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College of Arts & Sciences
- Undergraduate
Majors | Minors
| Departmental Honors | Placement
The study of languages is integral to education in a global university. In addition to providing access to various cultural perspectives, multilingualism fosters success in business, economics, law, medicine, education, social sciences, politics, the arts, and literature. Language study most effectively enriches academic as well as personal experiences when students choose a language based on its relevance to possible careers, to research in particular fields, to personal heritage, or to the understanding of unfamiliar cultures. At the University of Miami, students can choose courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Many students combine advanced modern language study with majors in other fields. Students majoring in a modern language often choose second majors in programs such as International Studies, Communications, History, Political Science (and other pre-law fields), Biology (and other pre-med fields), English, Finance, Latin American Studies, Anthropology, Psychology, Computer Science, Sociology, and Philosophy.
Students completing a major or minor in a modern language are encouraged to study abroad. The International Education and Exchange Program (IEEP in Allen Hall, room 212) sponsors programs for French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is also possible to fulfill some Arts and Sciences distribution requirements abroad. In order to take full advantage of study abroad, students should visit IEEP early in their university careers, discuss course equivalencies with the Study Abroad Advisor for their chosen languages (contact the Department office for names and office hours), and consult with their major advisors. Credit toward the major for courses taken abroad will be determined on an individual basis.
Students may qualify for a wide range of departmental awards for excellence in linguistic and literary achievement. The Modern Languages and Literatures Awards Reception takes place annually during graduation week. Awards are designated for beginning students in any language as well as for advanced majors, and many include cash prizes or scholarship funds. Some awards are conferred through nomination by professors; others require an application. Students may obtain information on specific awards in the Department office. The annual deadline for applications is usually in early March.
The Department participates in the Honors Program with courses at all levels in French and Spanish. Graduation with Departmental Honors is available to qualified students in French, German, and Spanish. Interested students should consult with the appropriate Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Majors and Minors
Goals of the major: The major is designed to create advanced linguistic, literary and cultural competence in the given language. Students will develop analytical and critical skills. They will learn to build coherent arguments orally and in writing; to develop tools for the interpretation of various textual products; to perform research and write critical papers; to find and evaluate sources of information; to heighten their sensitivity to contexts of language, and to appreciate language as art. Students will also acquire a broad, structured knowledge of the history, literature and culture in the target language. Finally, they will learn to carry out cultural comparisons and to view their own culture with new eyes.
The Department has Undergraduate Advisors for each language. You are encouraged to consult with them for placement, and must consult with them if you plan to major, minor, or study abroad (contact the Department office for names and office hours). If you plan to double major, you must have an advisor from each of your fields.
You do not have to be a student of the College of Arts and Sciences to major or minor in a modern language; you need only the approval of your college or school advisor and to complete the departmental requirements. If you wish to complete a double degree, consult with an Arts and Sciences Advisor.
Majors: French, German, and Spanish
A major consists of at least 30 credits beyond the 200-level, distributed as follows: at least 9 credits must be at the 300 level; at least 6 credits must be above the 300 level; 3 credits must be at the 500 level (capstone course); 6 credits may be taken in courses not in the target language (in MLL or not) that are relevant to the course of study, in consultation with the advisor. FLL 505 (taught in English) may count toward the 30 credits, but cannot replace the capstone course in the target language. Five writing intensive classes (W) in the department are required of all majors. Students majoring in Spanish will be required to take one full survey course sequence in Peninsular Literature (SPA 363-SPA 364-SPA 365) or in Latin American Literature (SPA 353-SPA 354-SPA 355) plus one survey course in the alternate sequence. Only one professional Spanish course (SPA 432 or SPA 433) will count towards the Spanish major, although students are free to take both. Students with transfer credits at the 300-level must take at least 21 graded credits at or above the 300-level at the University of Miami. Up to 12 credits taken abroad may count towards any of the majors in the Department. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in every course counting toward the major, and maintain a minimum overall average of 2.5 in the major.
Capstone Courses
All students are required to take a 500-level capstone course in residence during their last semester in the major. This course will:
• Integrate the various skills acquired during the course of study (linguistic, analytical, knowledge-based);
• Incorporate interpretive as well as presentational modes of communication;
• Contain an over-arching and cohesive theme;
• Include an element of collaboration among students.
It will constitute a moment of recapitulation of, synthesis, and reflection on a student’s experience in the major as well as a bridge towards graduate-level studies, should s/he decide to pursue them.
Minors
A minor in one modern language consists of a minimum of 12 credits in that language on the 300-level or above, 9 of which must be graded and from the University of Miami. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in every course counting toward the minor, and maintain a minimum overall average of 2.5 in the minor.
The minor in two foreign languages consists of at least 24 graded credit hours with 12 credits in one language on any level and 12 credits in any other language, 6 of which must be on the 300-level or above. For example: Arabic 101, 102, 201 and 202 along with Spanish 212, 214, 301 and 322 would constitute a Minor in Modern Languages; so would French 212, 214, 301 and 332 along with Italian 101, 102, 211 and 212. Many other combinations are possible. This minor must include 6 graded credits per language from the University of Miami. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in every course counting toward the minor, and maintain a minimum overall average of 2.5 in the minor.
DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN MODERN LANGUAGES
Departmental Honors in Modern Languages are possible in the three languages for which the major is offered: French, German and Spanish. In order to request admission to Departmental Honors, candidates must have completed at least nine credits at the 300 level or above. They must have a GPA of 3.5 in all their major courses and a 3.5 overall average GPA. Both GPAs must be maintained in order to graduate with Departmental Honors.
During their junior year, candidates for honors will identify an honors thesis supervisor and a second reader and request admission to Departmental Honors. Admission to candidacy must also be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the appropriate language.
In addition to fulfilling the regular major requirements, students must register in their Senior year for FRE or GER or SPA 594-595, Senior Honors Thesis. This is a two-semester, six credit sequence: 594 for research and 595 for the actual writing of the honors thesis.
The honors thesis advisor and the second reader will determine whether the finished thesis merits Departmental Honors.
Placement
Note: The Department identifies as heritage learners of Spanish those students who, because of family background or previous social experience, already have some passive knowledge of the language and generally understand the spoken language in its basic form, even though they may not be able to speak or write the language themselves. Those students must refer to the guidelines for placement in the heritage language track (below).
Second Language Learners
Most students who are learning a second language in the classroom setting can determine their appropriate level by following these guidelines:
- If you have had no prior experience with the language, or two years or less of high school instruction in the language, begin with 101.
- If you have had three years of high school instruction in French or Spanish as a second language, begin with 105. If you have had four years of high school instruction, begin with 211. (Please note: Heritage learners of Spanish are not permitted to enroll in SPA 101, 102, 105, 211, or 212). For other languages if you have had three or four years of high school instruction in that language, begin with 102, 105 or 211, after consulting with the respective Undergraduate Advisor.
- If you have taken 101 in French or Spanish at the University of Miami or at another university, begin with 102. (In most cases, 105 represents an illegal repeat and will be automatically deleted from your transcript.)
- If you are not a heritage learner and you scored a 3 on the AP exam, or a 4 on the IB exam, begin with 211 for French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish. For Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese or Latin, begin with 201.
- If you are not a heritage learner and you scored a 4 on the AP exam or 5 or 6 on the IB exam, then begin with 212.
- If you are not a heritage learner and you scored a 5 on the AP Language exam in French or Spanish, begin with 212 or 301 (consult with the respective Undergraduate Advisor).
- If you are not a heritage learner and you scored a 5 on the AP Literature exam or a 7 on the IB exam in French or Spanish, you may begin with 301.
Heritage learners bring to the classroom some knowledge (passive in some cases) of Spanish because of prior social exposure to the language, generally through their family background. In most cases, they have been born in the US or spent most of their lives in the US, and have been educated in US schools. Heritage learners of Spanish are not permitted to enroll in SPA 101, 102, 105, 211, 212, or 301. Guidelines for placement in heritage language courses are as follows:
1. If you understand some casual spoken Spanish (even though you may not usually speak the language yourself), and you have had little or no prior formal instruction in the language, begin with 143.
2. If you understand casual spoken Spanish and you have some functional communication abilities in the language, and you have had at least two years of high school Spanish, begin with 243.
3. If you have functional abilities in reading and writing the language and you have had three to four years of high school Spanish, begin with 244.
4. If you have a high level of competence in reading and writing the language and you have had at least four years of formal instruction in Spanish in high school, you may begin with 244 or 343.
5. If you are a heritage learner who scored a 3 or 4 on the AP Language exam, or a 4 on the IB exam, you may begin with 243.
6. If you are a heritage learner who scored a 5 on the AP Language exam or a 4 on the AP Literature exam, or 5 or 6 on the IB exam, you may begin with 244.
7. If you are a heritage learner who scored a 5 on the AP Literature exam or a 7 on the IB exam, you may begin with 343 (please consult with the Undergraduate Advisor in Spanish).
Native Speakers
The Department identifies as native speakers of a language those students who have high levels of formal competence in reading and writing the language (as well as speaking it) because of extensive schooling in that language (either in the US or, more typically, abroad). Those students of Spanish who have been schooled in the US should refer to the heritage language guidelines (above).
- If you are a native speaker of Spanish, begin with 343 (or consult with an Undergraduate Advisor in Spanish).
- If you are a native speaker of French, German, Italian, or Portuguese, and graduated from a high school where that was the official language of instruction, you may take any course above 301 (consult with the respective Undergraduate Advisor).
- If you are a native speaker of French, German, Italian, or Portuguese, and have little or no formal training in writing or reading that language, consult with the respective Undergraduate Advisor.
The College of Arts and Sciences requires all B.A. and B.S. degree students to show competency in a language other than English by successfully completing an approved college language course at the 200-level or higher.
The Department offers a variety of courses that fulfill these Distribution Requirements for students in most majors (please consult the guidelines of your School or College); students can easily fulfill some or all of these requirements by majoring or minoring in a foreign language.
Courses fulfilling the Humanities Literature Requirement:
Any literature courses in French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish on the 300-level or higher
Courses granting Writing Credit:
All 300-, 400- and all 500-level courses unless otherwise specified
Courses may simultaneously fulfill the Humanities Literature Requirement and Writing Credit, or the Foreign Language Requirement and Writing Credit. A course cannot simultaneously fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement and the Humanities Literature Requirement.
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