Language Studies Department Foreign Language Minor

 Principles and Objectives

             The minor in a foreign language (French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and eventually Chinese) offered by the Language Studies Department is designed to instill foreign cultural literacy1 in its midshipmen graduates.  This literacy has two principal dimensions: 

            (1)             the ability to communicate effectively in the foreign language; and

            (2)             an understanding of the cultural values, practices, and heritage of the foreign country or countries studied.   

            Communicating effectively in a foreign language means acquiring a level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing that is sufficient to carry on a number of important social and academic tasks.  It involves knowledge about and functional ability in the foreign language.  It also entails an understanding of the perspectives and values embedded in certain kinds of language behavior, such as greeting people, leave-taking, accepting or refusing an invitation, or apologizing.  With respect to academic tasks, a midshipman minoring in a foreign language is expected to effectively analyze and interpret cultural and literary texts of a variety of genres, and produce organized, coherent discourse in the foreign language, whether in the form of a written report or oral presentation.  

            The second dimension of foreign cultural literacy refers to a learner’s knowledge of the history and civilization of a foreign country, its social and political institutions, customs of daily life, as well as important examples of its art, music, and literature.  This kind of knowledge of the world contributes significantly to a graduate’s geopolitical awareness.  It also provides a point of comparison with American society.  Through the study of a different culture, the graduate with a foreign language minor acquires a better understanding of culture-specific vs. universal norms and values and the nature of national or ethnic identity, and is thus better prepared to communicate with and value individuals of diverse backgrounds.     

             The Language Studies Department aims to produce graduates who...

             (a)             communicate effectively in the foreign language; 

             (b)              demonstrate open-mindedness, informed citizenship, and in-depth awareness of cultural difference;

             (c)              effectively negotiate cultural difference through experiential knowledge of another language, national identity, and cultural framework;

             (d)              demonstrate the intellectual curiosity, skills and confidence necessary to life-long learning in language and culture.