• TU Home
  
  
• Colleges
  
  
• College of Liberal Arts
  
  
• Academic Departments & Programs
  
  
• Foreign Languages
  
  
  Program Information
  
  Major/Degree Requirements
  
  Faculty Information
  
  Departmental Courses
  
  Honor Societies/Scholarships
  
  Study Abroad
  
  News & Events
  
  Internet Resources
  

Foreign Languages

Program Information

Introduction

The department offers a Foreign Languages major with Literature/Professional and/or Secondary Education tracks in French, German, and Spanish. In addition, the department offers minors in Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish. To satisfy General Education requirements, courses are also offered in Arabic, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Modern Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, and Russian. 

Major in Foreign Languages

Students earning a Foreign Languages major with a Literature/Professional track in French, German, and/or Spanish must complete at least 30 upper-level (300/400) units in the target language. Intermediate (201/202) courses do not count toward the major. Of the 30 units, at least 15 units must be completed at Towson University. Students pursuing the Foreign Languages major with a Secondary Education track in French, German, and/or Spanish consult with both the Foreign Languages Department and the Department of Secondary Education to confirm degree requirements. All Foreign Languages majors are assigned an advisor in the target language and receive advising each semester.

Minor in Foreign Languages

The minor programs in Chinese, French, German, Italian and/or Spanish provide majors in other disciplines with the educational language background necessary to broaden and enhance their career opportunities. All minors must earn a minimum 18 units (6 courses) in the target language. Both 301 and 302 courses are required plus 12 units of 200, 300 and/or 400-level courses. 101 and 102 do not count toward the minor. All Foreign Languages minors are assigned an advisor in the target language and receive advising each semester.

Additional Program Information

Placement in Languages

The department's policy regarding placement of entering students with high school language study is as follows:

• One year of high school language study, students may register for 101 or 102.

• Two years of high school language study, students may register for 102.
• Three years of high school language study, students may register for 102 or 201.
• Students with 3 or more years of high school language study cannot enoroll in the 101 level of a language.
• Four years of high school language study, students may register for 201 or 202.
• Five years of high school language study, students may register for 202 or 301.

Bachelor of Arts Language Requirements

Completion through the intermediate (201 and 202) level of a foreign language or its equivalent is required of all Bachelor of Arts degree candidates. This requirement may be met by:

• Completing two or more years of the language in high school plus intermediate levels I and II in college;

• Completing the elementary and intermediate level courses of the language in college;

• Successfully completing one semester of any course beyond the intermediate level II; or

• Successfully completing a Credit for Prior Learning examination in any language offered at the 301-302 level at Towson University (Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese and/or Spanish.) The exam is administered each November by the Department of Foreign Languages.

Credit for Prior Learning Exam

The exam is given only in November each academic year and only in the following languages offered by the Department of Foreign Languages at the 301-302 levels: Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The credits for 201-202 may not be earned unless the student takes 301 as a course. Upon completing the exam, a grade of “A” is required to earn six units and a grade of “B” earns the student three units. Exam applications and instructions are provided by contacting the department.

Top of Page