February 7, 2007
TO:
Robert Mrtek, Chair
Senate Committee on Educational Policy
FROM:
Midge Grosch
Director, Programs and Academic Assessment
I am forwarding for the information of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy the attached
proposal from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to Establish a New Course to Satisfy
the Foreign Language Requirement in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The proposal was approved by the faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on
February 6, 2007.
Attachment
Copies: V. Tunnicliff
D. Niebylski
L. DiMartino
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Title: New Course to be Part of the Italian Language Series for Fulfilling the Foreign
Language Requirement in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Sponsor: Department of Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese,
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Description: The Department of Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese is proposing a
new course, Italian 110 (Intensive Elementary Italian). Italian 110 will allow students
with a basic knowledge of another romance language (native speaker of another romance
language, students with two or more years of high school foreign language) to learn
Italian at an accelerated pace. Students will complete the material for current Italian 101
and 102 in one semester. After successful completion of Italian 110, they will be allowed
to take Italian 103. Prerequisites: Two or more years of high school Italian, Spanish,
French, or another Romance language, native speaker of Spanish or another romance
language, or appropriate score on the placement test administered by the Italian
department. Students are not required to take a placement test if they have taken Italian or
another romance language for at least two years in high school, or are native speakers of
another romance language. If they wish to take the test, they will have to enroll in the
course indicated in the test results.
Justification: This course responds to the fact that UIC has a high percentage of native
Spanish-speaking students, or students who have studied Italian, Spanish, or another
romance language in high school, and can thus be expected to acquire Italian, and satisfy
the language requirement more quickly. The needs of these students are not being met by
current elementary courses (Italian 101-102), which are geared towards students without
previous knowledge of a romance language. Neither are they met by Italian 240 (Rapid
Italian for Speakers of Spanish), which is not part of the Italian Basic Language Program
(101-102-103-104), but only a course required by graduating Spanish majors, and taught
differently than 101 and 102. Italian 110 will be part of the Italian Basic Language
sequence and will cover the same content as 101 and 102, but at a faster pace. Students
who wish to take 110 instead of the 101-102 sequence, will not be required to take a
placement test if they have the necessary background in Italian or another romance
language. If they wish to take the test, they will need to demonstrate a basic
understanding of the Italian language, and they will have to enroll in the course indicated
in the test results. Both Spanish and French already offer intensive elementary courses,
and they have proven to be extremely popular among students and successful for the
department as a whole.
Catalog Statement: No change in the Language requirement catalog statement
Minority Impact Statement: No negative impact on minorities. This course should have
a positive impact because it will address the need of Spanish-speakers, or speakers of
other romance languages, who can learn the language at an accelerated speed.
Budgetary and Staff Implications: None.
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Library Resource Implications: None
Space Implications: Same as Italian 101 or 102. A media room (TV, DVD, VHS,
Overhead projector) for up to 24 students.
Unit (e.g. department) approval date: 12-6-06
College (educational committee, faculty) approval dates: 1-22-06
Contact person:
Dianna Niebylski, Head, Dept. of Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, dcn@uic.edu;
Loredana Di Martino, Coordinator of the Basic Italian Language Program,
loredana@uic.edu.
Course description:
ITAL 110: Intensive Elementary Italian
4 hours Equivalent to Italian 101 and 102. This accelerated course covers the first two semesters
of Italian in one semester and is designed for students with previous experience in Italian,
Spanish, French or another Romance language. Four additional hours each week of Laboratory,
using the Student Activity manual and the companion CDs. For students with two or more years
of High school Italian, Spanish, French or another romance language, or for native speakers of
Spanish or another Romance language. No credit given if the student has credit in ITAL 101 or ITAL
102 or ITAL 103 or ITAL 104. Credit is not given if the student has completed any 200-, 300-, 400-, or 500level Italian courses, or has placed into Italian 103 or above. Prerequisite(s): Two or more years of
high school Italian, Spanish, French, or another romance language, native speaker of Spanish or
another romance language, or appropriate score on the placement test administered by the
Italian department.
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Catalog Copy
Present:
Proposed:
Foreign Language Requirement
Same
The basic requirement is proficiency in a language that has a
recognized literature or culture. The level of proficiency must be the
equivalent of that expected of the student who has completed the
elementary and intermediate levels of language study (the first two
years) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Students enrolled in
foreign language courses at UIC are strongly encouraged to register
in required language courses in consecutive semesters until the
requirement is met. Students may satisfy the requirement in any one
of several ways:
1.
By presenting qualifying scores on Advanced Placement
examinations in foreign language or a qualifying score on a
UIC foreign language placement test or other authorized
proficiency test for languages not offered at UIC.
2.
By transferring credit for two years of a single language at
the college level. With college approval, a student
transferring from another university or another UIC college
who has never been enrolled in LAS, who is admitted with
senior standing and who has not satisfied the language
requirement may do so by passing one course in a
language sequence during each term in enrollment
residence at UIC. Seniors admitted with foreign language
transfer credit must consult a dean for application of this
rule.
3.
By completing four semesters of language courses at UIC.
The college currently offers complete sequences in Arabic,
Chinese, French, German, Ancient Greek, Modern Greek,
Hebrew, Hindi-Urdu, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Lithuanian,
Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, and Ukrainian.
4.
By completing a partial sequence of language courses as
determined by the results of a placement test or placement
by a language department. The college determines eligibility
for credit in a recommended course.
5.
By presenting evidence of secondary education completed
in a country where the language of instruction was other
than English. No elementary- or intermediate-level course or
proficiency credit will be given for that language. The
language requirement, however, will be considered fulfilled
only if the student consults a dean for application of this rule
and receives conditional approval.
6.
By transferring four semesters of credit in American Sign
Language courses from an accredited U.S. college or
university. Courses must include the study of deaf culture.
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