Welcome to SUNY Fredonia's Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Our goal is to prepare students to become engaged and active citizens of a global society. Conscious that language and literature are an expression of the complexities of a country´s culture, the department is commited to the formation of citizens that are culturally sensitive to the nuances of everyday business and interpersonal exchanges.
The department focuses in modern languages that are spoken and used throughout the world. We offer a bachelor´s degree in French and Spanish, and Adolescence Education Certification Programs in French and Spanish. Students in Early Childhood Education can also get concentrations in French and Spanish. SUNY-Fredonia students graduate not only with proficiency in French and/or Spanish, but also with a deep understanding of the multifaceted aspects of the varied countries who speak French and Spanish. The department also offers begining instruction in Arabic, German, Italian and Russian.
Many of our faculty are members of the Chautauqua County Foreign Languages Teacher Association and enjoy excellent professional relations with the area language teachers, many of whom are our former students.
Our faculty works hard with every individual student to develop a curriculum that takes into account their interests and needs. Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad and to take adventage of the interdisciplinary nature of many of our programs. It is not unusual for our students to be double majors and/or to have one or two minors.
Our former students work now in the schools as teachers and principals. They also find satisfying careers in social services, business, government, social security administration, communications, with the border patrol and as editors of magazines. For a college graduate equipped with proficiency in another language the professional opportunities are endless.
Ultimately, the mission fo the Department of Modern Languages is to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the languages offered and their cultural setting.