Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program of study, students will demonstrate: 

  • Communicative oral skills in the target language, including grammatical accuracy, correct use of tense, fluency, appropriate intonation, suitable vocabulary and discourse devices for expressing opinions or when giving research presentations.
  • Communicative writing skills in the target language, including clarity of ideas, grammatical accuracy and appropriate vocabulary, adequate elaboration of ideas through a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary, and logical flow of ideas through the use of discourse organizational devices.
  • Analytical skill in literary and cultural texts of the target language, including ability to formulate and present a topic of inquiry, to critically analyze the topic with valid supporting evidence, and to cogently synthesize and summarize the ideas in bibliographical sources and the results of their own analytical inquiry.
  • Increased sensitivity to and appreciation of cultural and linguistic differences.

Study Abroad

The department strongly encourages education or other experiences abroad and has exchange agreements in place with universities in several countries. Students should visit the department prior to studying abroad for clarification on course transfers. Information is available through Education Abroad.

Minors and Other Languages

Minors are offered in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, as well as interdisciplinary minors in American Sign Language, Arabic, Italian and Russian Studies.

Potential Occupations

Available career choices include, but are not limited to: bilingual educator, foreign language teacher, translation/interpretation, linguist, civil service, foreign service and diplomacy, medical fields, social services, immigration/naturalization, journalism/ broadcasting, customs, banking, import/exports, sales/customer service, publishing, international business, international nonprofit organizations, government/military intelligence, global tourism.

Accelerated Program 

The Spanish for the Professions concentration includes an accelerated program option for students to graduate on a faster schedule. Accelerated Programs typically include 15-16 credits each fall and spring semester for three years, plus 6-9 credits over two to three summer sessions. Students who enter CSU with prior credit (AP, IB, transfer, etc.) may use applicable courses to further accelerate their graduation. Visit the Office of the Provost website for additional information about Accelerated Programs.

Concentrations

Teaching Endorsement

 The Teacher Preparation Program is a non-degree program; bachelor degrees in education are not awarded. Students interested in pursuing a teaching license through CSU may refer to the Center for Educator Preparation (CEP) and the School of Education section for general information.