Frequently Asked Questions

Mission Opportunities
Placement in F.L. courses
Validation Credit
Teaching French or Spanish
Clep Examinations

The department provides the following opportunities for foreign language study abroad as well as local experience in Spanish:

The Harding University in Florence program (HUF) in cooperation with International Programs offers a semester of Italian in Florence, Italy. International Programs (HUA, HUE, HUF, HUG, etc.)

The French Work/Study Tour is a summer program combining seven weeks of evangelistic campaigns with French language and culture study in the French-speaking countries of Europe. (This program is not offered every summer; consult the department.)

The Latin American Work/Study Tour is a summer program combining six to eight weeks of evangelistic campaigns with language and culture study in Venezuela or another Latin American country. Venezuela Summer Campaigns

The Independent Study Abroad program provides a semester of study in a foreign university. Often this study is combined with residence in a home where the target language is spoken. All independent study abroad programs are to be arranged with and approved by the department head.

Local Opportunities in Spanish: Harding students studying Spanish can take advantage of contacts with a significant Hispanic population at the University and in the local community. Contact with native speakers is especially valuable for those preparing themselves for mission work in Spanish-speaking countries: students may attend a Spanish-language Church of Christ, attend Wednesday evening Spanish-language devotionals on campus, and engage in several English as a Second Language mission outreaches to local Hispanic workers, one in Searcy and others within a 50-mile radius. In addition, Harding has some 60 Walton scholars from Mexico and Central America, as well as Hispanic students here on athletic scholarships, providing students with many opportunities for contact with native speakers of Spanish.

Placement in foreign language courses

Placement of students with foreign language background varies according to the level of language proficiency. Normally, students with three years or more of high school study are encouraged to enroll at the intermediate level (Fr or Span 201 fall, 202 spring). Students with exceptional foreign language skills may be approved by the department chairman for enrollment in advanced courses.

Validation Credit

Validation credit for previous language study in French and Spanish may be obtained as follows: Students with two or more years of high school foreign language study WITHOUT having had any college Spanish, upon completion of the intermediate university course of the same language (Fr or Span 201 and 202) with a grade of A or B in both semesters for the first time enrolled, may receive 8 hours of non-graded credit for the elementary course. There is no charge for validation credit, which counts toward the hours required for graduation. Students need take no action, but credit may not appear on transcripts until the fall after the spring in which the 202 course is taken.

French or Spanish as a Second Teaching Field

Students certifying to teach French or Spanish must complete 24 hours of the language (whereas a minor requires 18 hours), including the following:

• 6 hours in functional language skills
• 6 hours in culture, civilization, and literature (at least 3 being in culture and civilization)
• 12 hours of electives

At least 9 of the 24 hours must be upper-level. SEED 419, a course in Methodology, must also be taken.

NOTE: Harding University grants credit from CLEP foreign language examinations, depending on the score, and also grants AP credit in foreign languages. Consult Harding University's current catalogue for more detail, or if you have further questions, call the Registrar's office at (501) 279-4057.