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Romance Languages and Literatures

Professors Rice-DeFosse, López, Fra-Molinero, and Read; Associate Professors Aburto Guzmán (chair for Spanish), and Dauge-Roth (chair for French); Assistant Professor Pettway; Visiting Assistant Professor Curren; Lecturers George and Balladur

The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures offers courses in French and Spanish.

Courses in French and Spanish help students to learn basic communication skills, to appreciate another culture through its language, and to go beyond the study of language to achieve a deeper understanding of diverse peoples by way of their literature and other modes of cultural production. Texts are read closely from a contemporary critical perspective with attention to their cultural context. All courses are taught in French or Spanish, except in the case of some courses cross-listed with other departments or programs, which may be taught in English. More information on the Romance languages and literatures department is available on the website (www.bates.edu/RLL.xml).

Minors

In addition to a major in French or Spanish, a minor can be pursued in these areas of study. Application for a minor must be made prior to Short Term of the senior year, after consultation with a permanent member of the faculty in the language area of concentration (French or Spanish). Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor.

Study Abroad

All students, and especially majors, are strongly encouraged to spend an extended period of time in a Spanish- or French-speaking country prior to graduation. Opportunities to do so include participation in junior-year- or junior-semester-abroad programs, and in the various off-campus Short Term courses sponsored by the department. The department supports programs of study it has approved for a junior year or semester abroad as significant means of increasing one's comprehension of the culture and as the most effective method of developing advanced proficiency in the language.

Placement in French and Spanish Courses

Students entering courses in the department are advised of the following general policies and procedures. The beginning (101-102) sequence is reserved for true beginners in the language. Those with more than two years of secondary school study are not admitted at this level and are encouraged to enter at the 200 level, or, in some cases, 102 in the spring semester; students who have followed a conventional sequence of language study in high school (generally three to four years, sometimes more, sometimes involving Advanced Placement courses) are advised to enroll at the early to mid-200 level: 201 for general review or other intermediate courses that concentrate variously on introductions to culture, spoken language, and/or literature. The department allows for self-placement in 201 and 205 (French) and 201 and 207 (Spanish); students are advised to be in touch directly with the instructor for permission or prerequisite waiver for entry into more advanced courses.

The major in French aims at flexibility within a structure that affords a diversity of experience in Francophone culture and literature and continuous training in the use of the language. It provides effective preparation for graduate work but is not conceived as strictly preprofessional. The significance of French is highlighted by the College's proximity to Québec and by the large number of Franco-Americans who live and work in northern New England. In addition to France's literary tradition, the Francophone histories and cultures of North Africa, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Québec have produced writers and artists who have influenced the world broadly with their cultural and artistic dynamism and insight, making French and Francophone cultural production truly rich and varied.

Major Requirements

The major in French and Francophone studies consists of a minimum of ten courses beyond the level of Intermediate French (201). These courses should reflect both geographical breadth and historical depth; students are encouraged to consult with a faculty member when planning the course of study in the major. Two courses in a related discipline may normally count as one of the ten courses in the major; one of the two may be taught in English. All majors are required to take at least one 300-level seminar in the senior year.

The Capstone Experience

Fluent and correct use of the language is essential to the completion of the major. All senior majors are required to complete a capstone experience that serves to synthesize and reflect upon their work in the major as described below:

1) All majors must assemble a portfolio of their work in the major and discuss it in at the end of the second semester of their senior year. This exercise is known as the soutenance du portfolio. The portfolio contains a personal statement on the student's experience in French and Francophone studies and other components such as papers from courses taken at Bates or abroad, a journal of a study-abroad program or travel experience, audio and/or video recordings to show progress in oral proficiency, websites that may have been created for courses or other Francophone endeavors, or other personal reflections.

2) All majors must complete a senior thesis, senior essay, or an oral history project, all of which fulfill the [W3] requirement. The thesis (which may be one-semester, two-semester, or honors) represents a sustained, scholarly work in the discipline, written in close consultation with a faculty member from the department. The senior essay is an extracurricular (noncredit) written work that treats a question in the field of French and Francophone studies as agreed upon by the student and faculty advisor; it is significantly shorter than a one-semester thesis, yet still involves research and inquiry into a topic using tools of literacy and cultural study as practiced in the discipline. The oral history project consists of a series of interviews with local Maine Francophone residents that are transcribed, presented at the Mount David Summit, and archived at Bates and in local depositories. Some portion of any of these options must be included in the portfolio for discussion.

3) All majors participate in a regularly scheduled Atelier de recherches in which they discuss approaches to research in French and Francophone cultural studies and their progress in the capstone requirements, including presentations of their research.

Honors candidates register for French 457 and 458.

Minor Requirements

A minor in French requires a minimum of seven courses. At least one of the seven courses must have as its focus literature or culture. Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor. All students who minor in French and Francophone studies must assemble a portfolio of their work in the minor. The portfolio consists of samples of written course work and is designed to demonstrate progress in the study of the French language.

Students considering a major or minor in French should begin to compile a writing portfolio as soon as possible.

Study Abroad

Students majoring in French and Francophone studies are strongly encouraged to study abroad in a country appropriate for their area of interest. Majors receive a maximum of three credits for one semester of study and five credits for two semesters of study in a recognized program. Students must obtain approval from a Bates faculty member in French in order for their courses to count toward major or minor in the discipline; otherwise, credit is not guaranteed.

Transfer Credit

Students normally may transfer up to two credits for course work equivalent to courses offered by the program in French. Students need to obtain approval from a Bates faculty member in French in order for their courses to count toward the major; otherwise, credit is not guaranteed.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

No courses beyond French 235 may be taken pass/fail for credit toward the major.

Courses
Short Term Courses

Spanish is the most widely spoken language in the Americas, without even including ten percent of the United States population. It is also spoken in Spain, Equatorial Guinea, Israel, and the Philippines. The established cultural, political, and economic ties among all nations of the American continents underscore the importance of this discipline. The major in Spanish develops not only students' language skills, it exercises critical thinking around subjects related to the culture, literatures, art, and history of the Spanish-speaking peoples of all continents. Reading, discussing, and writing in Spanish are the principal activities of the major. Spanish majors are strongly encouraged to spend a year or a semester living and studying in a Spanish-speaking country. Students interested in graduate studies in Spanish or Latin American studies, or in business, medicine, law, or international relations, are encouraged to develop advanced proficiency in Spanish.

Major Requirements

Spanish majors acquire a broad knowledge of the different literatures and cultural histories of the Spanish-speaking peoples. In consultation with the faculty in Spanish, the student elects courses in a variety of areas. The requirements for the major consist of ten courses beyond Spanish 202. They must include:

1) At least three 200-level courses beyond Spanish 202.

2) One course taken outside of the Spanish program preapproved by the faculty in Spanish. This course may be chosen from a number of options from literary theory to history or politics of Latin America (e.g., Anthropology 234, English 295, History 181, Politics 249) or a research methods course in areas such as women and gender studies, African American studies, or American cultural studies. Study-abroad courses may count for this category.

3) At least two seminars on the literatures or cultural histories of Spain or Latin America (400-level) taught by Bates faculty, usually taken during senior year.

In addition, majors must complete a senior thesis (Spanish 457 or 458) written in Spanish. This may be a literary or cultural analysis of any topic related to the Hispanic world. Honors candidates register for Spanish 457 and 458.

Students interested in proposing an independent interdisciplinary studies major with a focus on Latin American studies should contact the chair of Spanish.

Minor in Spanish

A minor requires a minimum of seven courses in Spanish (or six courses and a designated Short Term course). At least one of the seven courses must be beyond 208. Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor.

Study Abroad

Spanish majors are encouraged to gain proficiency in the language through the experience of studying in a Spanish-speaking country. For the major a maximum of three credits is normally recognized for one semester and five for two semesters of study in a recognized program. For a minor the maximum number is two for one semester and three for two semesters. Students must obtain approval from a Spanish faculty member in order for their courses to count toward the major or minor; otherwise, credit is not guaranteed.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

The use of the pass/fail option is restricted to one course within the major and the minor. 400-level seminars cannot be taken pass/fail.

Courses
Short Term Courses