English and Foreign Languages and Literatures

Chairperson: Brenda Eatman Aghahowa

The Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Interdisciplinary Programs offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with options in Literature, Secondary Teaching, and Writing. The department also offers minor sequences in English and Writing for students majoring in other fields.

Students in the Literature and Writing Options may prepare for a variety of careers including at least the following: creative writing, editing, advertising, business, law, and librarianship. Completion of the Secondary Teaching Option in English qualifies students for an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with an endorsement for teaching English Language Arts for grades 9-12 and a middle grade endorsement in Language Arts for grades 6-8, provided that the program was completed and the middle grade endorsement was issued by January 31, 2018.

On February 1, 2018, Middle School-New Middle Grades (5-8) educator preparation programs became effective. Students in current grades 6-12 programs will now only receive endorsements for grades 9-12 instead of for the previous 6-8 grade and 9-12 grade ranges.

Licensure requires the successful completion of the Illinois Licensure English Language Arts Content Area Test and edTPA. The Secondary Teaching Program is accredited by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and meets Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards in English Language Arts education. The department maintains an updated copy of its assessment report in SCI 320.

Chairperson: Brenda Eatman Aghahowa

The Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Literatures offers a BA in Spanish. The program emphasizes quality preparation in the humanities, provides access to traditionally underrepresented populations, especially Latino students, and contributes to the economic and social welfare of the community. At the heart of the department’s philosophy is a belief that language and communication are paramount to the human experience.

Competence in more than one language is not only integral to a complete educational experience, but also enables individuals to participate more fully in the global society and marketplace. In addition, the study of other languages and cultures empowers people to behave with a greater sense of self and to be successful in their relationships with those of different backgrounds.

Students enrolled in the liberal arts option in Spanish may prepare for careers in government, public service, translation, interpreting, sales, etc. Completion of the teacher preparation option in Spanish qualifies students for an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with an endorsement for teaching Spanish for grades K-12. Licensure requires the successful completion of the Illinois Licensure Spanish content area test and the edTPA. The program meets Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards for foreign language education in Spanish.

The department offers introductory and advanced courses in Spanish and French. It also offers introductory courses in African languages, Arabic, Chinese, and German. The first-year foreign language courses are intended to develop the ability to understand, speak, and read the target language. The department also offers minor sequences in French, Spanish, and Latin American/Latino Studies for students majoring in other degree programs.

The department will grant a maximum of nine hours of proficiency credit to both Spanish and bilingual education majors, six hours to elementary education majors and students undertaking a Spanish minor or Latin American/Latino Studies minor, and six hours to French minors.

Proficiency credit will be awarded during the last semester of the program.