Foreign Languages Department

O V E R V I E W

The primary mission of the Foreign Languages Department of East Stroudsburg University is to offer students a comprehensive program of studies in French or Spanish. Students may choose from a BA degree -- typically leading to a career in translation, business, government, or social services -- or a BS. The latter includes K-12 Teaching Certification.

A strong minor in Interdisciplinary German Studies is also offered by the Department. This program draws from language courses and German-related coursework in History, Economics, Geography and Political Sciences. French and Spanish minors are also offered.

Complementing the majors and minors is a rich variety of additional language offerings. These include Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese and Russian.

Whatever level of language study chosen by the student, the basic goal remains the same: to acquire useful proficiency in that language, with meaningful cultural knowledge. In its pursuit of these goals, the Department follows the guidelines and standards established by such professional organizations as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Modern Language Association of America (MLA), and the various professional organizations affiliated with those languages in which degrees are offered (AATSP, AATF, AATG).

The study of a foreign language offers students an ideal opportunity to broaden their intellectual horizons, improve their communicative skills, and gain a genuine understanding of another culture. Students may greatly enhance their prospects of employment by pursuing Spanish or French either as an autonomous major or as a second major in conjunction with such disciplines as Business, Psychology, Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism, English, History or Communications, among other fields.

As employment opportunities become increasingly international in their orientation, language majors may find new career possibilities in the realms of international business, media or technology. With a careful selection of courses supplementing their language major, it is possible for a student to pursue graduate studies in medicine, business, or law. Whatever a student's professional interest, pursuing the study of a foreign language can only enhance the potential for success while increasing marketability.