BS in Modern Foreign Language Education

The undergraduate program in modern foreign language education prepares teachers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian. The program has been designed to reflect current theory and practice in foreign language teaching, and to conform to the guidelines established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

The program includes a strong liberal arts component, a carefully planned sequence of professional courses combining theory and practice with field experiences, and the opportunity to major in the language that the student plans to teach. It emphasizes effective communication skills and strong interpersonal skills, the ability to acquire and use knowledge from a variety of media and technologies, and leadership ability in curriculum development and instruction. There is close coordination of classwork in education, field experiences, and modern foreign language methodology. Student teaching provides firsthand experience with various roles and responsibilities of schools and school personnel, and allows students to put their knowledge into practice and refine their skills. Foreign language courses emphasize communication, as well as grammar, culture, and literature.

Students planning to teach French, German, Italian, or Spanish are encouraged to take advantage of the appropriate opportunities through the Boston University Study Abroad programs. In addition to licensure in French and Spanish, students may also earn licensure in Latin and Classics by completing a 12-course sequence in Latin plus 30 credits in professional SED courses that include student teaching practicum.

At the graduate level, a program is offered leading to the MAT degree. The MAT program is designed for students with an undergraduate degree or minor (6 courses at the intermediate level or above) in French or Spanish, who have not had any professional education courses. See the Master of Arts in Teaching Program.

Undergraduate students may pursue the BS degree in modern foreign language education to become initially licensed to teach French, Spanish, German, Italian, or Russian at the 5–12 grade level. In addition to the required liberal arts and professional courses, undergraduate students complete 10 or more courses in the Department of Modern Languages & Comparative Literature or the Department of Romance Studies. For more information on undergraduate study, contact Admissions, Boston University, 121 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215.

Courses Open to Undergraduates

(In addition to the liberal arts requirements and 10 or more courses in either the Department of Romance Studies or the Department of Modern Languages & Comparative Literature.)

• CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics
• SED BI 504 Seminar: The Student-Teaching Experience
• SED CT 375 Secondary School Pre-practicum
• SED CT 575 General Methods of Instruction: 5–12
• SED ED 100 Introduction to Education
• SED ED 101 Education Lab
• SED ED 410 Social Context of Education
• SED ED 412 Civic Context of Education
• SED LS 566 Language Acquisition
• SED TL 511 Methods of Teaching Modern Foreign Languages
• SED TL 586 Student-Teaching Practicum I: Modern Foreign Languages, 5–12
• SED TL 587 Student-Teaching Practicum II: Modern Foreign Languages, 5–12