Department of Communication and Languages
The mission of the Department of Communication and Languages emerges from Lander’s rich liberal arts tradition. Through writing, textual analysis, and intercultural experiences, students develop the communication and language skills and cultural fluency necessary for professional success and personal fulfilment.
The Department’s courses encompass many disciplines: communication, English, French, humanities, journalism, Spanish, speech, theatre, and writing.
Majors with B.A. degrees are offered in Communication, English and Spanish.
Minors are offered in Creative Writing, English, Film Studies, French, European Studies, Humanities, Journalism and Professional Writing, Literary Studies, Spanish, and Speech and Performance.
Courses in English, humanities, and languages are concerned with the ideas of civilization and culture as expressed in the language and literature. Courses in communication, journalism, speech, theatre, and writing seek to build oral and written communication skills through application. Many courses in the Department are a part of the General Education curriculum and some contribute to minors.
The Department sponsors the two student publications: New Voices literary journal and The Forum student newspaper. The Department also sponsors the Lander Writers Series and is the headquarters for the university’s Writing Lab that uses a peer-student model to assist students with writing assignments in any course.
A grade of “C” or better is required in all courses in the discipline in the major and minor programs.
To promote career exploration in all majors, Communication majors take COM 199 and English majors take ENGL 199 in their first year or two at Lander. The Department encourages further professional development opportunities through internships (usually numbered as 490 or 491 courses) as well as undergraduate research courses. Finally, the Department encourages students to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Lander’s Study Abroad Program. Please contact the Director of Study Abroad with any questions.
Communication Major
A successful career in communication most likely results from a strong foundation in both written and oral communication, so students in the B.A. in Communication focus around core courses in communication, English, journalism, languages, and speech. Students will develop knowledge and skills related to media literacy; professional communication; communication law and ethics; writing skills; and speech, voice, and diction. Students will be introduced to career options in COM 199 and build upon this with options at the 200-, 300-, and 400-level related to their interests, whether in communication, English, graphic design, journalism, media, photography, public relations, or writing. Students will have six hours of experiential learning — one on-campus experience and one on- or off-campus experience.
The curriculum gives students a wide array of course options that connect disciplines together so that graduates are prepared to succeed as communication professionals in business, government, healthcare, media, public relations, or with non-profits.
English Major
Students majoring in English study literature, writing, and language. This study prepares students for careers in education, law, theology, business, public relations, mass media, and public service. Although the British-American heritage is central, African American, Native American, European, and non-western contributions to this literary tradition are also studied in relevant courses.
English majors begin their program with two courses, an introduction to Careers in English (ENGL 199) and a course that develops Writing Skills (ENGL 200). In advanced literature courses (all of which are writing intensive), they study genres, texts in historical contexts, and major authors. In advanced writing courses, they may create fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In reading/writing seminars, they study one kind of text by both analyzing published works and creating texts of their own. In language and rhetoric courses, including Introduction to Language and Linguistics (ENGL 345, required of all English majors), students learn the history and working structures of language and study the influences of audience and style that have shaped discourse at different times. Students end their program with the Senior Seminar (ENGL 499) in which they reflect on their coursework and consider professional issues.
The major program requires at least 30 hours of 300-level and 400-level English courses. Three specific courses are required: Careers in English (ENGL 199), Writing Skills (ENGL 200), and Senior Seminar (ENGL 499). English courses are distributed among five course types (genre study, rhetoric, major authors, historical contexts, or reading/writing seminars). The Creative Writing and Professional Writing emphases include a selection of specific courses particularly useful to students who plan careers in professional settings. English majors also complete modern language requirements.
Teacher Certification
Students may pursue a major in English with a BA in English with Secondary Certification. They will take the approved sequence of education courses common to all secondary education concentrations at Lander and a course in methods of teaching secondary English (ENGL 451). Students will include Introduction to Language and Linguistics (ENGL 345) and Studies in Rhetoric (ENGL 413) as part of their upper-level English coursework. The Teacher Certification Program meets National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards of English Teacher Education programs.
Teacher Certification Program Goals:
Students will complete student teaching, coursework, and testing requirements for recommendation for certification in South Carolina consistent with the College of Education’s conceptual framework. This framework provides direction for programs, courses, teaching and teacher candidate assessment. The framework is built on the conceptual model of the “Professional Educator” as one who demonstrates these Learner Outcomes:
The Professional Educator:
1. integrates content knowledge and skills of scholarly inquiry to teach all students;
2. plans, provides, and assesses learning experiences that are supported by research, knowledge of best practice and professional standards;
3. communicates and collaborates with diverse populations (students, educators, families, and community members) exhibiting professional behaviors and dispositions; and
4. engages in reflection and professional development to foster student learning and inform instructional decisions.
Student Eligibility
Students enrolled in Secondary (History, English, Chemistry, Mathematics) or PK-12 (PE, Art, Music):
Provisional Status
1. Always demonstrate professional behaviors and dispositions*.
2. Maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA on Lander coursework; achieve a grade of “B” or higher in each field experience; achieve a grade of “C” or higher in all EDUC, ECED, MONT, and SPED courses (see catalog for further details, including each department's GPA requirements within the specific content area).
3. Pass ALL 3 sections of Praxis Core or have exempting SAT/ACT scores on file at Lander University and confirmed by the Department of Teacher Education.
4. Successfully complete other reviews as required by departments in specific content areas.
5. Apply for admission to the professional program in teacher education (see Department of Teacher Education section of catalog for requirements).
Candidate Status
1. Enter candidacy with formal admission to the professional program in teacher education.
2. Always demonstrate professional behaviors and dispositions*.
3. Maintain a 2.75 GPA on Lander coursework; achieve a grade of “B” or higher in each field experience; achieve a grade of “C” or higher in all EDUC, ECED, MONT, and SPED courses (see catalog for further details, including each department's GPA requirements within the specific content area).
4. Take the Praxis II prior to the student teaching semester**
5. Take the PLT (Principles of Learning and Teaching) by the end of the student teaching semester **
6. Successfully complete other departmental requirements, reviews, projects, or milestones.
Students not meeting one or more of the requirements will not progress to Candidate Status.
*Lander University has high expectations for all teacher education majors. Teacher education majors who exhibit unacceptable dispositions may be removed from the program. Procedures for removal are outlined within the Department of Teacher Education handbook.
**Praxis II and PLT must be passed to apply for certification with the South Carolina Department of Education.
Spanish Major
Lander University’s Spanish program emphasizes linguistic competence and cultural fluency. By the time they graduate, students who major in Spanish can converse with native speakers on a variety of topics, such as sports, cinema, travel, and even politics and religion. They also have studied and experienced Hispanic culture to a point where they can distinguish similarities and differences between various Hispanic societies.
One of the best ways to become fluent in a language and a culture is to live in that culture for an extended period of time. Lander Spanish majors are encouraged to study in a Spanish-speaking country and thus gain first-hand experience participating in everyday life in another culture. Lander offers home-stay programs in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Spain. During a semester abroad, students typically earn up to half of the required credit hours for the Spanish major. In addition to regular coursework, students with an advanced level of Spanish may choose to take part in an internship overseas. The Financial Aid Office at Lander works closely with students to help make this opportunity available.
The Spanish program is particularly suited for a double major; it aims to develop the linguistic, analytical, and cultural skills that can be utilized in any career. The range of occupations in which ability in Spanish will be an advantage is already great, and it continues to grow every day. These are some of the occupations in which knowing another language and culture will put the Lander graduate ahead of the competition:
• Business (advertising, banking, market research, personnel, labor, public relations);
• Education (elementary and secondary teachers, college professors, library staff);
• Health professions (physicians, dentists, therapists, nurses);
• Journalism and Communications (reporters, interpreters, translators, technical writers);
• Social Services (counselors, community service managers, social workers);
• Government (foreign service; the armed forces; federal, state, and local offices and agencies).
A Lander Spanish degree tells prospective employers more than that you can speak Spanish. It tells them that you are familiar with another culture, that you can adapt to an overseas setting, and that you have a sense of adventure. These are characteristics of people that companies are seeking as they compete in the global marketplace.
The Spanish major program requires a minimum of 30 hours of Spanish coursework of which at least 12 hours must be at the 300- and 400-levels. Three specific courses are required: SPAN 305: Advanced Spanish Language I, SPAN 306: Advanced Spanish Language II, and SPAN 499: Senior Project. In addition to coursework, students pursuing the Spanish major are encouraged to study on an approved study abroad program, although this is not a requirement for the major.
Any student with previous experience in Spanish may take the online placement test, which will recommend the most suitable course level to match the student’s proficiency. For more information, please contact the Department of Communication and Languages on the third floor of the Carnell Learning Center.
Students graduating with a major in Spanish will have acquired the following competencies:
1. to communicate verbally and in writing in Spanish on a variety of topics in different settings
2. to understand the relationship between practices, products, and perspectives of Hispanic cultures;
3. to understand the nature of language and how it works; and
4. to understand the nature of culture.