Language and Literature

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Mission Statement

As a newly integrated department of languages, literatures, and cultures, the Department of Language and Literature offers five degree programs in English and world languages and literature that uniquely prepare students for the global workplace and for graduate and professional education. The Bachelor of Arts degree in English features linguistics and English, American, African-American, and world literatures, while the Bachelor of Arts in Spanish focuses on linguistics and multicultural understandings of language as well as Spanish and Latin American literatures. In addition to the Bachelor of Arts degrees in Spanish and Spanish with Licensure, our world language instruction includes French and German, with minors in German and Spanish. The English program offers major concentrations in Literature, Writing, and English Education, as well is minors in Writing, Literature, and Philosophy.

A major in English or in Spanish prepares students for a variety of careers and for continued personal, civic, and professional development. All courses offered through the Department enhance skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking. The Department’s offerings and related activities in English and seek to enhance students’ understanding of vital cultural and aesthetic achievements of writers throughout the ages.  The Department’s degree offerings in world language and culture prepare students who intend to pursue graduate work in foreign literatures and linguistics; who are interested in being certified as foreign language teachers; and who are planning any professional career in which knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is essential or desirable. The Department is also responsible for the Philosophy and Humanities curriculum.

Students majoring in English or Spanish must complete one of the concentrations in the academic program.  The academic concentrations for the English major include (1) Literature, (2) English Education, and (3) Writing. The two Spanish concentrations are (1) Spanish Language and Literature and (2) Spanish with Licensure.

Students may minor in Literature, Writing, Spanish, German, or Philosophy.  The courses required for these minors are listed elsewhere in this document.

English composition courses offered in the General Education Curriculum are required of all NCCU students.  Students majoring in English or Spanish must complete ENG 1110 English Composition I , ENG 1210 English Composition II , and MSCM 1250 Elements of Speech Communication  or MSCM 2200 Introduction to Public Speaking ; however, these communication skills courses do not count as part of the required credit hours for the major or the minor in English or in Spanish.

GEC Foreign Language Requirement

FREN 1192 , GERM 1192 , and SPAN 1192  satisfy the foreign language requirement of the General Education Curriculum  (GEC). They develop communicative proficiency in culture, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They cover fundamental structures, vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, and cross-cultural awareness. In addition to the actual classroom experience, language laboratory work may be required from all students enrolled in a foreign language course. Note: A student may not have to begin a language at the first level depending upon his or her performance on placement tests. These tests, administered at the NCCU Testing Center at the beginning of each semester, are required for any student with two or more years of a high school language wishing to continue study in that language. Students with less than two years of preparation and those wishing to begin a new language should register for FREN 1191 , GERM 1191 , or SPAN 1191 .

The Department of Language and Literature oversees the University’s course offerings in Philosophy. Although the University does not offer a major in Philosophy, a minor is available.  Philosophy courses may serve as requirements in major programs as the humanities option in the General Education Curriculum and as general electives.  See listings for Philosophy later in this document. Note also the course descriptions for Humanities courses offered in part in the Department of Language and Literature.

Spanish Teacher Education

Students who want to become Spanish teachers certified by the State of North Carolina must complete all the courses and requirements specified by the School of Education in addition to those of their foreign language major.

The Goals of the Teacher Education Programs

• To prepare linguistically and pedagogically competent teachers of Spanish for any level at which they choose to teach.
• To provide for acquisition of competencies required by accreditation agencies.
• To acquire, develop, and maintain materials and technology necessary to support the programs.

The Certificate in English Language Development Program

The certificate program consists of five courses of instruction: ENG 1010  (Listening and Speaking), ENG 1020  (Grammar and Writing), ENG 1030  (Reading and Vocabulary), ENG 1040  (Speaking in a Cultural Context) and ENG 1050  (Fundamentals of College Writing).  The program develops English proficiency for non-native English-speaking students and students and members of the wider community who lack this proficiency.  Completion of this certificate confers 15 units of elective credit and will be noted on the student’s transcript.

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