Modern and Classical Languages

Introduction

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages provides to Western Washington University students the skills to learn firsthand about major world societies. The department believes that the best way to understand a culture directly is through its language. The modern languages offered in the department — Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish — are spoken natively by nearly two billion people. Latin and Classical Greek provide students with the tools to study directly written works that form the foundation of Western civilization.

In keeping with the aim of providing the skills needed to learn about a culture in depth, the department trains in two areas: language structure and literary analysis. Language structure is taught both holistically and analytically.

Holistic language learning is facilitated by modern methods and multimedia technology, as well as study abroad opportunities. The department supports the analytical instruction of language structure through a full range of language skills courses, as well as a significant number of courses in linguistics.

Literary analysis is essential to a student’s understanding of the highest achievements in aesthetic expression of a culture’s values. The department provides instruction in history and culture, as well as literary theory, with an end to enabling the student to gain access to the intellectual life in the culture.

Furthermore, the department imparts skills to future foreign language teachers so that they may similarly enable high school students to begin the acquisition of foreign languages. To this end the department includes specialists in foreign language methods.

While offering majors in French, German, Japanese and Spanish, the department also provides Western students the opportunity to acquire intermediate skills in three other languages: Arabic, Chinese and Russian. The department also supports the studies of Latin and Greek, and houses the Classical Studies program.

Hence, the multifaceted programs of the department provide an opening to the world through language, literature, culture and civilization. It is, therefore, a meeting place for true diversity.

Faculty

VICKI L. HAMBLIN (1989) Chair and Professor of French. BS, Southwest Missouri State University; MA, Arizona State University; PhD, University of Arizona.
SANDRA ALFERS (2008) BA, MA, University of Nebraska; PhD, University of Massachusetts.
BRENT J. CARBAJAL (1997) Professor of Spanish and Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. BA, Lewis and Clark College; MA, PhD, University of Washington.
MASANORI DEGUCHI (2006) Assistant Professor of Japanese and Linguistics. BA, Kansai Gaidai University; MA, PhD, Indiana University.
KENDRA DOUGLAS (2005) Assistant Professor of Spanish and Linguistics. BA, California State University; MA, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
SHANNON DUBENION-SMITH (2008) Assistant Professor of German and Linguistics. BA University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; MA, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
PETRA S. FIERO (1995) Professor of German. MA, PhD, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
HUGO GARCÍA (2006) Assistant Professor of Spanish. BA, University of Havana, Cuba; MA, St. John’s University; PhD, Ohio State University.
SHAW N. GYNAN (1986) Professor of Spanish and Linguistics. BS, Georgetown University; MA, University of Texas-El Paso; PhD, University of Texas-Austin.
CÉCILE HANANIA (2002) Associate Professor of French. PhD, University of Maryland; Doctorat, Université Paris; Maitrise, Université de Provence.
JOAN M. HOFFMAN (1994) Professor of Spanish. BA, University of Washington; MA, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; PhD, Indiana University.
DIANE L. JOHNSON (2004) Associate Professor of Classical Studies. BA, MA, University of Washington; MA, Western Washington University; PhD, University of British Columbia.
CHRISTINA KEPPIE (2008) Assistant Professor of French and Linguistics. BA University of New Brunswick; MA Carleton University; PhD, University of Alberta.
EDWARD OUSSELIN (2001) Associate Professor of French. MBA, University of Kentucky; PhD, Ohio State University.
MARÍA PAREDES MÉNDEZ (2002) Associate Professor of Spanish. MA, PhD, University of Kansas.
CORNELIUS PARTSCH (2003) Associate Professor of German. MA, PhD, Brown University.
DANIEL RANGEL GUERRERO (1969) Associate Professor of Spanish. AA, Sierra College; BA, Stanford University; MA, PhD, University of Oregon.
MASSIMILIANO TOMASI (1998) Professor of Japanese. Laurea (BA), University of Florence, Italy; MA, PhD, Nagoya University, Japan.
EDWARD J. VAJDA (1987) Professor of Russian and Linguistics. BA, Indiana University; MA, PhD, University of Washington.
JANET Z. XING (1999), Professor of Chinese and Linguistics. BA, Shanxi University, China; MA, Western Michigan University; PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
MICHIKO YUSA (1983) Professor of Japanese and East Asian Studies. BA, International Christian University, Tokyo; MA, C Phil, PhD, University of California-Santa Barbara.

Other Departmental Information

Mid-Program Checkpoint

Students seeking to complete a BA in French, German, Japanese or Spanish within a four-year time span should have completed the second-year sequence (e.g., 201, 202, 203) in the language by the start of their junior year. Otherwise it will be difficult or impossible to complete this degree program within two additional years.

Experienced Speakers of a Language

First-year courses in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages are designed for students with minimal or no previous exposure to the target language. Students enrolling in second-year courses should have no more than foundational knowledge, equivalent to the first year. Students having previous experience with the language, such as attending junior high school, high school, community or technical college, or university in which the language in question was the primary language of instruction, may be required to begin study at a more appropriate level, if available. The decision will be left to the discretion of the instructor and the language department.

Study Abroad

Students can increase language proficiency through travel, work and study abroad. WWU offers programs at study centers in Morelia, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; Valdivia, Chile; Segovia, Oviedo and Cadiz, Spain; Angers and Rennes, France; Vienna, Austria; Macerata and Siena, Italy; Tokyo, Japan; and Beijing and Kunming, China. Designed to give students a complete foreign study experience in the host country, each program includes numerous excursions to historical and cultural sites and a wide range of activities which complement formal classroom work. WWU also sponsors academic-year university exchange programs (a) with Asia, Tsuda and Obirin universities in Tokyo, Japan; (b) Beijing Foreign Studies University; and (c) with ISEP at 70 universities in 32 countries. Students also may access language schools in Québec, Costa Rica, Germany and many other countries. Special application and registration procedures are required for participation in foreign study programs, and students should consult with the International Programs and Exchanges Office, Miller Hall 208, well in advance of their planned quarter abroad, as well as with the coordinator of the language section to discuss transfer credit.

Advanced Placement Credit

The student who has studied a foreign language in high school may be granted additional university credit upon completion of foreign language courses at WWU. Advanced placement credit is not awarded for 100-level courses. Request for advanced placement credit is to be made to the coordinator of the language section.

Transfer Placement

Students transferring from another university with some course work in a foreign language should consult with the language coordinator of the section about placement. Transfer students majoring in a foreign language must complete at least 9 credits in residence, including two fourth-year stylistics/composition courses (401/402).

Attendance

The learning and studying of a foreign language involves a level of student participation considerably higher than that required by some disciplines. It is the students’ responsibility to ascertain the specific attendance requirements of their individual instructors.

Endorsement of Post-baccalaureate Students

Post-baccalaureate students with a degree in a foreign language are required to:

❑ Have a GPA of 3.00 or above in the major
❑ Obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in reference to the candidate’s potential as a teacher
❑ Satisfactorily pass the departmental oral proficiency exam given by appointment only
❑ Complete the endorsement sequence LANG 410, 420
❑ Complete 314 (phonetics) in language to be endorsed

Additional work in the language may also be required. Students should consult the coordinator of the language section.