Globalizing the curriculum in small German programs with a single faculty member consists of different considerations than in larger programs with more faculty and students. In this dialogue, the faculty members in two such programs discuss what globalizing German Studies means within the context of their small programs and the need to maintain a…

As the 2007 report from the Modern Language Association attested, foreign language departments must undergo radical structural changes in order to meet student needs in a changed world. The implications of this report (e.g., to broaden the curriculum beyond the study of literature, linguistics, and culture to include courses with other…

In today's interconnected world, many career fields--such as diplomacy, national security, and business--need individuals with knowledge about world languages and cultures. To address these areas of needed expertise--both at the federal level as well as in the education, business, and nonprofit sectors--the Higher Education Act of 1965, as…

Graduate education in the humanities struggles with weighty traditions, constrained (fiscal) resources, and a legacy of elitism and cultural homogeneity. As the makeup of graduate students becomes ever more diverse in terms of income, ethnicity, sexuality, citizenship, and disability, graduate programs are working through the challenges and…

Outlines origins and outreach efforts of the federal National Resource Centers (NRCs) for Foreign Language and Area Studies, and describes the University of New Mexico's Latin American Institute. Activities include outreach to elementary/secondary schools, outreach with federal/state/local agencies, information services to…

Since 1958, the Modern Language Association (MLA), with the continuous support of the United States Department of Education, has gathered and analyzed data on undergraduate and graduate course enrollments in languages other than English in United States colleges and universities. The previous survey examined language enrollments in fall 2006; here…

The report presented here is a follow-up and complement to a first report, which was submitted in 1978 to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alaska (Fairbanks). The general question underlying this report concerns the adequacy or inadequacy of this university's program offerings with respect to foreign language (FL)…

Argues that the concept of using different approaches to teaching foreign language literature to undergraduates and graduates may do a disservice to those who see the study of foreign literature as literature through language. Discusses teaching strategies to facilitate such integration. (19 references) (CB)

Curricular changes at all levels of foreign language education provide alternate ways to provide valid learning experiences. There is new freedom for students to explore varying time arrangements, different learning styles, diverse content, and various locations for instruction. A discussion of student learning styles concerns individualization,…

Uses data from a survey of 326 centers of foreign language education to discuss (1) what kinds of courses and specializations are being offered, (2) how the curriculum is meeting the changing needs of the nation, and (3) what future development can be realistically anticipated. (EKN)

Suggests an innovative technique for the graduate curriculum in literature and language that can help new faculty members develop not only culture courses but also competency in interdisciplinary scholarship, discussing course organization, varieties of interdisciplinary study, and the professional development seminar. (20 references) (CB)

Language instruction, particularly Portuguese, in the master's degree program in international business studies at the University of South Carolina is discussed, and the Portuguese language program is described. Low student interest in studying Portuguese has plagued the language program, but those students who have opted to study the language…

This report presents the results of a systematic survey of the field of Japanese studies in the United States conducted during a period of eighteen months prior to 1970. The objectives of the report were: (1) to provide a fuller understanding of the contours of the field; (2) to offer documentation on the identity of scholars at work in the field;…

Twenty figures and tables illustrate the findings of the Modern Language Association's survey of doctoral graduate placements. Areas covered include PhD degrees granted, placement of 1991-92 PhDs, changes through time, and placement for individual degree programs. (three references) (LB)

Findings on foreign language programs are reported from the 1990 Modern Language Association survey in these areas: institutional and departmental characteristics, applicants, enrollments, plans for enlarging graduate programs, numbers of doctorates granted, and courses offered in the target language. (LB)