School of Languages and Literature

 

The School of Languages and Literature offers undergraduate majors in English and Spanish, with English specializations available in American Literature, British Literature, and Professional Writing.  Minors are offered in English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Latin, and Professional Writing.  A Master of Arts in English (M.A.). is available online through our Virtual Campus, as is a Master of Arts in Humanities in conjunction with the School of Behavioral and Social Science and the School of Religion.

Undergraduate courses in composition and literature provide training in the techniques and skills necessary to produce acceptable, effective written expression, while the collective study of composition, literature, and language encourages an understanding of the written and spoken word as an integral part of life.

Entering freshmen whose ACT score in English is 16 or lower are required to enroll in ACAC 0330 before attempting ENGL 1301. Credit may be given for satisfactory scores on the English sections of ACT, SAT I, CLEP, or Advanced Placement (AP).

Spanish is important because of the proximity of our Spanish-speaking neighbors. It is necessary to form close, clear, cultural, and commercial ties with them. The courses in Spanish are planned to give the students an insight into Latin America, its Spanish origins, and its diversified national developments, as well as a foundation for efficient communication skills in the Spanish language.

German courses are designed to give the student a reading and speaking knowledge of the German language and an introduction to German literature. Since language is a vital expression of the mentality of a people, such training will help the student to understand better the nature of the German people. Courses also prepare students to become acquainted with German contributions to the fields of art, science, and philosophy. Students who have passed two years of German in high school may be placed in GERM 2301.

French has long been the language of choice for students of the arts and literature. The courses offered will meet foundation requirements as well as the B.A. degree requirements.

Both Latin and Mandarin Chinese were recently added to the collection of foreign languages offered by the School of Languages and Literature. The traditional appeal of Latin, as well as the growing interest in Mandarin Chinese and the Chinese culture, makes these courses worthy additions to our foreign language offerings. As with the above, courses in Latin and Chinese will meet foundation requirements as well as the B.A. degree requirements.

Bachelor of Arts Program

The School of Languages and Literature plays a vital role in Wayland's liberal arts offerings by striving to stimulate "in and out of the classroom" a free and responsible exploration of truth (both actual and literary). English and foreign language professors understand and promote the values of education that offer students the opportunity to experience practical knowledge as well as a "knowledge worth possessing for what it is, and not merely for what it does." (John Henry Newman)

Our professors are more interested in what our students become than what they are when they arrive as freshmen. To that end, our students are guided in the improvement of their language skills and led to appreciate and understand literature as an outgrowth and interpretation of life.

The ability to read intelligently, think critically, write coherently (with a minimum of errors), and express ideas verbally in English and another language is at the heart of a liberal arts curriculum. Each of our traditional degree programs (B.A., B.S., B.M., B.B.A., and B.S.I.S.) requires a minimum of 12 semester hours in English. 

A The 37-hour Master of Arts in English (M.A.) program is designed to prepare students for teaching, further graduate work, creative writing, or related writing and research fields. 

Each language and literature major is assigned a faculty advisor and should consult regularly with that advisor to ensure proper course selection. Each faculty member has regular hours to assist students with advising or give students assistance with class work.