Literature & Languages

English

Chair: Dr. Robin L. Cadwallader, rcadwallader@francis.edu, 814-472-3342

The English major cultivates students’ abilities to express ideas in clear, persuasive language through the study of literature, composition, and digital media. Never more relevant than it is today, literature puts students in touch with the world’s most perceptive and discriminating minds, offering insights into timeless human ideas, anxieties, and desires. Through their exploration of American, British, and World literatures, students develop strong critical thinking and analytical skills that are highly sought after by employers and graduate schools.

Students pursuing an English major may opt to study the complexities and beauty of literature and writing or to combine the study of literature and writing with certification in secondary education. Students not majoring in English may choose to minor in English, which is a combination of literature and writing; Literature, a study of the richness of the written word in art, culture, and history; or Writing, either Creative Writing or Professional Writing, which each take a different track in the study and performance of the written word.

World Languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, and American Sign Language (ASL)

Saint Francis University realizes that the face of the people in our country has changed and that we live in a multicultural world where the importance of a global perspective is emphasized more and more every day. As such, the World Languages faculty strive to educate our students to be responsible citizens who are well prepared to contribute to the improvement of not only our own society but also the entire global community. The mission of the World Languages faculty is to develop proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking or signing the language chosen and to understand and appreciate the culture of the people who speak or use it. We also want to assure that our students are as marketable and competitive as possible when seeking jobs, and proficiency in a world language has become an important skill employers are looking for. The mission of Saint Francis University is reflected in the descriptions of the World Languages Spanish major and minor, as well as the other language minors, which aim to provide life enrichment through a liberal arts curriculum. The curricular objectives of the World Languages Spanish major and minor, and the other language minors, are consistent with those of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the Modern Language Association of America.

• SFU offers two Spanish majors: a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in Spanish/Secondary Education. All Spanish majors are required to study abroad; the length of time is determined according to which of the majors the student chooses as well as the student’s linguistic competency.
• SFU currently offers three Spanish minors: a minor in Spanish, a minor in Spanish for Health Sciences, and a minor in Spanish for Law Enforcement.
• SFU currently offers several other World Language minors: an ASL minor, a French Cultural Studies minor, a Global Cultures and Languages minor, an Italian Cultural Studies minor, and a World Languages minor.

All World Languages minors require a study abroad or immersion experience.

Students interested in any of the World Languages programs of study should consult the appropriate sections of this catalog.

Programs

• English, B.A.
• English, B.A., Secondary Education Concentration
• English, B.A., Writing Concentration
• Spanish, B.A.
• Spanish, B.A., Secondary Education Concentration

• Creative Writing Minor
• English Minor
• French Cultural Studies Minor
• Global Cultures and Languages Minor
• Italian Cultural Studies Minor
• Literature Minor
• Professional Writing Minor
• Spanish Minor
• Spanish Minor for Health Sciences
• Spanish Minor for Law Enforcement
• World Languages Minor