for the B.A. and M.A. Programs in the Department of Foreign Languages
Chinese B.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Develop competence in speaking and listening comprehension in
Mandarin Chinese.
Command basic Chinese vocabulary. Refine grammatical
structures and engage in critical thinking through a variety of tasks,
activities, and assignments.
Read authentic material in Chinese for informative purposes.
Write in Chinese simple narration and description about given
topics and events.
Develop understanding of the traditional Chinese culture in
light of contemporary values.
Be able to compare systematically the ideas, values, images,
or attitudes of people from various Chinese communities. Be able to identify
the historical context of these ideas and cultural practices. Be able to explain
how Chinese culture changes in response to internal and external
pressures.
Critical reading of pre-modern Chinese prose, poetry, and
drama.
French B.A. and M.A. Learning Objectives and
Outcomes
French B.A.
Language & Communication. Written Expression. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in writing French.
Language & Communication. Reading Comprehension. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in reading French.
Language & Communication. Oral Expression. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in speaking French.
Language & Communication. Listening Comprehension.
Develop advanced (ACTFL) skills in understanding French.
Literacy: Ability to use appropriate terminology in
linguistic, cultural, or literary analysis.
Cultural Analysis and Comparison: Develop the students'
ability to draw upon their cultural knowledge of France and the Francophone
world to analyze and compare a wide variety of texts.
Literary and Cultural Texts and Traditions: Develop knowledge
of major periods, genres, authors, movements of French and Francophone
cultural history.
Connections to Other Disciplines and Language Communities
Technology: demonstrate information processing competency,
use of appropriate technologies and tools for research, analysis,
communication, and presentation.
French M.A.
Improve ability to undertake
graduate-level coursework by analyzing cultural productions from the following
three perspectives: Historical and cultural, Linguistic and stylistic,
Literary and literary theory.
Improve ability to develop a thesis of a scholarly nature on
a special topic.
Become more proficient in making scholarly presentations at
public venues.
Become more proficient at using research tools for academic
papers at graduate level and at processing collected data in compliance with
academic standards.
Improve ability to use interdisciplinary approaches and make
connections between cultures and languages.
Improve knowledge of the French-speaking world.
Become proficient using technology for scholarly research and
presentations.
German B.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Language & Communication. Written Expression. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in writing German.
Language & Communication. Reading Comprehension. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in reading German.
Language & Communication. Oral Expression. Develop
advanced (ACTFL) skills in speaking German.
Language & Communication. Listening Comprehension.
Develop advanced (ACTFL) skills in understanding spoken German.
Literacy: Develop the students' ability to use appropriate
terminology in linguistic, cultural, or literary analysis.
Linguistics: Develop the students' ability to recognize
the various components that make up the German language, to understand
complex syntactical features, and to analyze and reflect on
grammar.
Cultural Knowledge: Develop the students' ability to
understand the cultural and intellectual development of German-speaking
civilizations and societies within their socio-political
contexts.
Literary Analysis and Traditions: Develop the students'
knowledge of major periods, genres, authors, and movements of German-language
literature within their cultural, intellectual and socio-political
contexts.
Global
Perspective and Comparisons: Develop the students' ability to relate the German-speaking
civilizations and societies to events in other countries around the world, with a special
focus on Europe and the United States since the 20th century.
Japanese B.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes
To develop the students' four Japanese language skills
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in three modes of communication
(interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).
To develop the students' understanding of some aspects of
Japanese culture, including the relationships among cultural products,
practices, and perspectives.
To acquaint students with business manners and customs for
developing communication skills useful in conducting business in
Japanese.
To develop the students' understanding of not only
traditional arts but also contemporary Japanese culture and
society.
To develop the students' understanding of phonological,
morphological, and syntactic structures of contemporary
Japanese.
To develop experience and skills in reading and discussing
Japanese modern literature from 1868 through the present.
To develop the students' understanding of traditional theater
in Japan, as well as modern and post-modern Japanese drama.
Spanish B.A. and M.A. Learning Objectives and Outcomes, and Additional
Experiences and Values
Spanish B.A.
Ability to produce and recognize grammatical structures in
Spanish.
Ability to express oneself orally and in writing in different
sociolinguistic milieus including formal and academic presentations.
Ability to appreciate literary texts of the Spanish-speaking
world (Spain, Spanish America and the Hispanic U.S.) and the traditions that
produced them.
Ability to recognize stylistic elements in the literature.
Ability to recognize and analyze cultural modes of behavior
and socio-cultural patterns of the Spanish-speaking world.
Ability to develop and carry out research projects in
Spanish, including term papers and bibliographical research.
Ability to analyze and develop texts other than literary: for
example, informal and formal correspondence, applications for school or jobs,
a C.V., brochures, etc.
Ability to understand and use appropriate academic and
technical terminology.
Ability to produce, analyze and rationalize the sounds of
Spanish (phonology) as compared and contrasted with the sounds of
English.
Ability to analyze morphological, syntactic, and semantic
components of Spanish.
Spanish M.A.
Ability to understand the historical development of the
Spanish language in its external (history, culture) and internal development
(morphology, syntax and semantics).
Knowledge of and familiarity with the linguistic variation of
Spanish and its main dialects, including phonology, geographical variation,
social dialects, and registers.
Ability to understand the complex relationships among
culture, society, history, politics, religion, and economics in the creation
of texts.
Knowledge of and familiarity with literature of the
Spanish-speaking world (Spain, Spanish America and the Hispanic U.S.) and
relevant literary criticism.
Ability to write and present orally in a scholarly fashion.
The Programs in Spanish Provide Enrichment for All Degrees:
Close contact and consultation of students with faculty and
personalized supervision in the classroom and in advisement.
Extracurricular activities through several outlets, including
the “Círculo Hispánico.”
Peer projects in discussion groups, writing activities and
presentations.
Options to participate in local high school observations on
teaching methods.
Access to activities promoted by the Department of Foreign
Languages and the University: Public lectures, films, music and dance
performances, alumni dinners, etc.
A foreign language Honor Society, Phi Sigma Iota, for
qualified students.
Scholarships and opportunities for Study Abroad.
Understandings, Interests, and Values for All Degree Programs in
Spanish:
The realization of being able to communicate in a language
spoken in more than twenty countries.
The awareness of being able to read from a vast corpus of
literature spanning over one thousand years and encompassing Spain, Latin
America and the United States, among other areas.
The awareness of being able to access jobs as teacher,
translator, interpreter, bilingual editor, and other professions.
The sense of having expanded one's view of the world
and society by virtue of knowing two languages and envisioning culture
and language from a broader perspective.
The realization of knowing one's own language by contrast and
comparison with Spanish.
A greater awareness of the Hispanic community in the area
(San José, Bay Area) and state (California) where the student lives, studies,
and works.
The
satisfaction and sense of achievement of being able to communicate in Spanish
with members of that community and to better understand Hispanic culture.
