Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Chairperson: Dr. Keri Yousif
Department Office: Root Hall, room A-145
Web site: https://indianastate.edu/academics/colleges/arts-sciences/lll
E-mail: isu-lll@indstate.edu

Programs offered by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics prepare students for active global citizenship with skills in world languages and the disciplinary tools of linguistic, cultural, and literary analysis. The department’s programs, through its immersion experience, foster the cultural knowledge and sensitivity necessary for effective engagement with diverse populations in Indiana and throughout the world.

A degree in Language Studies opens up numerous career paths. Teachers of languages, including English as a second language, are in high demand in Indiana and across the United States. Government offices and international companies need employees with advanced language proficiency since the number of American consumers who speak languages other than English is growing rapidly. The department offers programs particularly suited for students seeking a functional knowledge of more than one language to enhance their careers. In addition, course offerings in English as a second language prepare students to teach English overseas. Graduates with teaching English as a second language licensure may find employment in American public school systems, as well as in private schools and other countries.

In support of the liberal arts and sciences mission of the College of Arts and Sciences and ISU, the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics participates in the University Core Courses, the Honors Program, the International Studies Program, and the Gender Studies Program.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Degrees Offered

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics is unique within colleges in the Midwest in its extremely flexible undergraduate degree, which allows students to tailor their academic program to their individual career plans. The bachelor of arts degree in Language Studies provides flexible options to study French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish; linguistics; teaching English as a second language; or any combination of these languages or areas. In addition, language proficiency may be expanded through ISU’s study abroad opportunities. This flexibility allows students to concentrate on one language, to study more than one language, or to include linguistic study without changing degrees. Available course work includes courses taught in English, non-native or second language pedagogy, cultures, mythology, world literature in translation, and linguistics. The program’s core courses provide a common framework for all students and encourage them to interact with those in other language, literature, and linguistic areas. Courses leading to teaching licensure are available in French, Latin and Spanish, and may be completed as part of the major, while also requiring completion of a professional education sequence provided by the Bayh College of Education. ISU’s minor in teaching English as a second language can lead to licensure when added to another teaching major.

Also available is a certificate in teaching English as a second/foreign language. Candidates for the bachelor of arts degree must successfully complete the University requirement of a minimum of 120 credits, including Undergraduate University Core Courses, as well as the requirements for the departmental major. A minor is encouraged but not required for the degree.

The department also offers a Language Studies Certificate, which confirms the successful completion of intermediate level language and culture courses in a single language.

The university assigns each student a professional academic advisor and a faculty academic advisor in the Department of languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. Majors and minors in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics are encouraged to maintain good contact with their departmental advisors, as students who do so are more likely to meet their goals and succeed academically. Students can find their assigned advisors by consulting the department, the college, or their Degree Audit Tools.

Students should note the following policies:

Students may not major in both Language Studies and Language Studies Teaching
Student may earn the Language Studies major and ESL minor; in this case, only 6 credit hours may count for both the major and the minor.

Departmental Opportunities

The department sponsors numerous and varied activities such as conversation tables, international films, lectures, and field trips to museums, art exhibits, musical performances, restaurants, and cultural sites in Indiana and Illinois, including Indianapolis and Chicago. The department works in close cooperation with the Center for Education Abroad, and with the heritage student associations on campus. Such activities provide students with opportunities for interaction with native speakers in all language areas. In addition to sponsoring the foreign language honor society, Phi Sigma Iota, and the national classics honorary society, Eta Sigma Phi, the department also offers competitive scholarships for language majors and minors.

As course options, students in Language Studies may choose internships in the community, including teaching English to student immigrants. All majors are required to complete an experiential learning activity, and minors are strongly encouraged to do so.

However, any student who is earning more than one major at Indiana State University is exempt from the experiential learning requirement for the Language Studies major, as we recognize the difficulty in completing experiential learning in addition to two (or more) majors. The department works closely with the Center for Education Abroad to provide a number of quality study abroad opportunities ranging from summer programs to a single semester or a full academic year in countries throughout the world. Many of these programs cost only the equivalent of tuition, room, and board at ISU, making study abroad an affordable experience. Courses completed in study abroad programs are transferred to the University as transfer courses. They can be used to satisfy the specific course requirements of each concentration within the credits of the degree program. The department offers students a language center featuring language tutoring, a sound-proof recording studio, and linguistic data collection software.

Experiential Learning

Language Studies Majors must complete 6 credits of an experiential learning activity.

The experiential learning activity can be achieved through
- study abroad, or
- an approved internship, or
- a combination of both options.
Any student who is earning more than one major at Indiana State University is exempt from the experiential learning requirement for the LS major, as we recognize the difficulty in completing experiential learning in addition to two (or more) majors.

Students studying abroad for their experiential learning requirement, must

Travel on an approved Indiana State University education abroad program (faculty-led, hybrid study abroad, or traditional study abroad). The program must be academic in nature and result in earned credits in the form of a course (either an Indiana State University course or transfer credits from an international university). Students studying certain languages may wish to choose a longer study abroad program in order to complete more credits in that language.

Students completing an internship for their experiential learning requirement, must

Follow the Indiana State University guidelines for an approved internship. The internship needs to align with the overall outcomes of the Language Studies major (i.e. it should relate to the student’s field of study). Internship credits must be LLL 409 or LLL 411

Students completing the major in Language Studies Teaching must

Complete 6 credits of study abroad in the target language. For the study abroad credits, students must travel on an approved Indiana State University education abroad program (faculty-led, hybrid study abroad, or traditional study abroad). The program(s) must be academic in nature, be focused on the student’s language of study, and result in earned credits in the form of a course (either an Indiana State University course or transfer credits from an international university). Students studying certain languages may wish to choose a longer study abroad program in order to complete more credits in that language.

LANGUAGE PLACEMENT AND LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TESTING

Students who have not formally satisfied the University Core Courses non-native language requirement are placed into level 101 or level 102 language classes based on their academic work in high school.

Students who have satisfied the University Core Courses non-native language requirement, or who are transferring credit from another institution and who wish to take further course work in a language, are encouraged to take the Language Placement Examination in order to determine the level of language course work most appropriate for them. Depending upon the level of placement, students may receive credit for their knowledge of the language. Students who take the Language Placement Examination and complete a course above the 101 level with a sufficiently high grade receive credit for lower-level courses. The placement examination is administered on-line through the University Testing Office.

Students MUST take a Placement Exam in order to be eligible for the following credits.

Student placed in 102 will be granted credit for 101 upon successful completion of 102, with C+ or better.
Students placed into 201 who complete 201 with a C or better will earn 9 credits for 101, 102 and 201.
Students placed into 202 who complete 202 with a C or better will earn 12 credits for 101, 102, 201 and 202.

Note: The Language Placement Examination is not designated to be used as a test-out option.

Students wishing to take a language course in their native/heritage language or in a language in which they have achieved fluency must petition the department to be allowed to enroll. Credit will be granted only if it is determined by the department that the course covers materials or develops skills that the student has not yet mastered. No mastery credit will be awarded to students for courses in their native/heritage language (credit for 101, 102, 201, or 202) upon completion of a higher level course.

The department also administers the English as a Second Language Proficiency Test to international students.

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