The Study of Languages at Saint Michael's College

Students who major in a modern language gain fluency through such activities as hosting radio shows, visiting theaters and museums in Montreal, and attending social activities with international students.

The study of foreign languages at Saint Michael's College is greatly enhanced by the large number of international students who attend classes through our School of International Studies. This multicultural dimension offers numerous opportunities to interact with students from other parts of the world, sharpen language skills, and gain a global perspective.

Incoming students take a language placement exam and will be placed in a class at the appropriate level, based upon score. Students satisfying the language requirement (either through coursework or placement) are encouraged to deepen their knowledge of the language they are acquainted with, or to explore an unfamiliar language.

Students may also take specially designed courses in various disciplines which are taught in English, but include an Applied Language Component (ALC). These courses allow students to read, in the foreign language, selected pertinent texts, and meet one additional hour per week with the instructor(s) to discuss the texts in the target foreign language. Those who successfully complete the language portion of the course will receive an additional language credit. ALCs are open to all students with an above 210-level of knowledge of the target foreign language.

The Department of Modern Languages also offers courses taught in English! Study Quebec or Italian Cinema; read Russian Literature or delve into Russian Culture and History; "Topics" courses offer a myriad of topic possibilities.

To major in either French or Spanish, a student must take a minimum of 16 credits at the 240-level or above (among these may be included ALC credits), and take five required courses. We have a wide variety of courses available, and students may opt to take other culture and civilization courses in English, which will count toward the humanities requirement.

Our immersion courses, taught at the third-year level, are designed to increase spoken fluency. The classes meet five hours a week and offer lively in-the-classroom activities. In addition, immersion students participate in audio and video lab work, field trips, presentations of plays and poetry readings, and meals and parties.

Seniors write a thesis in their major language, drawing on their experiences in all disciplines. The topic could be on culture, literature, art, or any other area of interest.

Our students benefit from the wide variety of backgrounds, talents, interests, and teaching styles of our faculty. Several members of our faculty were born outside the United States, bringing the flavor of their native countries to the classroom. Eager to share their multicultural perspectives, our professors are active in international programs on and off campus.

The Department sponsors many activities in which students have the opportunity to use their language outside the classroom. These include the broadcast of SCOLA (news, entertainment, and education from 40 countries around the world, through our two on-campus satellite dishes), work with international students (through our Compañeros Program in Intermediate Spanish, for instance, each student seeks out a native Spanish-speaking student on campus, spends time with that student, and reports on activities through regular journal entries), and computer networking in foreign languages (computer "discussion groups" and on-line tutorials).

Foreign travel. About 75 percent of our Modern Language majors and minors study abroad, usually during their junior year. The Study Abroad Office helps students pick the right program from among the dozens available. We are especially pleased to offer a semester at the University of the Americas (Universidad de las Americas - UDLA) in Cholula, Mexico, open to students of any major; Japanese-language students have the opportunity to study at Kansai Gaidai University near Kyoto; and plans are being made to offer French-language students the possibility of studying in French-Speaking Canada. Academic Study Tours have seen our faculty members accompany students to Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Venezuela and Germany. Future academic tours may include Japan and Italy. Students also have the chance to travel through on-campus volunteer and social services programs.

Internships. Our students have interned in such positions as assistant to the executive director for the Northeast Conference on Teachers of Foreign Languages, international trade and language intern for the Vermont Trade Office, public relations assistant and interpreter for the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, and translator for the Vermont Women's Health Center.

Our students often go on to positions in social service, business, travel-related work, and government. Recent graduates, for instance, are teaching English in South and Central America, attending graduate school for a master's degree in health/education, and working for the Municipal Board of Trade in Mexico.

For more information, please contact MLD web administrator
Last Revised: October 18, 2002