Department Learning Objectives:
A Work in Progress

Student Learning Outcomes
Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
January, 2009

The French Major
The major in French is designed to assist students in achieving a superior level of linguistic fluency in French and cultural competency through the study of French literature and culture. Students majoring in French are required to complete major requirements and senior exercises as described below. They are also expected to participate in the Study Abroad Program for a semester and to reside in Oldenborg Center for one year (usually their second year).

Upon graduation, French majors should be able to achieve the following objectives:

1. demonstrate advanced competence in written and spoken French.
2. demonstrate the ability to read critically, interpret analytically, and write coherently about texts produced in the French-speaking world:
1. identify literary figures and devices and describe their function.
2. compare and contrast analyses and interpretations of different literary and cultural texts.
3. identify and evaluate the specific nature of a wide array of literary genres.
4. demonstrate familiarity with basic critical methodological approaches in the study of these genres, such as close reading, socio-historical contextualization, and literary, political, psychoanalytic and cultural theory
5. demonstrate knowledge of literary and cultural traditions, such as major
   movements, writers, and works of France and the French-speaking world
6. produce a senior thesis/paper with a clear thesis statement, a logical structure,
   appropriate evidence and persuasive analysis.
7. demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of scholarly research and writing,
1. locate, evaluate and incorporate material relevant to the research project.
2. present the bibliography in proper scholarly format.
8. 8. articulate an argument in an effective and convincing manner in formal spoken French.

The Spanish Major
The major in Spanish is designed to assist students in achieving a superior level of linguistic fluency in Spanish as well as cultural competency through the study of the very finest literary production and the complex histories and cultures of the Spanish-speaking countries of Spain and Latin America, and of the Spanish-speaking communities of the United States. Students majoring in Spanish are required to complete major requirements and senior exercises as described below. They are also expected to participate in the Study Abroad Program and to reside in Oldenborg Center for one year.

Upon graduation, Spanish majors should be able to:

1. demonstrate advanced competence in written and spoken Spanish.
2. demonstrate the ability to read critically, interpret analytically, and write coherently about both verbal and visual texts produced in the Spanish-speaking world:
1. identify literary figures and devices and describe their function.
2. compare and contrast analyses and interpretations of different literary and cultural texts.
3. identify and evaluate the specific nature of a wide array of literary genres.
4. recognize basic critical methodological approaches in the study of these genres, such as close reading, socio-historical contextualization, and literary and cultural theory.
5. demonstrate knowledge of literary and cultural traditions, such as major
   movements, writers, and works of the Spanish-speaking world, focusing on at
   least one and ideally multiple traditions: Spanish American, Spanish and
   US/Latino literary cultures.
6. produce a senior thesis/paper with a clear thesis statement, a logical structure,
   appropriate evidence and persuasive analysis.
7. demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of scholarly research and writing,
1. locate, evaluate and incorporate material relevant to the research project.
2. present the bibliography in proper scholarly format.
8. 8. articulate an argument in an effective and convincing manner in formal spoken Spanish.

The Romance Languages Major
The major in Romance Languages is designed to assist students in achieving an advanced level of linguistic fluency in both French and Spanish through the study of the very finest literary production and the complex histories and cultures of the French- and Spanish-speaking worlds. Students majoring in Romance Languages are required to complete major requirements and senior exercises as described in the college catalog, selecting either French or Spanish for the primary language of the senior exercises. They are also expected to participate in the Study Abroad Program and to reside in Oldenborg Center for one year.

Upon graduation, Romance Languages majors should be able to:

1. demonstrate advanced competence in written and spoken French and Spanish.
2. demonstrate the ability to read critically, interpret analytically, and write coherently about texts produced in the Spanish- and French-speaking worlds:
1. identify literary figures and devices and describe their function.
2. compare and contrast analyses and interpretations of different literary and cultural texts.
3. identify and evaluate the specific nature of a wide array of literary genres.
4. demonstrate familiarity with basic critical methodological approaches in the study of these genres, such as close reading, socio-historical contextualization, and literary, political, psychoanalytic and cultural theory.
5. demonstrate knowledge of literary and cultural traditions, such as major
   movements, writers, and works of both French and Spanish-speaking worlds.
6. produce a senior thesis/paper with a clear thesis statement, a logical structure,
   appropriate evidence and persuasive analysis.
7. demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of scholarly research and writing,
1. locate, evaluate and incorporate material relevant to the research project.
2. present the bibliography in proper scholarly format.
8. 8. articulate an argument in an effective and convincing manner in formal spoken French or Spanish.