Modern Foreign Languages
Modern Foreign Languages Department
Sabrina DeTurk, Ph.D., Dean, School of Arts, Sciences and Business
Rachel L. Burk, Ph.D., Chair
Marcela Valencia, Ph.D.
MFL Campuses
MFL Summary
Welcome! Bienvenue! ¡Bienvenidos! Gain advanced proficiency in two modern languages through individualized attention, integrated technology, and communication-focused coursework. Our students take their language skills from the classroom into the NDMU community and the larger world via study abroad, service learning, language-exchange partners, clubs, and internships.
General Education Language Requirement
Native Speakers of English
Traditional undergraduate students in SASB, both first-year and transfer, fulfill the general education foreign language requirement via coursework:
Coursework: Complete one foreign language course at the 102-level or above, preferably building upon foreign language skills acquired at the secondary level.
Language course placement is determined by:
AP Exam: Providing evidence of an earned grade of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement Language or Literature exam results in placement in 233 or above
IB Exam: Providing evidence of an earned grade of 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate subject exam in language results in placement in 233 or above
Language Department Placement Exam scores and, if needed in the case of intermediate- and advanced-level students, consultation with the department
Language courses that satisfy the general education language requirement for both the traditional college and CAUS are: 101, 102, 103, 233, 234, 301, and 302. For qualified students, cultural courses taught in a language other than English will also fulfill the requirement with approval from the Chair of Modern Languages.
Traditional undergraduate students, ages 25 years and older at the time of matriculation, as well as students in the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies, may fulfill the General Education Language Requirement in one of two ways:
- Exam: Provide evidence of completion of one semester of foreign language study through the Advanced Placement Language or Literature exam or the CLEP test (available in French, Spanish, and German through the College Board).
- Coursework: Complete one semester at the appropriate level (101,102,103 or higher).
Native speakers of English who are bilingual should consult with the Chair of Modern Foreign Languages for guidance regarding the language requirement.
Languages Offered through 102-level
Courses at the 101- and 102-levels in French and Spanish are taught in the spring and fall on the NDMU main campus, as are intermediate and advanced courses in Spanish. Both French and Spanish classes are now available synchronously online in the evenings, as well.
Classes in other languages, such as Arabic, ASL, and Korean, may be taken via the Baltimore College Consortium to fulfill the general education language requirement and as electives. Arrangements for placement, the BSEP application, and the Petition for Course Substitution Form should be done in consultation with the department chair.
Classes in language may be taken at other institutions if prior notification and approval is solicited and granted using the Off Campus Study Form. SASB prefers for general education courses to be taken at NDMU, if possible.
Nursing Majors
Nursing majors are exempted from the general education foreign language requirement. However, as part of their major, they are required to take Beginning Spanish for Health Professionals (LSP 150).
Students with substantial experience in Spanish can request to take an equivalency exam, which fulfills the requirement but does not count for credit, in place of the course. Contact the chair of Modern Languages for information.
For students not in nursing, LSP 150 does not count either in fulfillment of the general education language requirement nor as a pre-requisite for LSP 102.
Health Sciences Majors Who Will Apply to Nursing
It is advisable that students in health sciences, who plan to apply to nursing, fulfill the general education language requirement in their first two-years. Nursing students who have taken LSP 102 may use the course to fulfill their LSP 150 major requirement.
International Students/Non-Native Speakers of English
Modern Languages defines non-native speakers of English as students who completed their high school outside of the US and in a school in which English was not the language of instruction.
International students, who are not native speakers of English, have a one course requirement--a class that promotes metalinguistic awareness. Currently, most of these students take LFN 201 World of Languages, offered every other fall, or LCL 333 Medical Terminology, offered every spring on Saturdays, although the chair will consider other courses on an ad hoc basis.
Students with a Documented Language Learning Difference
These students also have an alternative requirement, the same as non-native speakers of English—a single course that promotes metalinguistic awareness. Currently, most of these students take LFN 201 World of Languages, offered every other fall, or LCL 331 Medical Terminology, offered every spring on Saturdays, although the chair will consider other courses on an ad hoc basis.
Placement Testing
Placement testing will assure every student studies at a level consistent with her current abilities. Students at Notre Dame must complete one semester of foreign language at the 102 level or above. The sequence of foreign language courses offered is as follows:
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| 101-102 | Beginning Spanish I and II (completion of 102 will fulfill the language requirement) |
| 103 | Intermediate Spanish I |
| 233/234 | Spanish for Oral/Written Proficiency |
| 301-302 | Advanced Conversation and Composition I and II |
| Placement result | Courses needed to fulfill the language requirement |
|---|---|
| 101 | 101, 102 |
| Start a new language | 101, 102 |
| 102 | 102 |
| 103 | 103 |
| 233 | 233 |
| 234 | 234 |
Students who have achieved a score of 3 or above on the Advanced Placement Language or Literature Test are considered to have fulfilled the language requirement. No additional courses are required.
Transfer students
Those who have studied a foreign language at the college-level satisfy the requirement with one course at the intermediate level. Beginning, college-level coursework in a foreign language serves as a prerequisite for 102 or 103. Those students who have college level language credit must make this information known to their advisors! Since course numbering varies, failure to do so may result in taking the same course twice and being denied credit.
Programs of Study: Modern Foreign Languages
To declare a Major or a Minor in the Department, a student must have a minimum grade of C in the course that satisfies the General Education language requirement. All courses in the Major and the Minor must be completed with a grade of C or above. Double major programs may be developed through consultation with academic advisors from each department.
The Languages Department strongly recommends that students who Major or Minor in foreign language study abroad. All such courses must be pre-approved by the University in advance of the study abroad year or semester.
French Campuses
French Summary
Bienvenue à notre programme de français! Our program of study integrates exciting interactive technology, small classes, communication-focused coursework and individualized attention. Our students take French from the classroom into the NDMU community and the larger world via study abroad, service learning, language-exchange partners, internships and a partnership with the Alliance Française of Baltimore.
Spanish Campuses
Main Campus
Anne Arundel Community College
College of Southern Maryland (CSM)
Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (SMHEC)
University Center Northeastern Maryland (formerly the HEAT Center)
Spanish Summary
¡Bienvenidos al programa de español! Learn to speak the third most popular language in the world through individualized attention, integrated technology, and communication-focused coursework. Our students take Spanish from the classroom into the NDMU community and the larger world via study abroad, service learning, language-exchange partners, the Hispanic Culture Club, and internships. ¡Qué aproveche!
Spanish courses cover essential language structures, practical communication, and cultural learning. Small classes, close relationships with professors, multimedia technology, and interactions with native speakers encourage general education students to speak, write, listen, and read in Spanish while gaining perspectives on the Hispanic world. Majors and minors in Spanish refine their language skills and at the same time immerse themselves in Hispanic literature, history, film, art, and culture, locally and internationally.
Degrees and Certificates
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Modern Foreign Languages, Major -
Spanish, Major -
French, Minor -
Latin American Studies, Minor -
Spanish, Minor