Welcome to the Modern Languages Department

Expand your linguistic and cultural horizons, as well as developing your cognitive skills - study a second (or third, or fourth) language! The Modern Languages Department offers courses in the languages, literatures and cultures of the Pan-Hispanic, French and Francophone, German, Italian and Mandarin Chinese peoples. Students may pursue a major, minor or certificate in Spanish; minors in French and German; and introductory classes in Italian and Mandarin Chinese.

We encourage our students to enrich their study of language and culture by exploring the many multi-disciplinary programs that Parkside offers. Programs in International Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, Humanities, Business Management and Ethnic Studies, to name a few, are easily combined with a major or minor in this department.

As a part of your language program, we also strongly encourage you to participate in one of the many study-abroad and travel-study programs coordinated by the Center for International Studies. Or check it out in person with students who have studied abroad at our twice yearly study-abroad fair.

Goals and Outcomes of a Modern Languages degree

Graduates will:

1. communicate effectively in spoken and written form in the target language;
2. demonstrate the ability to convey complex concepts to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics in the target language;
3. analyze artifacts from the target culture and compare and contrast the target culture with their own culture; and
4. appreciate cultural difference and tolerate cultural & national ambiguity.          

The learning outcomes of the program are:

1. Students can converse and write in the target language at American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency level advanced low.
2. Students can write in the target language at ACTFL proficiency level advanced low.
3. Students will demonstrate their ability to communicate information and concepts with the degree of complexity necessary to navigate in business, medical, and educational settings, among others, in the target language.
4. Students can analyze and evaluate the values and experiences which shape their own lives through the lens of a different culture(s).