Program Websites: 

French – Hiram College 
Spanish – Hiram College

Introduction

Language study opens the way to understanding and communication with various peoples, cultures, civilizations, and literatures. It involves performance skills in the foreign language (speaking, reading, writing and understanding) and command of the subject matter (literature, history, language). The modern languages and classics program offers minors in French and Spanish. Classical languages and Italian language may be studied at John Cabot University in Rome, and Japanese can be undertaken via our affiliation with Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan. Please consult with the Office of the Associate Dean to discuss this exchange option. A minor in classical studies can also be pursued through the multidisciplinary classical and medieval studies minor.

Students will find that their career opportunities will be broader and richer when they combine majors or minors in other disciplines with the study of a foreign language. Most other disciplines are compatible with a language major: art, biology, English, history, communication, political science, and management are just a few of the majors that benefit from a second language. Students who are interested in a teaching career would find it useful to minor in two languages.

Eligibility for membership into Phi Beta Kappa requires completion of a language through 20200.

Language Placement

Incoming first-year students who are interested in taking a foreign language will be given a tentative placement based upon their high school language experience and a language placement examination. Students who place above 20200 should consult with a faculty member in that language before enrolling in a course.  Students should take the placement exam before First Days or orientation and advising.

Classical Studies

Classical Studies can be undertaken via our affiliation with John Cabot University in Rome. Please consult with the associate dean to discuss this exchange option.

Japanese

Japanese can be undertaken via our affiliation with Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan. Please consult with the Office of the Associate Dean to discuss this exchange option, and the potential to build Japanese into a program of study at Hiram College.

Elena Iglesias-Villamel, (2010) Associate Professor of Spanish
B.A., University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
M.A., University of Colorado;
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
iglesiasev@hiram.edu

Ella W Kirk, (1993) Professor of French
B.A., Ball State University;
M.A., Ph.D., The Ohio State University
kirkew@hiram.edu

Matthew F Notarian, (2015) Assistant Professor of Classics; Classical & Medieval Studies Advisory Committee; Director of Study Abroad
B.A., University of Delaware;
M.A., Ph.D., University of Buffalo
notarianmf@hiram.edu

Course Descriptions

On This Page

French

FREN 10100:  BEGINNING FRENCH I:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
BEGINNING FRENCH I:EW ~ This course is an introduction to basic grammar and vocabulary. It provides development of skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for the beginning student. Supplemental laboratory and practice drill sessions.
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 10200:  BEGINNING FRENCH II:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
BEGINNING FRENCH II:EW ~ A continuation of FREN 10100. Supplemental laboratory and practice drill sessions.
Prerequisite: FREN 10100 or French Placement Exam with a score of 201 or FREN 101EX
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 18000:  WKSP::  1 Hour(s)  
WORKSHOP: ~ Workshops may be taken Pass/No Credit only. Students may take no more than nine workshops for credit toward graduation. Workshops can be used as elective credit only.
FREN 20100:  INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I:EW ~ Review and continuing study of grammar. Supplementary reading with conversation and composition.
Prerequisite: FREN 10200 or French Placement Exam with a score of 320 or FREN 102EX
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 20200:  INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II:EW ~ Study of aspects of contemporary French and francophone culture. Grammar review with discussion of current topics, vocabulary building, and situational conversation. First course that counts toward the major or minor in French.
Prerequisite: FREN 10300 or FREN 20100 or French Placement Exam with a score of 403 or FREN 201EX
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 20500:  FRENCH PHONETICS:EW:  3 Hour(s)  
FRENCH PHONETICS:EW ~ A study of French sounds, intonation, rules of pronunciation. Students will learn and use the international phonetic alphabet in order to correct and improve their accent, diction and pronunciation. The course will include intensive group and individual practice.
Prerequisite: FREN 20200
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 21500:  ADVANCED READING:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
ADVANCED READING:EW ~ Readings in modern French literature. Representative works from 20th century writers from France and other francophone countries. The purpose of this course is to acquire the ability to read fluently and critically.
Prerequisite: FREN 20200
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 22000:  ADV COMP & CONVERSATION:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
ADVANCED COMPOSITION AND CONVERSATION:EW ~ Intensive oral and written practice. Advanced grammar and systematic acquisition of vocabulary. A choice of texts on a variety of topics (history, contemporary issues, art and music) as well as literary readings will be used as a basis for discussion, oral presentations and papers.
Prerequisite: FREN 20200
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 25000:  HIST OF FRENCH CIVILIZATION:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
HISTORY OF FRENCH CIVILIZATION:EW ~ A study of the important events in the political, cultural and artistic development of France.
Core: Experiencing the World
FREN 28000:  SEM::  1-4 Hour(s)  
SEMINAR ~
FREN 28100:  INDEPENDENT STUDY:  1-4 Hour(s)  
INDEPENDENT STUDY ~
FREN 29800:  FIELD EXPERIENCE:  1-4 Hour(s)  
FIELD EXPERIENCE ~

Literature in Translation

The following courses are taught in English.

LITR 12600:  FREN LITR IN TRANSLATION:IM,EW:  3 Hour(s)  
FRENCH LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION:IM,EW ~ The study of major works of French literature. Selections may also include works from francophone literature (Canada, Africa, Madagascar, the Caribbean, etc.). Course content may vary with each offering; it may treat a major theme or it may focus on major authors, or a literary movement.
Core: Experiencing the World; Interpretive Methods
LITR 18000:  WKSP::  1 Hour(s)  
WORKSHOP ~ Workshops may be taken Pass/No Credit only. Students may take no more than nine workshops for credit toward graduation. Workshops can be used as elective credit only.
LITR 28000:  SEM::  1-4 Hour(s)  
SEMINAR ~
LITR 28100:  INDEPENDENT STUDY:  1-4 Hour(s)  
INDEPENDENT STUDY ~
LITR 38000:  SEMINAR:  1-4 Hour(s)  
SEMINAR ~
LITR 38100:  SPC TPC::  1-4 Hour(s)  
SPECIAL TOPICS ~

Spanish

SPAN 10100:  BEGINNING SPANISH I:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
BEGINNING SPANISH I:EW ~ An introduction to Spanish. Development of four basic skills: listening, reading, writing, speaking. Introduction to grammar. Course taught in Spanish. Supplemental laboratory drill sessions required.
Core: Experiencing the World
SPAN 10200:  BEGINNING SPANISH II:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
BEGINNING SPANISH II:EW ~ A continuation of SPAN 10100. Supplemental laboratory drill sessions required.
Prerequisite: SPAN 10100 (may be taken concurrently) or Spanish Placement Exam with a score of 270 or SPAN 101EX
Core: Experiencing the World
SPAN 18000:  WKSP::  1 Hour(s)  
WORKSHOP: ~ Workshops may be taken Pass/No Credit only. Students may take no more than nine workshops for credit toward graduation. Workshops can be used as elective credit only.
SPAN 20100:  INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I:EW ~ A continuation of SPAN 10200. First course counted toward a Spanish minor. Quick grammar review. Conversation and composition labs. SPAN 20100 or any course numbered higher than 20100 may be used to satisfy a humanities distributive requirement.
Prerequisite: SPAN 10200 or Spanish Placement Exam with a score of 346 or SPAN 102EX
Core: Experiencing the World
SPAN 20200:  INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II:EW:  3 Hour(s)  
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II:EW ~ A continuation of SPAN 20100. Continuing study of grammatical and idiomatic difficulties. Emphasis on vocabulary building through reading and discussion.
Prerequisite: SPAN 10300 or SPAN 20100 or Spanish Placement Exam with a score of 428 or SPAN 201EX
Core: Experiencing the World
SPAN 20300:  CONVERSATN/COMP ABROAD:EW:  4 Hour(s)  
CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION ON SITE ABROAD:EW ~ Offered only abroad in the twelve-week term, this course is a systematic approach to learning the contemporary language of the host company. Daily contact with native speakers, newspaper and magazine readings, daily journal entries, and compositions afford the student practice in communicating.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20000 or SPAN 20010
Core: Experiencing the World
SPAN 20400:  CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION:  4 Hour(s)  
CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION ~ An intensive course in oral and written practice designed to develop conversational and written skills by fostering a systematic acquisition of vocabulary and study of more complex grammatical structures. Our overall purposes are learning conversational techniques and strategies, improve student’s listening and pronunciation and strengthen students’ grasp of Spanish vocabulary and grammar with emphasis on building fluency in spoken and written work.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20200
SPAN 21100:  PHONETICS:  4 Hour(s)  
PHONETICS ~ Theory of Spanish phonetics, symbols, transcription, interpretation. Intensive pronunciation practice and student-taped exercises. A performance component will be included. This course is vital for prospective teachers of Spanish and of interest to all students desiring to correct their pronunciation.
Prerequisite: SPAN 10400 or SPAN 20200
SPAN 21500:  ADV READ/INTRO/CRITCSM:IM,EW:  4 Hour(s)  
ADVANCED READING AND INTRODUCTION TO CRITICISM:IM,EW ~ An introduction to extensive reading in contemporary Spanish: vocabulary building, idiomatic usage, development of rapid comprehension, and critical analysis. A revised offering of this course is available as SPAN 20010 for four (4) credit hours.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20200 or SPAN 20400
Core: Experiencing the World; Interpretive Methods
SPAN 22800:  SPANISH FOR BUSINESS:  1 Hour(s)  
SPANISH FOR BUSINESS ~ Course Description: Spanish for Business is a 1-credit course designed for intermediate-level and advanced students of Spanish seeking to develop their Spanish language skills in a cross-cultural business context. Through a variety of activities and projects that reflect real-life scenarios, students will learn to interact with an increasing number of Spanish-speaking co-workers and clients.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20100
SPAN 22900:  SPAN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS:  1 Hour(s)  
SPANISH FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ~ Course Description: Spanish for Healthcare Professionals is a course designed for students planning to work in the health care field and who are interested acquiring skills to communicate effectively when providing medical care. In addition to learning workplace Spanish language and improving your language skills, we will focus on developing a cultural competency for health care situations.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20100
SPAN 23000:  SPANISH TRANSLATION:  1 Hour(s)  
SPANISH TRANSLATION ~ Course Description: This course focuses on the method and practice of translation. Students will analyze and practice specific translation strategies as they pertain to distinct text types. This one-credit hour course will be taught in a workshop format, in which students will workshop drafts of translations with their peers and analyze strategic decisions and decisions of detail. Students will be evaluated on the translations they produce as well as their ability to analyze and critique their own and existing translations.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20100
SPAN 23100:  ADVANCED GRAMMAR/COMPOSITION:  4 Hour(s)  
ADVANCED GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION ~ The study of advanced grammar and syntax in Spanish for non-native speakers to increase their grammatical accuracy and develop linguistic sophistication. Prerequisite or permission.
Prerequisite: SPAN 21500 or SPAN 20010
SPAN 24000:  SPAN/LATIN AMERICAN FILM:CA,EW:  4 Hour(s)  
Spanish and Latin American Film:CA,EW ~ Introduction to the Spanish and Latin American cinema through the discussion and critical analysis of a selection of movies directed by internationally praised film makers. Its focus is to introduce students to the formal conventions of film analysis within the context of Spanish and Latin American cultures. The contents of the course are organized thematically around topics such as memory, immigration, exile, marginalized identities, and globalization. All classroom interactions are conducted in English. Students taking the course for Spanish credit will complete their assignments in Spanish, which will enable them to improve their language and critical skills in Spanish. Also listed as ENGL 24010.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20200
Core: Social/Cultural Analysis Meth; Experiencing the World
SPAN 25000:  PENINSULAR SPANISH CIV:CA,EW:  4 Hour(s)  
PENINSULAR SPANISH CIVILIZATION:CA,EW ~ Introduction to the issues which shape the national cultures and the cultural practices of the Spanish world, from prehistoric times to the present. Emphasis on diversity, emergence of new imagined communities, cultural hybridity, and social movements within a historical framework.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20200 (may be taken concurrently)
Core: Social/Cultural Analysis Meth; Experiencing the World
SPAN 25100:  SPAN AMRCN CIVILIZATION:CA,EW:  4 Hour(s)  
SPANISH AMERICAN CIVILIZATION:CA,EW ~ Introduction to the issues which shape the national cultures and the cultural practices of the Latin American world, from pre-Colombian times to the present. Emphasis on diversity, emergence of new imagined communities, cultural hybridity, and social movements within a historical framework.
Prerequisite: SPAN 20200
Core: Social/Cultural Analysis Meth; Experiencing the World
SPAN 28000:  SEM::  1-4 Hour(s)  
SEMINAR ~
SPAN 28100:  INDEPENDENT STUDY:  1-4 Hour(s)  
INDEPENDENT STUDY ~
SPAN 29800:  FIELD EXPERIENCE:  4 Hour(s)  
FIELD EXPERIENCE ~

Academic Offerings