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Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures

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Undergraduate ProgramGraduate ProgramCourse DescriptionsFaculty

 

About the Program

This department supervises the following degree programs and certificates:

        • Bachelor of Arts in Classics
        • Bachelor of Arts in French
        • Bachelor of Arts in German
        • Bachelor of Arts in Spanish
        • Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
        • Master of Arts in Classics
        • Master of Arts in German
        • Master of Arts in Romance Languages
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish
        • Graduate Certificate in Teaching English in International Contexts

Dual-Degree/Joint Programs

  • Master of Arts in Foreign Languages / Master of Business Administration (General Business)

The department participates in the Russian Language and Area Studies program at the undergraduate level and the Latin American and Iberian Studies program at the undergraduate level as well as in the minor at the master’s and doctoral levels. Graduate students majoring in Romance languages may specialize in French or Spanish. The department also participates in the ethnic studies, honors, linguistics, comparative literature, and teacher education programs. See the “Interdisciplinary Programs” section of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The department also operates the Texas Tech Quedlinburg, Germany Center and provides all language instruction at the Texas Tech Seville, Spain Center. It also runs the International Teaching Assistant Workshop for international students each summer. The Intensive English Program (IEP) provides non-credit English languages to prepare students for eventual admission to a college or university.Back to Top


Undergraduate Program

Majors and Minors for the B.A. Degree. A major may be obtained in classics, French, German, Russian Language and Area studies, and Spanish. An undergraduate major in Spanish consists of 30 hours at the 2000 level and above, including a minimum of four 4000-level courses. An undergraduate major in French consists of 30 hours at the 2000 level or above, including five 4000-level courses, one of which must be a writing intensive literature course. The German major consists of 30 hours at the 2000 level and above, including a minimum of four (12 hours) 4000-level courses, one of which must be a capstone course (4305). The classics major consists of 30 hours selected from classics (CLAS), Greek (GRK), or Latin (LAT) at the 1502 level and above. Six hours of 4000-level classics courses must be included within the 30 hours. Classics students pursuing teacher certification must select 24 hours specifically in Latin.

For information on the B.A. degree or a minor in Russian area and language studies or applied linguistics, see program descriptions in the College of Arts and Sciences “Interdisciplinary Programs” section of this catalog.

Girl in language labA minor can be obtained in Arabic, American Sign Language, Chinese, classics, comparative literature, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Latin American and Iberian studies, linguistics, Portuguese, Russian, Russian language and area studies, Spanish, and Turkish. The minor consists of a minimum of 18-22 hours in a particular language or area. Although all minors must complete at least 6 hours at the upper level, students minoring in French, German, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish must complete 9 hours of upper-level courses (at least 3 of the 9 hours must be at the 4000 level in French, German, Latin, and Spanish). Classics, Latin American and Iberian studies, linguistics, and Russian language and area studies minors will complete at least 18 hours from the approved course lists of these areas (listed elsewhere in the catalog). An Arabic minor can include, with approval of the student’s minor advisor, one upper-level course in either history or political science (dealing with the Middle East). For more information on minors, consult the Advising, Recruitment and Retention Center in the Foreign Language Building or the appropriate faculty advisor.

Students wishing to obtain information on a major or minor in one of these languages should consult the department’s Advising, Retention and Recruitment Center. The advisors can provide information on all aspects of the major and minor programs, including career opportunities. A grade of at least C in all major and minor courses is required. College Level Examination (CLEP) credits are accepted by the department.

Resident Courses. Students who are minors are required to take at least one upper-level 3-hour class in residence in the target language at Texas Tech University. Students who are majors are required to take at least three upper-level classes (9 hours) in residence in the target language at Texas Tech. Students who study abroad with the university programs (which involve faculty from this department) may include those courses among the required courses. Foreign study courses taken through approved exchange programs or other programs affiliated with Texas Tech are not considered as resident courses.

Study Abroad Courses. The department encourages students to study abroad and is very proud of its study abroad programs. Students enrolled at Texas Tech have many opportunities and options to study abroad, and many take this opportunity to enhance their language skills. Resident semester abroad programs are available in Seville, Spain and Quedlinburg, Germany. The department operates summer programs in Seville, Spain; Quedlinburg, Germany; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Montpellier, France; and, in alternate years, Salvador, Brazil, and Russia. Students enrolled in Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian have other opportunities to study abroad in the respective countries. During the long semester, students may earn up to 16 hours of credit and during the summer they may earn up to 6 hours of credit per summer semester. Course offerings may include from first year through graduate study. Students should check with the respective language advisors and program directors for specific information on the programs, including prerequisites and other important information.

Foreign Language Requirements and Options.To fulfill the general Bachelor of Arts requirements, students must complete 6 semester hours in the same language at the sophomore level or above. A student who enrolls in the first-year sequence will have a 11-16 hour requirement. Courses taught in English such as FREN 3390; GERM 3312, 3313; ITAL 3315, 3390; SPAN 3390, 3391, 3392; and RUSN 3301, 3302, 3304, 4301, 4302 may not be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement for any bachelor’s degree.

Foreign language courses 1301 and 1302 or 1501 and 1502 or 1507 are prerequisites for courses 2301 or 2607; a minimum grade of B in SPAN 1507 is required to enroll in SPAN 2607. All first- and second-year courses are sequential and should be taken in their proper order beginning with 1301, 1501, or 1507 and progressing up through 2302 or 2607. If credit is earned for 1507, no credit will be awarded for 1501 and/or 1502. Students with two years of high school French, German, Latin, or Spanish are required to enroll in 1507. Those students enrolled in French, German, or Latin 1507 but judged not qualified for 1507 are required to take 1501 pass/fail with approval of faculty.

Successful completion of lower-numbered courses or equivalent competency is a prerequisite for enrollment in higher-numbered courses. For example, 2302 or its equivalent is a prerequisite for enrolling in a junior-level course, and completion of at least three hours at the junior level is a prerequisite for enrolling in a senior-level course.

Upper-level courses allow students to pursue their particular interests in language, civilization, and literature.

Teacher Education. For purposes of certification, teaching fields are offered in French, German, Latin, and Spanish. The standard program requires 24-27 hours at the 2000-level and above, which must include 9 hours of 4000-level courses in the specific language (12 hours in German). Students seeking secondary certification in French and Spanish must complete LING 4311 as part of the teaching field, preferably before their student teaching. Students seeking bilingual education endorsement, ESL endorsement, or secondary certification in French, German, Latin, or Spanish should consult with advisors in the College of Education and in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Placement and Credit by Examination. The department offers placement exams in French, German, Latin, and Spanish. The department recommends that students with three or more years of study in one of these languages or students with advanced fluency take the placement exam. These exams permit students to earn up to 16 hours credit for a variety of first- and second-year courses. The placement exams also provide a recommended placement or the next logical course the student should take.

Each placement exam is intended to evaluate an individual’s general level of knowledge of the language; a grade is not issued, nor is any specific text or study material recommended for the tests. Any credit earned through these exams is posted to the student’s transcript as credit by examination. Depending on the student’s college, the hours will count towards languages or other humanities requirements but will not affect the GPA.

Students who earn credit through a language placement test may not later take that course and receive credit. Likewise, an individual cannot receive credit through the placement tests for a course that has already been completed. Each of the language placement tests (i.e., French, German, Latin, Spanish) may be taken only once per student.

The placement tests are administered by the Language Learning Laboratory and Resource Center. The tests are offered the last Wednesday and Thursday of each month (except December), during preregistration periods and at the beginning of each long semester. Further information may be obtained by calling the Language Laboratory at 806.742.3151.

Students at Texas Tech University may attempt credit by examination for degree credit during their freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. The student is responsible for taking the tests early enough to allow sufficient time for scores to be reported to the university and processed by the Office of the Registrar, which in the case of Arts and Sciences degrees is generally two semesters prior to the semester of graduation. Arts and Sciences degrees require fulfillment of two years of foreign language, rather than one year, and generally require that Arts and Sciences students who wish to attempt credit by examination for degree credit in foreign language do so before the end of their sophomore year. This ensures that these students will have time to complete their foreign language requirement within four years if they do not succeed in earning credit by examination. Seniors must notify their academic dean’s office prior to attempting credit by examination and provide proof of notification upon registering for an exam at Academic Testing Services.Back to Top

 

Graduate Program

Before beginning a graduate program in this department, students should consult the graduate advisor of the particular program concerning departmental admission procedures and degree requirements. Admission to the Graduate School requires departmental recommendation as well as approval by the graduate dean.

 

Master's Program

The master’s program offers advanced study in literature and linguistics. It is intended to be a distinctly different educational experience from undergraduate study. It requires study in greater depth and the development of critical thinking. Candidates for the M.A. degree in this department must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second foreign language. Oral and written comprehensive examinations are required. The department offers a 150-hour dual B.A.–M.A. option for outstanding students.

M.A. in Romance Languages. Applicants for the M.A. degree in Romance languages, with a concentration in French or Spanish, may complete 24 hours of graduate courses and a thesis or 36 hours of coursework. The degree may include a 6-hour minor. For Spanish and French, areas of interest include literature, comparative literature, linguistics, civilization and/or culture.

M.A. in Applied Linguistics. Applicants for the M.A. degree in applied linguistics may complete 30 hours of graduate courses and a thesis or 36 hours of coursework. Areas of emphasis for applied linguistics include teaching English as a second language, teaching second/foreign languages, or general applied linguistics. Candidates for the M.A. degree in applied linguistics must demonstrate knowledge of a language other than English.

M.A. in Classics. Applicants for the M.A. degree in classics may complete 30 hours of graduate courses and a thesis or 36 hours of coursework. Classics candidates are directed to the Guide to the M.A. Degree Program in Classics, which is obtainable from the graduate advisor or the departmental office. Areas of emphasis for classics include literature, language, gender, and art history.

M.A. in German. Applicants for the M.A. degree German may complete 30 hours of graduate courses and a thesis or 36 hours of coursework. Areas of interest include literature, comparative literature, linguistics, civilization and/or culture.

Joint Degrees Program. This department participates in the joint M.B.A.–M.A. program. See a full description under the Rawls College of Business section of this catalog.

Minors. Graduate minors for the M.A. degree are available in applied linguistics, classics, German, Greek, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and romance languages.

 

Doctoral Program

The doctoral program in Spanish requires both greater breadth of study than the M.A. program and greater concentration in the area selected for specialization. To fulfill these requirements the student must demonstrate a reasonable comprehensive knowledge of literature and the ability to engage in original research. To qualify for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in Spanish, applicants must complete a graduate minor in another language or demonstrate a reading knowledge of two approved languages other than English or Spanish. Any substitution must be submitted in writing to the Spanish graduate advisor and approved by the candidate’s doctoral committee.

Students in the Ph.D. program normally minor within the department in one of the above mentioned minor areas, but they may select a combination of courses within and outside the department if approved by the appropriate graduate advisor. Students should consult with a graduate advisor for approved options. A Ph.D. minor consists of 15 to 18 hours of coursework in approved areas.

Coursework for the Ph.D. generally amounts to a minimum 60 hours beyond the B.A. degree, including at least 45 hours of coursework in Spanish and 15 additional hours in a minor program outside the major field. In addition, the student must satisfy the preliminary examination requirement, pass qualifying examinations, and prepare and defend a dissertation.

 

Graduate Certificate Program

The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English in International Contexts is an advanced certificate available to Texas Tech students who are enrolled in any graduate program and considering teaching outside the United States. Students may begin taking graduate courses for the certificate during their last semester of undergraduate study if they have a GPA of 3.0 or above and are within 12 hours of graduation. For additional information, contact Dr. Greta Gorsuch, certificate advisor, at greta.gorsuch@ttu.edu.

 

 

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Course Descriptions

 

Faculty

Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.

Frederick Suppe, Ph.D., Chairperson

Horn and Qualia Chair: J. Pérez
Horn and Qualia Professor: Gafaiti
Horn Professor: Larmour
Professors: Christiansen, A.J. Pérez, G. Pérez, Suppe, VanPatten, Wood
Associate Professors: Beard, Beusterien, Collopy, Farley, Fry, Gorsuch, Grair, Holland, Ladeira, Qualin, Stratton, Zamora
Assistant Professors: Bains, Banta (Visiting), Borst, Cole, Corbett, Elola, Grenvicz-Jones, Griffee, Lavigne, Pereira-Muro, Price, Surliuga, Weinlich
Instructors: Meier, Merchant, Thrasher
Adjunct Faculty: LeBack to Top

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