About the Department

OFFICE INFO
338 Calkins Hall
Phone: (516) 463-5140
Fax: (516) 463-2310
Office Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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CHAIR
Dr. Sabine Loucif
308A Calkins Hall
Phone: (516) 463-6572
Fax: (516) 463-2310
E-mail

ASSISTANT TO
Deborah A. Veny, M.S.
338 Calkins Hall
Office: (516) 463-5140
Fax: (516) 463-2310
E-mail

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The Department of Romance Languages & Literatures begins its 8th year in fall 2005. It comprises instruction in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish languages and cultures and will soon be adding Catalan.

The range of information and knowledge that comprise the curricula in the Department is vast. It includes linguistic, cultural, and literary components. Language instruction is offered on the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. Cultural aspects are an essential component of all our courses as well as being the basis for courses designed to impart specific elements of cultural significance. Literature surveys and advanced courses in literature round out the Department’s offerings. We are devoted to a balanced curriculum, where these three elements combine to provide students with a full understanding of the constituents of the French-speaking world, the Italian-speaking world, and the Spanish-speaking world.

Some of our students aim to teach languages in high schools. We are committed to providing those students with the tools they need for the demands of that profession. We are in constant contact with the School of Education and provide advisement specifically designed to guide students through these requirements. We administer a proficiency exam for students planning to student teach; the purpose of this comprehensive is to ensure students possess the linguistic and cultural tools necessary for working in the classroom.

We offer an MA in Spanish. This degree program offers a wide range of courses. Students can earn the Masters usually in two years.

In addition to classroom options, the Department endeavors to provide students with many extracurricular opportunities to experience linguistic, cultural, and literary events. We organize numerous trips to Manhattan to see plays, to view museum exhibitions, to attend lectures, to see films, or to experience different cuisines. We also provide several study-abroad programs (in the January session as well as during the summer) to allow students to live in the culture of their concentration. We offer programs in France (Nice), Italy (Sorrento, Venice), Spain (Santiago), and Mexico (Guadalajara).