Romance Languages

French

Spanish

Romance Languages and Literature Major:

In the Romance Languages & Literatures Department we offer majors in French, French and Francophone Studies, Spanish, and Romance Languages & Literature. The major in Romance Languages and Literatures is a demanding program of study for students with a solid background in both French and Spanish. It strives to provide students with a high level of proficiency in two important languages, with broad awareness of cultural contexts in Spanish speaking and Francophone lands, and with keen critical skills for literary and cultural analysis. Ideally, students will engage in cross-cultural study, or studies involving comparative literary approaches. Admission to the program is by application.

Requirements for the Major in Romance Languages & Literature:

A Romance Languages and Literatures major may be designed in cooperation with two advisers, one each from French and Spanish. Admission to the major will depend on the acceptance, by the two departments, of a written proposal outlining the student’s program of study. (This proposal will also be subject to approval by the Academic Standing Committee, which approves all special majors.) The major requires a minimum of 72 credits above the 204 level, including Spanish 205 or 206 and French 309, at least 30 credits in the primary language (a minimum of 12 of these credits must be taken on campus or on a Carleton language program) and at least 18 in the secondary language (a minimum of 6 of these credits must be taken on campus or on a Carleton language program). Furthermore, a minimum of 18 credits in the primary language must be at the 300-level (excluding French 309). Romance Language majors must take an additional required course, Literary and Cultural Studies 245 (or other approved methods course) preferably during the junior year and French or Spanish 400 (6 credits) depending on which one is their primary language.  Majors are strongly encouraged to participate in one or more program of study abroad.

During their senior year students write an integrative exercise, a research paper of between thirty and forty pages engaging with materials and concepts drawn from their study in both departments. Students will write their paper in the primary language, working principally with an advisor from that department, but will also consult a faculty reader in the secondary language These requirements will apply to students declaring a major after 2010.