Department of Languages and Literature

Foreign Languages at Augusta State University

Degrees
B.A. in Foreign Languages: French Track
B.A. in Foreign Languages: French Track with P-12 Teacher Certification
B.A. in Foreign Languages: Spanish Track
B.A. in Foreign Languages: Spanish Track with P-12 Teacher Certification
Minors in French, German, and Spanish

Portfolio
Foreign Language students must produce a satisfactory portfolio twice. The Junior Portfolio (JP) is due by Midterm of the semester after the completion of three upper division foreign language courses (9 credit hours), whereas the Serior Portfolio is due by Midterm of the semester after the completion of five additional courses (15 credit hours) after the JP or at the submission of a graduation application, whichever comes first.

Portfolios should be submitted to the portfolio advisor by Midterm.
Portfolios deemed incomplete and/or unacceptable are returned to students. Incomplete and/or unacceptable portfolios are to be resubmitted by students within two weeks.

Philosophy
As technology, communications, and transportation advance, the world is shrinking. The European Union has melted boundaries on that continent, while the North American Free Trade Agreement has furthered business relations between Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The ability to communicate in more than one language is a prized skill in the global marketplace. Every major corporation in the United States routinely employs 500-5,000 persons abroad.

French is spoken on 5 continents. The United States trades with French-speaking countries more than any others. More tourists visit France than any other country in the world. The French excel in medicine and biosciences, transportation, hydroelectric and nuclear power, not to mention fashion, wine, art, dance, and film. French-speaking countries in Africa cover an area larger than the United States. In the Americas, French is spoken not only by 7 million Canadians, but also by people in Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and in pockets of Central and South America, as well as in Louisiana. German, the language of Einstein, Beethoven, Freud, and Goethe, is the most widely known language in Europe, spoken by 100 million native speakers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. With France, Germany is the main pillar of the European Monetary Union. The fastest growing minority in the United States is the Hispanic population. Spoken by over 377 million people in over 20 countries, it is the second most popular language spoken in the United States. From New York to San Diego to Dallas to Miami, Spanish is essential in occupations from police officers to news anchors to doctors to judges. Translators and interpreters are needed in schools, hospitals, and courts. South America represents a growing market for the United States and the language is important in music, dance, and film. Students who choose to study Spanish, German, or French will have the advantage of being better-rounded individuals with more marketable skills. In addition, they will know other cultures from the inside, promoting global harmony and sympathetic understanding.

Foreign Language for Communication
Courses in foreign languages and literatures meet the general studies needs of all students and develop communication skills and appreciation for international literatures and cultures. ASU’s foreign language faculty have lived and studied in Europe, Africa, Canada, Mexico, and South America, as well as in the United States. Students are introduced to many cultures and points of view through literature, film, journalism, and the Internet.

Drama students produce French and Spanish plays. Faculty and students publish essays and poetry in Foreign Language Notes. A state-of-the-art language laboratory is an important part of new facilities in Allgood Hall. Students and faculty benefit alike from small upper-division classes, which create a sense of close community and warm congeniality.

Curriculum
Majors in Spanish and French are designed to prepare students for graduate school and teaching, as well as to supplement a variety of careers including civil service, communications, business, social services, and the medical profession. Click here to see current course rotations for Spanish and French majors.

Elementary and intermediate courses: French, German, and Spanish.
Advanced courses (3000 or 4000 level) in French, German, and Spanish (a foreign language at the 2002 level or equivalent is a pre-requisite for all advanced courses).
MINOR in French, German, or Spanish: Four courses at the advanced level.
MAJOR in French or Spanish Education: 10 courses at the advanced level, with a minor in Education. Additional educational and cultural programs are offered periodically through the Cullum Series (for academic credit) and the Lyceum Series.

Spanish Club
Los Amigos Hispanos holds a weekly tertulia, where students practice Spanish with native speakers and learn about their countries. The club sponsors international dinners and festivals, a Hispanic dance, community service projects, the Day of the Spanish Language Celebration, and an annual spring trip to Saint Augustine, Florida. Los Amigos Hispanos also participates in the Study Abroad Fair and the ASU International Festival.

French Club
The Augusta State University French Club, Le Cercle Français, brings students into contact with the French-speaking community at a bi-weekly French table located at various restaurants around town. Each year, Le Cercle Français plans excursions to see theatre production and museum exhibits in Atlanta and Columbia, South Carolina.
Alpha Mu Gamma The National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society recognizes students’ achievements in foreign language study. AMG holds its annual initiation in April for students with a 3.0 minimum overall GPA, and at least two grades of “A” in unrepeated college courses in one foreign language. The society also presents an award to the outstanding student in French, German, and Spanish at the annual ASU Honors Convocation.

Study Abroad Programs
Students may choose programs in foreign countries, which are sponsored by the University System of Georgia. Scholarships for study abroad programs are available through the ASU Foundation and the Board of Regents.

Spain: ASU sponsors a study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain, during the summer, fall, or spring. Students live with families and earn credits while studying at the University of Salamanca.
Québec: For French in a North American setting, students may earn credits at the Université Laval in Québec City, the capital of Québec province, Canada. Excursions include Montreal, the Montmorency Falls, and the Ile d’Orléans.
France: Students may earn credits in French by studying at the Institut Touraine in Tours, France, during the summer. While in France, they also spend time on the Riviera and in Paris.

Foreign Language Tutoring
Free, individual tutoring is available to students enrolled in ASU foreign language classes. Tutors are advanced students in French, German, and Spanish, and schedule tutoring sessions during the day and evening. Web Information Use the A-Z index on the university’s website, www.aug.edu, to learn more about the foreign languages program and the study abroad programs.

Tutoring Schedule

Faculty

Robert Bledsoe, PhD University of California, Berkeley
Sara Griswold, PhD University of Georgia
Frederic Leveziel, PhD Middlebury College, Vermont
J. Duncan Robertson, PhD Princeton University
Pedro Hoyos-Salcedo, PhD University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Janet Sandarg, PhD University or North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Ms. Julie Veal

Department of English and Foreign Languages
2500 Walton Way Augusta, GA 30904
(706) 737-1500 efldept.aug.edu