Department of Foreign Languages

Graduate Programs

Program Concentrations:

French

The MA program in French includes courses in literature, culture, linguistics, research methodology, and second language-teaching pedagogy. Many graduates of our program have gone on to successful teaching careers in public and private schools. Others have chosen to pursue doctoral degrees in French, Francophone Studies, Film Studies, or Comparative Literature, and have subsequently joined the faculty of colleges and universities throughout the country. Students may declare minors in Linguistics, Spanish, or
TESOL along with their major emphasis in French in order to create a more flexible degree. Graduates who combine work in TESOL with an emphasis in French, for example, may pursue teaching opportunities in the United States or prefer to teach English in a French-speaking country. This is an especially interesting option for international students whose first language is French.
French Course List

Linguistics

We know a great deal about our own language that cannot readily be put into words. This is where linguistics comes in: its task is to develop a theory that spells out that knowledge in a clear and coherent fashion. At the same time, linguists address questions such as: How do children acquire language? What do languages have in common and how are they different? How does language function in society? A concentration in linguistics in the Department of Foreign Languages includes the study of the sounds and sound patterns of languages of the world (Phonetics and Phonology), the structure of sentences (Syntax) and texts (Discourse Analysis), language change (Historical Linguistics) and variation (Sociolinguistics), structural classification of languages (Typology), language processing and first language acquisition (Psycholinguistics), and the study of the historical development of linguistics as a discipline (History of Linguistics). The concentration in linguistics prepares students for advanced graduate study in linguistics and related fields. Our graduates have also been successful in pursuing careers in language related areas such as translation, language teaching, software and publishing industries.
Linguistics Course List

Spanish

The core of the graduate program in Spanish consists of course work in Peninsular Spanish and Latin American literatures (including theatre and film) and cultures, with an emphasis on the development of these literatures in socio-cultural and historical contexts. Additional course work includes research methodology, linguistics, and (for graduate teaching assistants) foreign-language pedagogy. Many graduates in Spanish have gone on to teaching careers in secondary schools as well as to doctoral programs in literature and culture and linguistics (and from there to teaching at the college/university level). Others have pursued additional degrees in business (MBA) and other fields and now work in the public and private sectors, in the US as well as abroad.
Spanish Course List

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The MA program in TESOL prepares teachers to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in an English-speaking setting as well as English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in countries around the world. The program features a focus on language, linguistics, and literature/culture in conjunction with different aspects of teaching English while balancing both the theoretical and practical aspects of TESOL in order to meet our students? professional needs. Graduates of our program follow different career paths, ranging from teaching in the public schools to teaching English overseas to pursuing doctoral degrees. Our diverse student population fosters a rich learning environment for students and faculty alike, which leads to lively and interesting cultural exchanges. Students in the TESOL MA program benefit greatly from the close ties and cooperation with the Intensive English Program (IEP) through tutoring projects, classroom observations, conversation partners, the English Conversation Table, and other IEP activities. Our graduate students are also encouraged to become professionally active in state, regional, and national professional conferences.
TESOL Course List