World Languages, Cultures, and Media
Majors offered in Francophone Studies, Estudios Hispánicos (Spanish), and Multi-Language. Minors offered in Arabic Studies, Chinese Studies, Francophone Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies and Estudios Hispánicos (Spanish).
Requirements for Majors and Minors
For details on specific study abroad programs, visit https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/ciis.
Francophone Studies (major and minor)
The major consists of nine courses at the 103 level or above. One of the nine courses can be a cultural course related to the field taken in English through the World Languages Dept.
The minor consists of six courses at the 101 level and above, of which two must be taken on campus.
Students who begin French at a level higher than 104 are exempt from one major unit. Except for LANG 350, courses at the 300 level are offered only in France; 400-level courses, including Independent Study and Honors Project, are offered only on campus.
In France, courses are taught in French, or in English.
Students on the program in France receive 4 units toward the Francophone studies major or minor if they take courses in French at the university (300-levels), they will get 2 units if they take courses in English and French language classes at the University of Bordeaux. The minor consists of six courses at the 101 level and above, of which two must be taken on campus. Students on the programs in France may count three courses toward the minor (semester program).
Estudios Hispánicos (major and minor)
The major consists of nine courses at the 103 level or above. One of the nine courses can be a cultural course related to the field taken in English through the World Languages Department.
Students who begin Spanish at a level higher than 104 are exempt from one major unit. Except for LANG 350, courses at the 300 level are offered only in Spain and Costa Rica; 400-level courses, including Independent Study and Honors Project, are offered only on campus.
It is possible to earn four units toward the major during a semester in Spain (Madrid) or Costa Rica (San José); students who remain a year in Spain may earn seven units toward the major.
The minor consists of six courses at the 101 level and above, of which two must be taken on campus.
Students on the programs in Spain or Costa Rica may count three courses (semester program) or five courses (year program) toward the minor.
International Economics and World Languages (four majors)
Students can construct a major by completing seven required courses in economics and specific requirements in either French, Spanish or multi-language. For details and further obligations, see the International Economics and World Languages section of this Catalog or visit https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/world-languages-cultures-and-media/international-economicslanguages-majors
Multi-Language (major)
The major consists of:
- Four courses at the 103 level, and above, in one language designated as “the language of concentration.”
- Three courses per language in two other languages (Students may not choose Swahili as one of the three languages for this major).
All students who begin a language in a major at a level higher than 104 are exempt of 1 major unit. Courses at the 300 level are offered only in France, Spain and Costa Rica; 400-level courses, including Independent Study and Honors Project, are offered only on campus.
If the language is also part of a multi-language major, students are required to take three additional courses in the area of their minor, for the minor to be completed.
Multi-Language Major (World Cultures and Media track) – total 10 units
The major consists of ten courses:
- Four courses at 103 level and above in the language of concentration.
- Three courses in a secondary language.
- Three courses in World Cultures and Media courses.
All students who begin a language in a major at a level higher than 104 are exempt of 1 major unit. Courses at the 300 level are offered only in France, Spain and Costa Rica; 400-level courses, including Independent Study and Honors Project, are offered only on campus.
If the language is also part of a multi-language major, students are required to take three additional courses in the area of their minor, for the minor to be completed.
In cases students complete a multi-language major with Chinese as one of the languages they have to choose whether to minor in Chinese or Asian studies but cannot do both.
Arabic Studies (minor)
The minor consists of:
- Three language courses, of which two must be taken on campus.
- Three other courses in the linguistic or cultural area of the minor, taught in the department in English, or from the approved list given below (only when no English-relevant course is offered in the department.)
Special topics related to the Arabic culture and Arabic world taught in other disciplines count toward the minor.
All classes in Jordan and Morocco count toward the minor.
Arabic
101, 102. Elementary Arabic.
103, 104. Intermediate Arabic.
201. Advanced Arabic.
489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
3009. Conversational Arabic & Media.
203. Arab Society through Graphic Novels and Films.
210. Mediterranean Culture Through Cinema
3013. Arabic Language Through Songs and Film.
3014. Intro to Translation.
4000. Arabic Literature and Media.
Global Studies
350. Global Palestine.
Political Science
290. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
331. Politics of the Middle East.
History
160. The Islamic World.
230. The Middle East in the Nineteenth Century
231. The Modern Middle East.
368. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
379. Colloquium in Middle Eastern History.
Religious Studies
224. Islamic Religious Traditions.
Chinese Studies (minor)
The minor consists of six units:
- Three language courses, of which two must be taken on campus.
- Three courses in English about China from the approved list given below.
Special topics related to Chinese history and culture taught in other disciplines count toward the minor.
If students minor in Asian studies and Chinese, only two of the 6 courses may overlap.
All courses taken in the Shanghai and Suzhou China program count toward the minor.
Chinese
101, 102. Elementary Chinese.
103, 104. Intermediate Chinese.
201, 202. Advanced Chinese.
489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
Asia/Chinese/DMF
232. Chinese Cultures through Fiction and Film.
234. East Asian Literature and Film.
235. Buddhism and Daoism through Literature and Film.
238. Fantasy Asian Fiction and Film
3078. Modern China through Fiction and Film
3080 Intro to Asian Studies
Asia Government
322. Chinese Politics.
History
105. Early Asian Civilizations.
106. Modern Asia.
292. Modern China.
Philosophy
223. Asian Philosophy.
Religious Studies
223. Religious Life of China.
German Studies (minor)
The minor consists of six courses:
- Three language courses, of which two must be taken on campus.
- Three other courses in the linguistic or cultural area of the minor, taught in the department in English or German, or from the approved list below (only when no relevant course in English is offered in the department).
Students on the Austria program may have up to four courses count toward the completion of the minor, one for the German language course and three for general German Studies in English. Those studying abroad in Germany through the University of Marburg’s International Undergraduate Study Program or an ISEP program may have up to four courses count toward the completion of the minor for courses approved by the department.
German
101, 102. Elementary German I & II.
103, 104. Intermediate German I & II.
282. New German Cinema.
283. Berlin Hollywood.
Art and Art History
117. Survey of Art History II.
203. Art of the Northern Renaissance.
204. Baroque and Rococo Art.
207. 19th Century European Art.
252. History of Modern European Art.
Digital Media and Film
3043. Science and Cinema.
3092. European Cinema
History
205. Nineteenth-Century Europe.
206. Twentieth-Century Europe.
209. Medieval Europe
211. Women in Modern Europe, 1750 to the Present.
267. The Holocaust.
375. Colloquium in European History.
Philosophy
100. Introduction to Philosophy.
203. Ethical Theory.
208. Modern Philosophy.
Political Science
206. Political Theory.
330. European Politics.
347. Marxist and Critical Theory.
Italian Studies (minor)
The minor consists of six courses:
- Three language courses, of which two must be taken on campus.
- Three other courses in the linguistic or cultural area of the minor, taught in the department in English, or from the approved list below (only when no relevant course in English is offered in the All classes taken in any of the approved St. Lawrence programs abroad in Italy will count towards the minor.
Italian
101, 102. Elementary Italian I & II.
103, 104. Intermediate Italian I & II.
201. Language through Film and Visual Culture.
Art and Art History
116. Survey of Art I.
117. Survey of Art History II.
202. Art of the Italian Renaissance.
204. Baroque and Rococo Art.
4401. Baroque and Modern Architecture.
Music
234. Music in Venice.
Performance and Communication Arts
312. The Public Sphere of Renaissance Venice.
Religious Studies
102. Religion and Science.
206. Introduction to The New Testament.
227. Religion in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Caribbean, Latin American and Latino Studies (minor)
Students must earn six units of CLAS credit from at least two departments and/or programs to complete the minor. See the description under Caribbean, Latin American and Latino studies in this Catalog.
English for Speakers of Other Languages, ESOL (no major or minor)
All courses denoted with an ESOL designation provide instruction and support to students whose first language is not English (including both international and domestic students). Students will be assessed prior to the start of their first year and will be notified if mandated to take one or more of the ESOL courses. Courses denoted with LANG/EDUC/AFS are for students interested in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or concepts related to language and education abroad.
Updated 7/1/25