Foreign Languages
The Department of Foreign Languages offers major and minor concentrations in French, German and Spanish. Course work and extracurricular activities in the department are designed to provide a solid command of a foreign language, as well as a thorough understanding of the literature and culture expressed through that language. Students with a background in a foreign language take placement tests and are interviewed by faculty members to determine the level at which they should begin their course work.
Programs of Study
The Bachelor of Arts degree program requires the completion of 27 hours of course work beyond the intermediate level. A minor requires 18 hours. In each of the languages, students take a series of courses in language, literature, culture and civilization. Several courses are required for the major, but there is ample opportunity for electives, independent study and study abroad. A degree may be tailored to the individual needs and interests of the student. For those interested in teaching at the elementary or high-school level, teacher licensure may be obtained through the Education Department.
Major programs are designed so that students can normally complete a foreign language major and a major or minor in another field in four years. Beyond the elementary course, class size is small to moderate. Instructors know their students well, and there is much one-to-one interaction.
When the need arises or when there is sufficient community interest, elementary and intermediate courses in a language other than the standard departmental concentrations are offered. In recent years, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Gaelic, Italian and Russian have been included in the curriculum.
Study Abroad
The department offers a wide range of activities to enhance formal language study, and actively encourages travel and study abroad through summer and semester programs sponsored by UNC Asheville or other universities. Although Study Abroad is not required, it provides students a chance to experience foreign languages firsthand and generally offers academic credit for their experiences. Our students study abroad in Europe, Africa and South America.
Faculty
The approximately 16 faculty members who teach French, German, Portuguese and Spanish are either native or near-native speakers of the language they teach, they have extensive experience abroad, and they travel abroad regularly. A favorable teacher-student ratio facilitates small classes and provides students with personalized instruction. There are no teaching assistants.
What’s Distinctive About Our Program?
- Our size—UNC Asheville is large enough to offer a good selection of courses but small enough to work closely with students.
- Honor societies and foreign language discussion tables, which help keep interest in the language high and faculty-student relationships close and dynamic.
- Our students’ remarkable achievements—more than 10 have received Fulbright Awards for study and travel abroad. A number of majors are employed by international businesses where their language skills have enabled them to advance quickly in their careers. Others are college and university professors, having excelled in selective and demanding graduate programs across the country.
Post-Graduate Opportunities
A bachelor’s degree in any foreign language offered at UNC Asheville is excellent preparation for teaching positions and careers in business, government and industry. One of our graduates works for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, one was recently posted to the State Department office in Warsaw, and more than 10 have received Fulbright Awards for study abroad. A graduate in Spanish is working in Amsterdam for a non-governmental organization doing research on the human and labor rights and environmental violations of multinational corporations. Another completed an internship in Argentina as part of her thesis on the socio-economic effects of bio-energy production for clean fuels in developing countries. Many have gone on to graduate school, including two recent graduates who received fellowships at Duke and the University of Minnesota. Recent French majors have gone into graduate programs in International Studies Administration.
Completing a double major by combining disciplines such as management and Spanish, chemistry and German, and political science and French is excellent preparation for graduate work in medicine or law.
More Information
Department of Foreign Languages
233 New Hall, CPO #2860
One University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804-8520
828. 251.6419