the discretion of the department.

Placement tests for Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian are administered on site in the Department of Modern Languages and not offered by The Testing Services Office. For more information, contact the Department of Modern Languages. Testing fees may apply.

Study Abroad

Students should give serious consideration to the unique learning experience of studying abroad. Students wishing to study for a summer, a semester, or a year may obtain UT Arlington credit, continue with their financial aid, and receive scholarship aid to attend any UT Arlington-approved program for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish.

Summer Study: The department offers several opportunities for gaining credit while studying abroad. Regular programs are offered which provide opportunities for summer study in various countries, including France, Germany, Mexico, and Russia. All arrangements must be made through the department.

Competence in Computer Use

Students majoring in French, Spanish, or Critical Languages and International Studies may demonstrate competency in computer use by:

  • passing CSE 1301 COMPUTER LITERACY (or equivalent); or
  • passing any 1441, 1442, 2313 or 2314 FREN, GERM, RUSS or SPAN course(s) in residence at UT Arlington; or
  • passing the University computer competency examination; or
  • passing any other course approved by the Undergraduate Assembly for this purpose.

Competence in Oral Presentations

Students majoring in French, Spanish, Spanish Translation or Critical Languages and International Studies may demonstrate competence in oral presentations by one of the following:

ARABIC CONVERSATION & CULTURE
CHINESE CONVERSATION
ADVANCED FRENCH CONVERSATION
TOPICS IN GERMAN CULTURE & CONVERSATION
KOREAN CONVERSATION I
CONVERSATION AND TOPICS IN RUSSIAN CULTURE
ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION
FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
VOICE AND DICTION
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION (or equivalent)
  • Or passing any other course approved by the Undergraduate Assembly for this purpose

Critical Cultures Summer Institute

The Critical Cultures Summer Institute (CCSI) highlights a different, less commonly taught cultural area of the globe each summer, providing up to 9 credits of upper-division coursework, along with GLOBAL 2301 INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ISSUES, the anchor course of UTA's Critical Languages and International Studies (CLIS) major.

GLOBAL 2301 will provide an introduction to global studies and couple with GLOBAL 3301 TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL CULTURES AND CIVILIZATIONS I and GLOBAL 3302 TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL CULTURES AND CIVILIZATIONS II in such areas as language and civilization, film, media, or other subjects of global study. An introductory class in Localization and Translation will also be offered under the aegis of the Summer Institute as GLOBAL 3310. GLOBAL 3301, 3302, and 3310 will fulfill three of the four international studies courses required for the BA in Critical Languages and Global Studies. GLOBAL 2301 is also a requirement for the degree. GLOBAL 2301 and GLOBAL 3301 will be offered during Summer Session I, and GLOBAL 3302 and 3310 will be offered during Summer Session II. Students at any level of language study may take these courses.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in French, Spanish, Spanish Translation and Interpreting, and Critical Languages & International Studies

General Core Requirements

Major

1441, 1442, 2313, 2314, or equivalent; plus 24 hours at 3000/4000 level in the major language field, at least nine of which must be at the 4000 level. Of these 24 hours, specific course requirements by language are listed below.

Electives

Sufficient number of hours to complete the total hours required for a degree.

Total

120 hours, at least 36 of which must be 3000/4000 level.

Bachelor of Arts in French

BEGINNING FRENCH I
BEGINNING FRENCH II
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II
or equivalent; plus 24 hours at 3000/4000 level in French, at least nine of which must be at the 4000 level. Of these 24 hours, specific course requirements by language are listed below:

All French majors must take FREN 3311 FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE I and FREN 3312 FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE II

  • For Non-heritage speakers: Either FREN 3303 ADVANCED FRENCH CONVERSATION A or FREN 3300 PHONOLOGY & PRONUNCIATION is also required.
  • For For Native or Heritage speakers: An appropriate substitute for FREN 3303 ADVANCED FRENCH CONVERSATION or FREN 3300 PHONOLOGY & PRONUNCIATION will be selected in consultation with an advisor.

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish

BEGINNING SPANISH I
BEGINNING SPANISH II
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II
OR
INTERM SPAN HERITAGE SPEAKERS
or equivalent; plus 24 hours at 3000/4000 level in Spanish, at least nine of which must be at the 4000 level. Of these 24 hours, specific course requirements by language are listed below:

All Spanish majors must take SPAN 3315 COMPOSITION THROUGH LITERATURE and SPAN 3319 INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH LINGUISTICS

  • For Non-heritage speakers: SPAN 3314 ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR
  • For Native or Heritage speakers: SPAN 3305 ADVANCED SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS . Native or heritage speakers of a language may not enroll in courses below 3000, with the exception of SPAN 2315 INTERM SPAN HERITAGE SPEAKERS.

Bachelor of Arts in Critical Languages and International Studies

GLOBAL 2301 INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ISSUES as well as 12 advanced hours in the chosen language and 12 hours in global studies from one of the 3 categories: Arts and Humanities (Art, History, Literature, Music), Global Issues (Business, Ethics, Sustainability), Social and Cultural Studies (Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology). See advisor for a complete listing of relevant courses.

All students who wish to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Critical Languages and International Studies must complete the following coursework in language and allied fields:

Select one of the following languages:
Chinese
BEGINNING CHINESE I
BEGINNING CHINESE II
INTERMEDIATE CHINESE I
INTERMEDIATE CHINESE II
German
GERMAN LEVEL I
BEGINNING GERMAN II
INTERMEDIATE GERMAN I
INTERMEDIATE GERMAN II
Russian
BEGINNING RUSSIAN I
BEGINNING RUSSIAN II
INTERMEDIATE RUSSIAN I
INTERMEDIATE RUSSIAN II

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Translation and Interpreting

All Spanish Translation and Interpreting majors must take:
BEGINNING SPANISH I
BEGINNING SPANISH II
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II
OR
INTERM SPAN HERITAGE SPEAKERS
or equivalent; plus 24 hours at 3000/4000 level, at least nine of which must be at the 4000 level. Of these 24 hours, specific course requirements are listed below:
For Non-Heritage Speakers
ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION
ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR
COMPOSITION THROUGH LITERATURE
For Heritage Speakers
ADVANCED SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS
LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
COMPOSITION THROUGH LITERATURE
For All Students
INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION
INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETING
BUSINESS AND LEGAL TRANSLATION
MEDICAL, SCIENTIFIC & TECH TRANSLATION
INTERPRETING IN MEDICAL SETTINGS
INTERPRETING IN LEGAL SETTINGS
Suggested Electives
SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
TOPICS IN HISPANIC LANGUAGE, LITERATURE & CULTURE
INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH LINGUISTICS
INTRODUCTION TO HISPANIC LITERATURE AND CULTURE
TOPICS IN PENINSULAR SPANISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
TOPICS IN PENINSULAR SPANISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT
TOPICS IN HISPANIC CULTURE
TOPICS IN LATIN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE TO MODERNISM
TOPICS IN CONTEMPORARY LATIN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE, MODERNISM TO THE PRESENT
TOPICS IN SPANISH LANGUAGE, WRITING AND THEORY
MEXICAN LITERATURE
TOPICS IN SPANISH LINGUISTICS
TOPICS IN SPANISH DIALECTOLOGY
THE ACQUISITION OF SPANISH
Outside Electives (Only two allowed)
CULTURAL VARIATION IN HEALTH CARE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO CULTURES
INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
THE AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH

Options

The following options may be selected, but courses listed under options do not substitute for courses specified by number in the basic degree plan above.

Fast Track Program in Modern Languages

The Fast Track Program allows outstanding undergraduate students in French or Spanish at UT Arlington to take up to three graduate seminars in Spanish or French that will earn credit toward both the Bachelor's degree and the Master's degree in Modern Languages. It is designed to encourage high standards of performance, to facilitate the transition from undergraduate to graduate study, and to reduce time needed to complete the MA . Interested undergraduate students should apply for the Fast Track Program when they are within 30 hours of completing the Bachelor's degree. To qualify, students must have completed at least 30 hours at UTA with a GPA of 3.0 in all courses and 3.25 in the last 30 hours. Before entering the Fast Track, students must also have completed the four required core courses in the French or Spanish major with a GPA of at least 3.50. Additionally, they must have already completed at least two additional 3000-4000 level courses in either French or Spanish, excluding International Business and/or translation courses, with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Students who successfully complete the Fast Track Program will be admitted automatically to the Graduate School to continue their graduate work in the Modern Languages MA Program once the Bachelor's degree is awarded. They will not be required to take the GRE, complete an additional application for admission to the Graduate School, supply letters of recommendation, or pay an application fee. An undergraduate student completing the maximum of nine graduate hours would be admitted to the Modern Languages MA Program with only five additional courses and a thesis remaining to complete the requirements for the thesis option.

To remain in the Fast Track Program, students must receive no grade lower than a B in any graduate seminars taken as an undergraduate, selected with the advice and approval of the Modern Languages Graduate Advisor. Undergraduate students who do not maintain grades of B or A in the graduate courses taken will be unable to continue in the Fast Track Program but, if the courses are completed passing, will still receive credit toward their undergraduate degree requirements. Students originally denied entry into the Fast Track Program, discontinued after provisional admission, subsequently dropped or opting out are still welcome to apply to the Modern Languages MA Program in the usual way and will be considered without prejudice.

For an application form or to obtain more details about this program, contact the Modern Languages Graduate Advisor.

Teacher Certification

Students wishing to take a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Modern Language with Secondary Teacher Certification must complete 24 hours of courses in the language, at the 2000 level and above.

In addition, each language requires specific courses (counted toward the overall requirement):
French
ADVANCED FRENCH CONVERSATION
ACQUISITION OF FRENCH
Spanish
THE ACQUISITION OF SPANISH

Students should consult the College of Education for information concerning Teacher Certification and other specific requirements.

Latin American Studies

(Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish with a concentration in Latin American studies)

DICTATORSHIP AND DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS
HISTORY OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY: ORIGINS THROUGH INDEPENDENCE
LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY: POST-INDEPENDENCE TO THE PRESENT
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE (recommended)
Major: Spanish

BBA in International Business/Modern Language

In cooperation with the Department of Modern Languages, the School of Business Administration offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with dual concentrations in international business and a modern language. The BBA in International Business offers concentrations in French, German, Russian, or Spanish. In addition to 26 hours in a modern language with an additional six hours of modern language electives highly recommended, students in this program get a solid foundation in business courses, including accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, and information systems. Students are encouraged to include six hours of degree specific language electives.

Requirements for a Minor in Arabic,  Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian,  Spanish or Spanish Translation and Interpreting

A minor consists of 19 semester hours (excluding 1441 Language Level I),  at least nine of which must be 3000/4000 level.

For a minor in Spanish Translation and Interpreting students need to take at least 3 of the following courses: SPAN 3340 INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION,SPAN 3341 INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETING SPAN 4341 BUSINESS AND LEGAL TRANSLATION, SPAN 4342 MEDICAL, SCIENTIFIC & TECH TRANSLATION, SPAN 4343 INTERPRETING IN MEDICAL SETTINGS, SPAN 4344 INTERPRETING IN LEGAL SETTINGS.

Medieval and Early Modern Studies Minor

The Medieval and Early Modern Studies minor fosters interdisciplinary study of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era, encouraging students to explore and connect topics in language, literature, history, art, and philosophy. Students seeking to minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies should first consult with advisors in their departments or programs for approval of the minor, then with the Director of the Minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies. The minor consists of six courses (18 hours total; six hours upper level) selected from courses in Art History, English, History, Modern Languages (French, German, and Spanish), and Philosophy. No more than nine hours to be completed within any single discipline. Students should consult the catalog or visit http://www.uta.edu/libarts/mems/index.html for more information.

Certificate in Spanish Translation

Students interested in receiving theoretical and practical training in Spanish-English and English-Spanish translation are eligible to apply to the Department of Modern Languages for this 15-hour certificate program in translation and translation theory. Topics to be covered by coursework in the Certificate Program include medical, business, technical, scientific, legal, and literary translation. To be admitted to the program, students must demonstrate writing proficiency in both Spanish and English. Students should also have completed SPAN 3305 ADVANCED SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS or SPAN 3314 ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR, and SPAN 3315 COMPOSITION THROUGH LITERATURE, or have consent of the department. Once in the program, students begin by taking SPAN 3340 INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION. After completing this class with a grade of B or better, students must take SPAN 4341 BUSINESS AND LEGAL TRANSLATION and SPAN 4342 MEDICAL, SCIENTIFIC & TECH TRANSLATION.SPAN 3340, 4341 and 4342 cannot be applied toward the B.A. in Spanish. To receive the certificate, students are also required to pass an Exit Examination in translation. In order to be eligible to take the Exit Examination, students must pass SPAN 4341 and 4342 with a grade of C or better. The Exit Examination in translation may only be taken once.

Certificate in Spanish Interpreting

Students interested in receiving theoretical and practical training in Spanish-English and English-Spanish interpreting are eligible to apply to the Department of Modern Languages for this 15-hour certificate program in interpreting. Topics to be covered by coursework in the Certificate Program include interpreting in school, legal and medical settings. To enter the program, students must demonstrate oral proficiency in both Spanish and English. Students should also have completed SPAN 3305 ADVANCED SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS or SPAN 3314 ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR.Taking  SPAN 3303 ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION (Advanced Spanish Conversation for Non-heritage speakers) before SPAN 3341 is highly recommended for Non-heritage speakers. Once in the program, students begin by taking SPAN 3341 INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETING (Introduction to Interpreting). After completing this class with a grade of B or better, students must take SPAN 4343 INTERPRETING IN MEDICAL SETTINGS (Interpreting in Medical Settings) and SPAN 4344 INTERPRETING IN LEGAL SETTINGS (Interpreting in Legal Settings).SPAN 3341, 4343 and 4344 cannot be applied toward the B.A. in Spanish. To receive the certificate, students are also required to pass an Exit Examination in interpreting. In order to be eligible to take the Exit Examination, students must pass SPAN 4343 and 4344 with a grade of C or better. The Exit Examination in interpreting may only be taken once.

Certificate in Localization and Translation with options in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Dual-Language

In this five-course certificate program students study the processes of localization and develop specialized skills in translation for future employment in the language services industry. Localization adapts language, texts, products, software and websites to the locale for which they are intended. By using specialized computer-assisted translation workflow software and simulating a collaborative work environment, students become conversant with the tools and procedures required for twenty-first century localization and translation work. Extensive practice in translating a variety of oral and written documents in the target language provides the skills to work in business, non-profit, and academic situations. Three translation and localization courses and two culture courses comprise the certificate.

Students in Chinese take a total of five courses as follows:
CHINESE LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION
Take the following course twice
CHINESE LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
CHINESE CONVERSATION
CHINESE CONVERSATION II
CONTEMPORARY CHINESE CULTURE
BUSINESS CHINESE

Students in French take a total of five courses as follows::

LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION I
Take the following course twice:
LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
Select one of the following 3000 level courses:
FRENCH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE I
FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE II
TOPICS IN CITIES OF FRANCE
PROBLEMS OF IDENTITY
Select one of the following 4000 level courses:
TOPICS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY FRENCH STUDIES
CONTEMPORARY FRENCH CULTURE
BUSINESS FRENCH
SELECTED TOPICS IN FRENCH LITERATURE OR CULTURE

Students in German take a total of five courses as follows:

LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION I
THE CULTURE OF BUSINESS
Select one of the following:
LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II (take twice)
LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
   and BUSINESS GERMAN
Select two additional upper level courses

Students in Russian take a total of five courses as follows:

LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION I
THE CULTURE OF BUSINESS
Select one of the following:
LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II (take twice)
LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
   and BUSINESS RUSSIAN
CONVERSATION AND TOPICS IN RUSSIAN CULTURE
RUSSIA AND THE SUCCESSOR STATES TODAY

All courses can be used toward fulfilling the requirements for a major in French and a minor in German, or Russian.

Students in Korean take a total of five courses as follows:

KOREAN CONVERSATION I
KOREAN CONVERSATION II
KOREAN LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION I
Take the following course twice:
KOREAN LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
A minimum of two years (four semesters) is required for this program.

Students in Arabic take a total of five courses as follows:

ARABIC CONVERSATION & CULTURE
ARABIC CONVERS & CULT II
ARABIC LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION
Take the following course twice:
ARABIC LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
A minimum of two years (four semesters) is required for this program.

Students in Portuguese take a total of five courses as follows:

PORTUGUESE CONVERSATION AND CULTURE
PORTUGUESE CONVERSATION AND CULTURE II
PORTUGUESE LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION
Take the following course twice:
PORTUGUESE LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II
A minimum of two years (four semesters) is required for this program.