One-Page Brief: WMU CAS World Language Requirement in Context
WMU's current Liberal Education Curriculum (LEC) requirement
The current LEC world language requirement may be met in four separate ways:
- Option 1: Taking two semesters of a world language other than English (including ASL) at WMU and receiving a minimum grade of D.
- Option 2: Taking two semesters of a world language other than English (including ASL) at another accredited institution such as KVCC and receiving a minimum grade of C (WMU award no transfer credit for grades lower than C).
- Option 3: Taking the in-person written proficiency test and scoring beyond the second semester of world language study.
- Option 4: Earning high enough scores on AP, IB or CLEP tests to earn WMU credits beyond the second semester of world language study.
Round 1 survey results
In response to the question "Should the CAS maintain the one-year language requirement?", 8/8 CAS units responded "yes" and 35/43 individual faculty members responded "yes" as well.
In the comments section, many also independently suggested expanding the language requirement from basic language proficiency (two semesters) to intermediate language proficiency (four semesters). Reasons given for such a change were numerous, diverse and well-founded.
What the experts say
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) position statement on learning world languages in relation to achieving global competence in the 21st century describes the need for language competencies well beyond what students can acquire in two semesters.
This position is supported by the essential learning outcomes of the Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) program of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
Phi Beta Kappa (PBK), the nation's oldest and most prestigious academic honors society, which has focused on excellence in the liberal arts and sciences since 1776, explicitly requires world language proficiency at the "intermediate college level" as a stipulation of membership eligibility. Few would deny that attaining a chapter of PBK has been one of WMU's greatest hallmarks, given that only 10% of U.S. colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters.
Market analysis
WMU's Office of Institutional Research has identified seven universities as close approximations to WMU in size and designation (="peer institutions") that also house chapters of Phi Beta Kappa. The College of Arts and Sciences at five of the seven universities require more world language study than the WMU LEC currently does, as follows:
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro: All degrees require 4 semesters of world language study
- Kent State University: BS = 2 semesters of world language, BA = 4 semesters of world language
- Ohio University: BS = 2 semesters of world language, BA = 4 semesters of world language
- University of North Dakota: BS = 2 semesters of world language, BA = 4 semesters of world language
- Oklahoma State University: BS = 2 semesters of world language, BA = 3 semesters of world language
- SUNY at Binghampton: All degrees require 2 semesters of world language study
- University of Alabama: All degrees require 2 semesters of world language or computing classes