Welcome to the Department of Modern Languages

The program of language studies at Grove City College has been developed to enhance the communicative, cultural, and vocational benefits of language study. Thus the Department provides courses to increase language proficiency, courses on the literature of great writers, courses dealing with history and civilization, and courses to illustrate the expanding role of language in the social, political, and commercial areas of today’s world.

DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES

Ø A variety of modern languages: Chinese, French, German & Spanish

Majors in: French; French with certification in K-12 French Education

Spanish; Spanish with certification in K-12 French Education

Minors in: Chinese, French & German

Ø Fun co-curricular activities

Language Tables National French Week

International Food Fair Service Projects

Movie Nights Local Spanish Church services

International Praise & Worship Service & much more!

Departmental organizations:

Alpha Mu Gamma -- foreign language honorary

French Club

Spanish Club

Chinese Club

Valuable resources:

Stevenson Language Laboratory

Hamilton Curriculum Library

Ø Small, communicative classes

Individualized instruction

Get to know your professors and classmates in & out of the classroom

Ø Opportunities in International Education

Extensive faculty experience in travel and study abroad

Work closely with the Office of International Education

The freedom to choose the program that best meets your needs

Ø Graduates and Alumni in diverse fields

A unique position in the marketplace

Language majors and minors work very well in combination with other majors and minors

Learning Goals:
Our departmental majors and minors are designed to promote the ability to:

comprehend lectures and conversation at normal tempo;
speak at normal speed with good pronunciation and with a command of vocabulary, syntax, and grammar sufficient to express thoughts in conversation and in oral presentations;
read and analyze prose and verse of reasonable difficulty and sophistication;
write in the target language with clarity and accuracy of vocabulary, idiom and syntax;
prepare and edit a research paper displaying information literacy skills and demonstrating in-depth analysis;
express an understanding of language as an essential element of culture and show an awareness of cross-cultural similarities and differences;
identify the differences between the sound systems, forms, and structures of the target language and those of English;
communicate a knowledge of selected literary masterpieces, as well as of the geography, history, art and social customs of the foreign nations studied.

Degree Offerings

The degrees and offerings are: B.A. in French and French/Secondary Education; B.A. in Spanish and Spanish/Secondary Education; and minors in Chinese, French, or German.

Course Evaluation

Proficiency evaluation takes place in each course through the use of essays, quizzes, oral reports, written examinations, daily observation, term papers, highly individualized oral sessions tailored to the needs of the individual student, etc. The program is arranged so that the courses are sufficiently stringent. The requirements seek to properly address the many facets of language proficiency. Our assessments are proficiency-based and inspired by the Provisional Proficiency Guidelines as drawn up by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Our tests allow the students’ communicative competence in all four skill areas (plus culture) to be evaluated in a wide variety of situations and modalities.

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General Objectives

The general objectives of the programs in Modern Languages are:

Students who pursue a Modern Language/Secondary Education major will demonstrate successful performance on the Pennsylvania Certification examinations.
Students who wish to pursue graduate school opportunities will be competitive for admissions to such programs and for financial stipends.
Students who supplement or combine their language studies with work from other departments (as in the case of the International Business major) will be well-prepared for careers in the modern global world.