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Students can earn Bachelor of Arts degrees in English or Spanish, or they can minor in English, Spanish, Dramatic Arts, French and Speech Communications. The department also offers two Bachelor of Arts degrees in cooperation with the School of Education - programs in English and Spanish designed for students seeking teacher certification in these subject areas. Further, all WSSU students take English and Foreign Languages courses to fulfill the university's core education requirements.

Mission Statement

The Department of English and Foreign Languages offers high quality major and minor programs in English, foreign languages, speech communication, dramatic arts, and Humanities. The department also supports the university’s general education curriculum through evolving courses in writing, speech, literature, languages, and African American culture to equip students with twenty-first century skills, including critical reading, critical thinking, critical writing, creativity practice and global competence.

Vision Statement

The Department of English and Foreign Languages strives to provide a supportive and collaborative learning environment in which students can expand their intellectual and cultural horizons, realize their creative potential, and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to help them build successful careers and make meaningful contributions to the world around them

Departmental goals include the following:

1. To help students understand various aspects of the communication process and the dynamic role of technology in that process
2. To help students develop communication and critical reading, thinking, creativity and writing skills, including skills in using technology for communication and research
3. To enrich the cultural and aesthetic life of the university and the community and to increase global awareness by promoting appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives and languages
4. To prepare majors and minors for graduate or professional school and careers in the disciplines
5. To recruit and retain highly qualified faculty and encourage their continuous development in the areas of teaching, research, and service

MAJOR PROGRAM IN ENGLISH

OBJECTIVES

1. To provide students with experiences for developing competencies in the process of composing.
2. To help students acquire knowledge of the English language and its literatureand related cultures.
3. To help students develop skills in analyzing, evaluating and responding to awide range of literature.
4. To help students prepare for careers requiring a high degree of proficiency inwriting, speaking, and critical reading and thinking.
5. To prepare students to do advanced work in English and other professional fields.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Admission. Students who wish to apply to the program in English must have at least a 2.5 grade point average in the English and speech courses in general education (ENG 1301, 1302, 2301, 2302, HUM 2310 and SPH 2321 or 2341).
2. Degree
   
   
   1. The student must receive a grade of C or above in all courses taken for the major.
   2. Transfer credit may be accepted if the courses taken fit satisfactorily into the plan for the major outlined at Winston-Salem State University and if the student meets all the other requirements for transfer students, including the residency requirement.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The major in English requires a minimum of 41 and a maximum of 49 semester

hours of required and elective courses beyond the general core. In support of the major, students must take a minor, six semester hours of foreign language at the intermediate level, three semester hours of philosophy or elementary statistics (PHI 2301 or MAT 2326), and three semester hours of computer science (CSC 1306).

NOTE: English majors are required to have a minor. 

MAJOR PROGRAM IN SPANISH

OBJECTIVES

1. To develop proficiency in the fundamental language skills: listening,speaking, reading, writing, and viewing.
2. To provide an in-depth study in the language, literature, culture, andcivilization of Spanish-speaking peoples.
3. To prepare majors to do research and study at the graduate level.
4. To prepare majors for a variety of careers and professions that requireknowledge of and fluency in Spanish.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Admission. Any student who has completed general education courses and who has attained a 2.0 average in Intermediate Spanish I and II will be eligible to apply for admission to the program in Spanish.
2. Degree
   
   1. The student must receive a grade of C or better in all courses taken for the major.
   2. Transfer credit may be accepted if the courses taken fit satisfactorily into the plan for the major outlined at WSSU and if the student meets all other requirements of transfer students, including the residency requirement.
   3. Proficiency credit may be granted for intermediate courses if the student passes specified departmental exams.
   4. The student must pass a standardized oral proficiency test upon completion of all major requirements.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The Spanish major requires a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 45 semester

hours of course work beyond the elementary level. In support of the major, students are required to take three semester hours of computer science (CSC 1306), three semester hours of philosophy or elementary statistics (PHI 2301 or MAT 2326), complete intermediate French and a minor.

NOTE: Spanish majors are required to have a minor. A minor in French is strongly urged.

PLACEMENT AND PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS
AND RETROACTIVE CREDIT POLICY

Students who have completed at least two years of high school Spanish may take the placement examination in an attempt to qualify for the intermediate level. Students may also receive credit toward their major/minor by taking and passing appropriate departmental proficiency examinations.

RETROACTIVE CREDIT POLICY

The Retroactive Credit Policy is designed to grant credit to students with

previous language study. Under this policy students who enroll in and successfully complete a course beyond the first course in the sequence (FRE 1311 or SPA 1311) receive credit for courses they by-passed up to 6 credit hours. Students receive credit towards graduation but no grade for the lower course(s). Retroactive credit is available only for the first language course in which a student enrolls and is given only when the student achieves a grade of C or better. Retroactive credit is not available if a student has received Advanced Placement or transfer credit in the language. Students are advised to contact the Department of English and Foreign Languages for guidelines concerning placement. Retroactive credit is applied for at the completion of the course.