Program Overview

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Foreign Languages and Literature, BA

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Languages and Literature offers students the opportunity to explore the languages, cultures, and literatures of various countries and civilizations. The program provides a comprehensive education in language, literature, and culture, preparing students for a wide range of careers in fields such as education, government, business, and the arts.

Admission into the Major

Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students can declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application online under the Student tab of myBama.

Special Opportunities

The foreign languages and literature concentrations offer numerous opportunities for students to learn about the modern and ancient world. Students may participate in various club activities, become initiated into national honor societies, and take advantage of a variety of study-abroad programs. Students with foreign language proficiency have more opportunities open to them than students without that proficiency. Classics students have the opportunity to take part in the Classics Honors Program.

Requirements

Students earning the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in Foreign Languages and Literature must complete all University, College, and major requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major and track requirements, all requirements for an approved minor, and other sufficient credits to total a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.

• Grade Point Average, Upper-level Residency, and other general A&S requirements can be found at the College of Arts and Sciences website.
• A minimum of 12 hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.
• Courses taken in UA summer programs may be used to satisfy the residency requirement.

Required Minor

This major requires the completion of a minor.

Course Placement

The course level at which students begin their study of a foreign language is determined by the language placement score or by having earned credit for prerequisite course(s). Credit by examination awards can be found in the catalog. Students who do not have foreign language course credit should take the UA placement test.

Credit Option

Departmental placement credit petition: If placed in FR 201, GN 201, IT 201, LA 201, or above, students are potentially eligible to receive placement credit upon written petition.

Core Requirements

The major in Foreign Languages and Literature requires all students to successfully complete a core set of intermediate language, culture, and literature courses, as defined below. These requirements will be completed within the student's selected track.

Code and Title	Hours
Major Core Requirements
Two intermediate language courses	6
Two culture courses	6
Two literature courses	6
Total Hours	18

Tracks

Students must complete all courses, both core and concentration requirements, within their chosen track. There are six tracks to choose from: Classic Civilization, French, German, Greek, Italian, or Latin.

Classic Civilization Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • GR 201: Intermediate Greek I
    • GR 202: Intermediate Greek II
    • or
    • LA 201: Intermed Latin Read I
    • LA 202: Intermed Latin Read II
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • CL 222: Greek Roman Mythology
    • 3 hours in any CL 300 or 400 level courses not already taken
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • CL 323: Alexander the Great, Then & Now
    • CL 333: Greek Civilization
    • CL 344: Julius Caesar
    • CL 350: Roman Religion
    • CL 365: Greece & Rome in Lit. & Film
    • CL 380: Special Topics
    • CL 385: History of Ancient Greece
    • CL 386: History of Ancient Rome
    • Or any CL 200 or 400 level courses not already taken
• Required Courses:
  • Select one of the following language sequences: 6 hours
    • GR 101: Beginning Greek I
    • GR 102: Beginning Greek II
    • or
    • LA 101: Elementary Latin I
    • LA 102: Elementary Latin II
• Electives:
  • Select 9 hours from the following options: 9 hours
    • Any CL 200 or 300 level courses not already taken
    • CL 450: Aristotle: How Stuff Works
    • CL 498: Honors Research in Classics I
    • CL 499: Honors Research in Classics 2
    • ARH 351: Ancient Art
    • PHL 211: Ancient Philosophy
    • UH 244: Women: Antiquity to Modernity
    • Greek or Latin language electives (100 level or above) not already taken
• Total Hours: 33

French Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • FR 201: French Language & Cultures III
    • FR 202: French Language & Cultures IV
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • FR 325: Cultures and Conversations
    • FR 330: French in the News
    • or
    • FR 331: French Material Culture & Civ
    • or
    • FR 333: (His)stories and Fashion
    • or
    • FR 424: Mktg & Advertising in France
    • or
    • FR 431: Democracy and France
    • or
    • FR 477: French Cinema
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • FR 341: FR Lit: Origins to Revolution
    • or
    • FR 351: Modern & Contemporary FR Lit
    • or
    • FR 352: Survey of Global French Lit.
    • or
    • FR 353: Amour&Transgression in FR Lit
    • or
    • FR 441: Page & Stage
    • or
    • FR 470: Undergrad Sem in French
    • or
    • FR 478: Writing Immigration
• Concentration Courses:
  • Language and writing courses: 9 hours
    • FR 101: French Language & Cultures I
    • FR 102: French Language & Cultures II
    • FR 321: Creative Writing in French
    • or
    • FR 323: Persuasive&Analytical Writing
  • Select one of the following linguistics courses: 3 hours
    • FR 316: Discourse Analysis - French
    • FR 362: Grammar in Society
    • FR 421: Pronunciation & Phonetics
    • FR 426: History of the French Language
    • FR 461: French Linguistics
  • Select one of the following Electives: 3 hours
    • FR 310: Service Learning in French
    • FR 318: French for Engineering
    • FR 324: French for Business Dev
    • FR 327: French for Int'l Relations
    • FR 334: Francophone Africa Economies
    • FR 336: Francophone African Religion
    • FR 480: Special Topics
    • Or any FR 300 or 400 level course from the Culture or Linguistics categories not already taken
• Total Hours: 33

German Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • GN 201: Intermediate German I
    • GN 202: Intermediate German II
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • GN 371: German Cult & Civ until 1832
    • GN 372: German Cult & Civ since 1832
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • GN 250: Germanic Mythology
    • or
    • GN 252: Fairy Tales - Grimm to Disney
    • or
    • GN 260: Holocaust In Film & Lit
    • or
    • GN 264: German Literature Translatn I
    • or
    • GN 265: German Lit In Translatn II
    • or
    • GN 403: Undergraduate Seminar
    • or
    • GN 404: Undergraduate Seminar
• Concentration Courses:
  • Language courses: 11 hours
    • GN 101: Elementary German I
    • GN 102: Elementary German II
    • or
    • GN 103: Accelerated Elementary German
    • GN 361: Intermed Convers & Compos I
    • or
    • GN 362: Intermed Convers & Compos II
  • Select 3 hours of GN electives: 3 hours
• Total Hours: 32

Greek Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • GR 201: Intermediate Greek I
    • GR 202: Intermediate Greek II
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • CL 385: History of Ancient Greece
    • GR 490: Adv Greek Literature
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • GR 301: Advanced Greek I
    • GR 302: Advanced Greek II
• Concentration Courses:
  • Language courses: 6 hours
    • GR 101: Beginning Greek I
    • GR 102: Beginning Greek II
  • Select 9 hours from the following courses: 9 hours
    • CL 222: Greek Roman Mythology
    • CL 323: Alexander the Great,Then & Now
    • CL 333: Greek Civilization
    • CL 350: Roman Religion
    • CL 365: Greece & Rome in Lit. & Film
    • CL 380: Special Topics
    • CL 386: History of Ancient Rome
    • CL 498: Honors Research in Classics I
    • CL 499: Honors Research in Classics 2
    • ARH 351: Ancient Art
    • PHL 211: Ancient Philosophy
    • UH 244: Women: Antiquity to Modernity
    • Or any GR 400 level course not already taken
    • Or any LA 100 level or above course not already taken
• Total Hours: 33

Italian Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • IT 201: Intermediate Italian I
    • IT 202: Intermediate Italian II
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • IT 356: Advanced Italian
    • IT 380: Special Topics
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • IT 264: Medieval & Renaissance IT Lit
    • IT 265: IT Lit in Trans: Mod & Contemp
• Concentration Courses:
  • Language: 8 hours
    • IT 101: Introductory Italian I
    • or
    • IT 105: Honors Introductory Italian I
    • IT 102: Introductory Italian II
  • Select one of the following courses: 3 hours
    • IT 352: It. Conv. - Study Abroad
    • IT 353: Italian Conversation
    • IT 354: Advanced Italian Abroad
    • IT 370: Italian Translation
    • IT 389: Italian Community Service
    • IT 480: Undergraduate Seminar
  • Select one of the following courses: 3 hours
    • IT 323: Introduction to Italian Cinema
    • IT 330: Violence in Rome
    • IT 335: The Italian Mafia
    • IT 350: Italian Culture Abroad
• Total Hours: 32

Latin Track

• Core Courses:
  • Language core: 6 hours
    • LA 201: Intermed Latin Read I
    • LA 202: Intermed Latin Read II
  • Culture core: 6 hours
    • CL 386: History of Ancient Rome
    • LA 490: Readings In Latin Literature
  • Literature core: 6 hours
    • LA 301: Survey Lit Roman Republ
    • LA 302: Survey Lit Of Empire
• Concentration Courses:
  • Language: 6 hours
    • LA 101: Elementary Latin I
    • LA 102: Elementary Latin II
  • Select 9 hours from the following courses: 9 hours
    • CL 222: Greek Roman Mythology
    • CL 323: Alexander the Great,Then & Now
    • CL 333: Greek Civilization
    • CL 350: Roman Religion
    • CL 365: Greece & Rome in Lit. & Film
    • CL 380: Special Topics
    • CL 385: History of Ancient Greece
    • CL 498: Honors Research in Classics I
    • CL 499: Honors Research in Classics 2
    • ARH 351: Ancient Art
    • PHL 211: Ancient Philosophy
    • UH 244: Women: Antiquity to Modernity
    • Or any GR 100 level or above course not already taken
    • Or any LA 400 level course not already taken
• Total Hours: 33

Types of Jobs Accepted

Many of our graduates in foreign languages and classics go on to professional schools or advanced degrees in their own areas at well-known universities around the country and abroad. Since 1995, classics has had a 100% acceptance rate for those who have applied for medical school. We have sent students to prestigious law schools. Some students have completed advanced study in Library Science or English/TESOL, while others have entered various areas in the private and public sectors.

Jobs of Experienced Alumni

Foreign languages and literature graduates have jobs in a variety of areas in the private and public sectors, including all levels of education and educational administration, in print and other areas of media, law, diplomacy, auto industry, high tech fields, and in many other areas. Competitive employers acknowledge the advantages of hiring those who can understand and communicate with a greater number of people.

Classics graduates have gone to seminary and then on into the ministry. Several have gone on to MBA programs and graduated at the top of their class and now work in major businesses. Others have continued in classics and received a PhD and now teach in colleges here and in England. One student works for the Navy in Chicago, following a passion of hers, mapping and geography. The possibilities are endless!