Executive Summary.pdf

The Department of Foreign Languages at Weber State University promotes global awareness and intercultural understanding by providing instruction in various languages. The department's mission is to prepare majors and minors to function effectively in a foreign language, offering courses in literature, culture, linguistics, pedagogy, and language for professional purposes. The department's learning outcomes align with its mission, expecting graduates to reach an advanced level of proficiency in speaking and writing, and to demonstrate cultural awareness and analysis skills.

The department offers various degree programs, including Certificates of Proficiency, Associate of Arts degrees, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in languages such as French, German, Spanish, and Spanish Translation. Students can also minor in languages and interdisciplinary fields like European Studies and Latin American Studies. The curriculum is proficiency-based, with courses designed to develop language proficiency, writing skills, analysis skills, and cultural awareness.

The department assesses student learning outcomes through oral tests, written analyses, and cultural descriptions. The annual senior assessments reveal that students generally meet or exceed the department's thresholds, but improvement is needed in areas such as writing and cultural analysis. The department plans to better communicate expectations with instructors and guide students in collecting relevant artifacts to meet the intended standards.

The department also conducts academic advising, with all full-time faculty sharing advising duties. A survey conducted in fall 2019 showed that students are moderately or very satisfied with the quality of academic advising, and the department plans to include the survey in the Senior Assessment from now on. The department has a faculty composed of instructors with expertise in various languages and fields, and plans to continue assessing and improving its programs and courses.