Department of Romance Studies

For questions about French and Francophone, Hispanic, or Italian Studies, please contact the Director of Language Programs in Romance Studies,   Professor Hollie Harder (harder@brandeis.edu). (return to top)

For French and Francophone Studies, please contact the Undergraduate Advising Head for French and Francophone Studies, Professor Jane Hale (hale@brandeis.edu), or for spring 2012, please contact the Acting UAH, Professor Martine Voiret (voiret@brandeis.edu).

For Hispanic Studies, please contact the Undergraduate Advising Head for Hispanic Studies, Professor Dian Fox (fox@brandeis.edu), or for spring 2012, please contact the Acting UAH, Professor Jerónimo Arellano (jarellan@brandeis.edu).

For Italian Studies, please contact the Undergraduate Advising Head and Co-chair of the Interdepartmental Program in Italian Studies, Professor Paola Servino (servino@brandeis.edu). (return to top)

In order to graduate, you must be able to function at an intermediate level in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in a foreign language. You may satisfy this requirement in several ways:

1.    If you scored

• 620 or higher on the SAT II language exam,
• 4 or higher on an Advanced Placement exam in language or literature, or
• 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam,

you have completed the language requirement. We encourage you to continue your studies in French and Francophone, Hispanic, or Italian Studies.

2.    If you pass an exam that shows you have gained an intermediate-level proficiency in French, Spanish, or Italian, you will have completed the language requirement. Please contact Professor Harder (harder@brandeis.edu) to make arrangements to take the Proficiency Exam.

3.    OR, you may study a language at Brandeis. When you complete a 30-level course with a passing grade, you will have satisfied the language requirement. (return to top)

Choose the appropriate level to begin your study using the information below. For a full listing of courses descriptions and prerequisites, please see course discriptions of current courses on the ROMS site here or, for the most up-to-date information, please see the Schedule of Classes on the Registrar's website here.

• Students who have never studied French, Spanish, or Italian before OR who have studied it for less than one semester, generally enroll in level 10 language course.
• Students who have studied French, Spanish, or Italian before but not at Brandeis OR who scored below 620 on the SAT II exam, below 4 on the AP exam, below 5 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam, or who took the IB Standard Levels Exam should take a placement test.
• Students who scored 620–710 on the French, Spanish, or Italian SAT II exam, 4 on the AP exam, or 5 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam usually enroll in a 105 course.
• Students who scored 720 or above on the French, Spanish, or Italian SAT II exam, 5 on the AP exam, or 6 or above on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam, usually enroll in a 106 course. (return to top)

All students need an access code to enroll in Romance Studies language courses numbered 10–108.

• have never studied French, Spanish, or Italian before OR
• have studied it for less than one semester,

• studied French, Spanish, or Italian before but not at Brandeis OR
• scored
  • below 620 on the French, Spanish, or Italian SAT II exam,
  • below 5 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam or took the IB Standard Levels Exam,
  • below 4 on the French, Spanish, or Italian AP exam,

• 620–710 on the French, Spanish, or Italian SAT II exam,
• 5 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam, or
• 4 on the French, Spanish, or Italian AP exam,

• 720 or above on the French, Spanish, or Italian SAT II exam,
• 6 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Levels Exam, or
• 5 on the French, Spanish, or Italian AP exam,

If you are currently enrolled in FREN, HISP, or ITAL 10–105, you will receive a Language Course Request form from your professor. Before you will be given access to a specific section of the next course in the language sequence, you must fill out the form and return it for approval. Approved forms will be assigned an access code by Professor Harder and returned to you by your current professor. (return to top)

In French and Francophone Studies and Hispanic Studies, you have a choice about which course to take, and your decision will depend on where your interests lie. In all of the courses at this level, you will read, write, speak, and listen in the studied language, but each of the courses focuses on a specific skill or content area.

1.    In French and Francophone Studies, two courses are offered. Both are intermediate-level courses and completion of either will fulfill the language requirement.

• FREN 32 focuses on oral expression.
• FREN 34 emphasizes cultural aspects of the French and Francophone world.

2.    In Hispanic Studies, two courses are offered. Both are intermediate-level courses and completion of either will fulfill the language requirement.

• HISP 32 focuses on oral expression.
• HISP 34 emphasizes cultural aspects of the Hispanic world.

3.    In Italian Studies, only ITAL 30 is offered. It allows students to work on oral expression and cultural aspects of the Italian world.

1.   You should take HISP 108a, Spanish for Bilingual Students, a course specifically for bilingual Spanish speakers who would like formal training in reading, writing, and critical thinking about Hispanic and Latino cultural themes (usually offered every spring).

2.  If you wish to use this course to fulfill the language requirement, you must pass the department Proficiency Exam after you complete this course. Please contact Professor Harder (harder@brandeis.edu) to make arrangements to take the Proficiency Exam.

3.   After taking this course, you can enroll in HISP courses numbered 104 or higher, depending on your level of proficiency. (return to top)

Please feel free to email your questions to the Director of Language Programs in Romance Studies, Professor Harder (harder@brandeis.edu). (return to top)

The following PDFs may be useful to you, or we hope you will always feel free to email us your questions.

• Registration Guidelines (update in process, please check back later)
• Information on levels (10, 20, 30s)
• Upper-level Language Study 

Thank you! (return to top)

• French and Francophone Studies: Lily Glickstein (for fall 2011), Soo J. Lim, and Travis Rapoza (for spring 2012)   
• Hispanic Studies:  Gabriela Castellanos and Amy Morse Englesberg, and Alisa M. Wecker
• Italian Studies: Benjamin N. Julie   and  Jessica Gokhberg   (return to top)

Please visit the website of  Brandeis Undergraduate Group Study (B.U.G.S.)

BUGS, a program of the Office of Academic Services, is a study program open to all Brandeis undergraduates. Trained facilitators run small group sessions to go over course material and help prepare for exams. Group Study Leaders are undergraduates who have successfully completed the relevant course(s), are recommended by faculty, and have been trained by Academic Services.

The Romance Studies BUGS tutors for 2011–2012 are:

• French and Francophone Studies: Geraldine Rothschild
• Hispanic Studies: Sarah Steele
• Italian Studies:  Catherine Bennett  (return to top)

The Study abroad Office is located in the Office of Academic Affairs, Usdan 127. They can help you find the study-abroad program that fits your needs the best as well as answer questions about using financial aid for study abroad. Please visit their website at http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/abroad/ or call them at 6-3483.If you decide to participate in a program approved by Brandeis, credits from your study abroad are transferable. (return to top)

Here are two links to get you started:

• English Language Learning
• Waltham Group

Please email us if you find additional community connections or links you would like us to share with other students. Thanks so much! (return to top)

Please check out our events pages here.

Several links to foreign newspapers:

• El País
• Le Monde
• La Repubblica

Please check the library's on-line database (or Google) for others. (return to top)

Forms to declare a major or minor are available in Usdan 130, Academic Services. (return to top)