Portland-State-University 2025-2026 Bulletin

World Language B.A.

The Department of World Languages and Literatures offers undergraduate majors in French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. (Please note, applications are not currently being accepted for the concentration in Arabic.) An undergraduate world language major must complete 32 upper-division credits (numbered 300 or higher) in language, literature and culture, an additional 8 credits in 400-level language and literature courses, 8 credits in adviser-approved electives, and 4 credits in linguistics (Ling 390, WLL 390, or a linguistics course in the target language). Spanish majors must include at least one course from the Span 341, Span 342, Span 343, Span 344, Span 345 sequence.

Requirements

Courses

400-level courses in the major language (8 credits)

Language, literature, and culture (32 credits)

(in Span this must include one course from the 341-342-343-344-345 sequence)

Linguistics (4 credits)

WLL 390Languages of the World

4

Ling 390Introduction to Linguistics

4

or

a linguistics or phonetics course in the major language

Adviser-approved electives (8 credits)

Total Credit Hours: 52

  • Before being admitted to 400-level courses, students will be expected to demonstrate proficiency at a level determined by the individual language program.
  • No more than 8 credits of courses numbered 404 (Cooperative Education) may be counted toward the major.
  • 20 of the required 52 credits must be taken in residence at PSU (excludes credit by exam but includes study abroad credit from PSU approved programs).
  • All courses used to satisfy major requirements must be passed with a grade of C or higher. (C- and P are not acceptable.) Students majoring in a world language must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50 on all courses used to satisfy the major requirements.