DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES FAQ’s

DMLL offers courses in eleven languages now: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Majors: in Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish

Minors: in all those five previous languages and also in Italian and Russian

Study abroad:

-DMLL leads short term study abroad programs in:

-Cuba
-France
-Italy
-Japan
-Jordan
-Portugal
-Spain
-Taiwan

We offer scholarships to students going abroad in our programs. Students don’t need to apply for these scholarships, only to register for the course.

Most of our students are double majors. Or they major in something else while minoring in a language.

Does CWRU have a language requirement?
No, we don’t. Sadly, I’ll add.

Can you major in more than one language, or can you major in a STEM field and also add a major in a language?
Yes, in both cases.

Could I do a major in one language and then a minor in another?
Yes, also possible.

Could I do more than one minor?
Yes, of course. And more than one major also.

What approach to language instruction do your teachers take?
Individual study at home plus homework; group and paired activities and exercises. Only speaking in the target language in the classroom…

How many courses are needed for a minor?
Five courses in total (up to two can be AP credits or transferred from abroad).

How many courses are needed for a major?
Ten courses in total (up to five can be AP credits or transferred from abroad; two could be “related courses”: taught in English but related to the cultural and historical context of the language of the major).

Do language clubs have opportunities to practice conversation?
Absolutely, in a more informal and relaxed setting.

Can I get credits for taking the AP exam?
Yes, of course.

What about other similar exams?
It depends on the exam. Check with Undergraduate Studies.

Can I get credits for taking a placement exam; if I place in a higher level course can I get credits for the one(s) I placed out of?
We don’t offer placement exams. But we consider a year of high school language instruction equal to a semester at CWRU.

Can I study some of the languages’ literature in English?
Only majors can take up to two courses in English (as related courses; can be taken in any department but related to the geographic zone of the target language.) Minors need to take all five courses in the target language.

Could I minor in the study of different literatures, in English, without studying those languages?
Not really. Can minor/major in World Literature, though.

What if I start a course and then find out it’s the wrong level for me?
Depending on when that realization happens, you can move up or down. It’s better to always talk to the instructor from the beginning to express these concerns.

If I had several years of a language already, should I expect what I will have at the university to be taught in a similar way, if I do more with that same language or if I try something new?
It depends on what each student wants to do. You can either keep mastering the language that you already started or venture with a new one. Or study both at the same time.

Is there any way for me to take an American Sign Language course?
The Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center offers ASL classes.