Language and Literature

Denise Waldrop
Administrative Coordinator
dlw08b@acu.edu
325-674-6440

The Department of Language and Literature encourages students to joyfully and critically engage texts, languages, and expressions of human nature from the most ancient to what just appeared on the web this week.

With its diverse offering of programs and courses, our department prepares students to excel in the areas of close reading, critical thinking, oral and written communication, and creative writing, all of which are applicable to 21^st century careers.

Language and stories are fundamental to how human beings understand the world and each other, and we believe that engaging the people and paradigms around us is a central aspect of our calling as individuals of faith. The Christian heritage of ACU informs our departmental mission of intellectual pursuit and rigor in effort to be both empathetic and compassionate towards others. Our courses are geared towards helping students read, speak, and think in Christ-centered ways.

Knowing that learning takes place outside the classroom as well as within, we take seriously the task of creating a lively, engaged culture of learning for all majors and minors. This is promoted through chapters of national honor societies in English and Spanish, two student-run literary journals (The Shinnery Review and Hispaniola) and an annual visiting writer event. You can see more about the everyday world of an ACU Language and Literature student by visiting our Facebook page.

Our department is built around three core components:

English
A wide array of courses in, British, American, and world literatures, as well as various fields of rhetoric and composition studies and a full complement of genre-specific creative writing workshops. Minors include film studies and professional writing.

World Languages
Course offerings in Spanish, French, and German focused on linguistics, literature, and culture. Students can major in Spanish or attain a minor in any of the three languages.

English Masters
Our English Graduate Program offers three tracks: Literature; Rhetoric/Composition; and Creative Writing. Small class sizes and diverse course offerings from a variety of faculty members give students the opportunity to develop their own scholarly interests while also gaining fundamental preparation in areas like literary theory and composition studies.

Degree options

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English – The Bachelor of Arts degree in English prepares a student for graduate work in English, for careers as college English teachers, or for careers in technical or creative writing. It also provides preparatory training for law school, public relations, library science, personnel work, management, government work or the dozens of other fields which require a broad reading, self expression, an understanding of human nature and the ability to analyze and organize information. Since this degree allows a considerable number of elective hours, students majoring in English can often secure a major in a second field or a minor, thus enhancing their career options.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English for Teacher Certification – The Bachelor of Arts degree in English for teacher certification prepares students who wish to teach in high school with English as a single teaching field.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish – The Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish prepares a student for graduate work in Spanish, Hispanic Studies, Romance Language Studies, or related fields. It also provides preparatory training for law school, public relations, library science, personnel work, management, government work or the dozens of other fields which require a broad familiarity with Spanish-language literature, Hispanic culture, and the ability to communicate cross-culturally. The major consists of three core courses (Intermediate Spanish II, Advanced Communication, and Senior Capstone), two advanced culture courses, two advanced language courses, three advanced literature courses, and two advanced Spanish electives. Students with previous Spanish experience are encouraged to take the Spanish placement test prior to enrollment in the first course, and placement credit is available for students who “skip” courses in the beginning and intermediate sequences. Students are encouraged to participate in our Montevideo Sí (Spanish Immersion) study abroad site (preferably at the advanced level), or any approved immersion experience during their college career. Since this degree allows a considerable number of elective hours, students majoring in Spanish can often secure a major in a second field, thus enhancing their career options.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish for Teacher Certification – The Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish for Teacher Certification is a collaborative degree with the Department of Teacher Education that prepares a student for teaching Spanish in public or private K-12 institutions. The Spanish coursework mirrors the regular Spanish BA, with the notable inclusion of a methods course on second language acquisition. Courses in the Department of Teacher Education complete the required coursework. Students with previous Spanish experience are encouraged to take the Spanish placement test prior to enrollment in the first course, and placement credit is available for students who “skip” courses in the beginning and intermediate sequences. Students are encouraged to participate in our Montevideo Sí (Spanish Immersion) study abroad site (preferably at the advanced level), or any approved immersion experience during their college career.