The standardization of second language proficiency levels for university students in Germany is discussed. Problems with the current system, in which each university has developed its own program of study and proficiency certification, are examined and a framework for development of a unified language certificate for all universities is outlined.…

Analyzes the objectives of foreign language teaching at the higher education level from the perspective of languages for specific purposes (LSP) and suggests that specifying the purpose of language teaching objectives in foreign language degree programs can contribute both to the practical relevance of graduates' proficiency and to the inner…

The federally funded Piedmont International Business Program of Lynchburg College has begun offering conversational Mandarin Chinese for people whose business activities bring them into contact with Chinese speakers. The course has three phases: an 8-week fall session with an enrollment of 11 students; two 8-week sessions offered in winter and…

The University of Toledo's Spanish and Legal Assisting program provides two degree tracks, a twenty-five course program in the Community and Technical College and a coordinated bachelor's program in the College of Arts and Sciences. The shorter legal assisting program provides training allowing individuals to work under an attorney's supervision,…

Results of a survey of United States college programs in business French are reported, including information on teacher preparation, program design, instructional materials, and testing. (MSE)

In response to the need for specialized French language skills among foreign students at France's prestigious engineering school, the Ecole Nationale de Lyon, an intensive language instruction program was developed. The 3-week program precedes the school year so that language immersion and orientation targeted to the particular student group can…

A self-instructional program in German for undergraduate students of engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, was developed based on a questionnaire of student needs, language experience, and preferred instructional methods. The course design and instructional materials for the program emphasized oral/aural skills; moreover, counseling and academic…

The description of an international business major in a small liberal arts college outlines the program's development and the degree requirements as they have changed since its inception in 1977. In this process, foreign languages have become an integral part of the program design, reinforcing its value in the minds of faculty advisers as well as…

The University of Ulster (Northern Ireland), a multicampus university in an economically depressed area highly dependent on international trade, and France's University of Caen, developed a program in European business studies with French as a key discipline. The four-year undergraduate program enrolls Irish students with good French proficiency…

At Millersville University (Pennsylvania), business German is taught in the German section in a two-semester introduction at the sophomore level, a junior-level advanced course, and a senior-level translation course. These four courses are augmented by introductions to business and economics, both taught in English outside the German section.…

Midway College, a two-year liberal arts college in Kentucky's Bluegrass region, established a business program emphasizing second language skills in response to the local need for personnel with knowledge of French or Spanish. The program brought together existing business and general studies courses, including geography, and new courses in…

Drexel University's undergraduate major in International Area Studies is described. The program has an interdisciplinary curriculum including required coursework in the departments of foreign languages, history and politics, sociology and anthropology, and business administration. All languages offered start with beginner level courses and…

A collection of nine papers from the fourth part of the conference on the applications of foreign language and international studies to business addresses the issue of program and instructional design. The papers include: "Program Design, Lesson Planning and Strategies for Foreign Language Business Courses: An Overview" (Ronald Cere),…

A collection of 11 papers presented at the conference on applications of foreign languages and international studies to business addresses curriculum development and materials selection for college business Spanish. The following papers are included: "Procedures for Implementing and Funding Spanish Courses for University Business Students" (Laura…

Georgia State University has developed undergraduate applied language programs in commercial French, German, and Spanish combining practical with theoretical studies. The curricula stress the communicative aspect of language, and are based on the content of certification examinations given in France, Germany, and Spain. Two upper-level courses in…