Foreign Language
www.linnbenton.edu/foreign-language
The Foreign Language emphasis, Associate of Science degree is intended for students who plan to transfer to Oregon State University (OSU) and major in Foreign Languages. Currently, Spanish is the only language available at LBCC for students who wish to pursue a foreign language degree. Transfer credit language classes earn four transfer credits each and emphasize speaking, reading, and writing, helping students to build proficiency. Students who want to pursue an AS degree in a foreign language other than Spanish may study that language through the LBCC/OSU Degree Partnership Program. The Degree Partnership Program (DPP) is an arrangement between LBCC and Oregon State that allows students to take classes at both institutions. Students should meet with an advisor in the Foreign Language Department to learn more about their options with DPP.
The Foreign Language department at LBCC also offers classes designed for heritage speakers of Spanish. Heritage speakers are students who grew up hearing and speaking Spanish, generally from their parents or grandparents. However, they may not have reached the competence and literacy of native speakers. Typically, heritage speakers have had little exposure to writing and reading in their heritage language, so these skills may need to be developed. Likewise, heritage speakers may function well in everyday, common interactions, but may struggle expressing themselves in more academic or formal settings. LBCC offers a sequence for Heritage Speakers (SPN 214, SPN 215, and SPN 216) which can be taken in lieu of the second-year Spanish sequence (SPN 201, SPN 202, and SPN 203). The Heritage Speakers sequence fulfills the Bachelor of Arts foreign language requirement at OSU. After transferring, heritage speakers have the opportunity to continue with 300- and 400-level heritage speakers classes (and a minor) through OSU’s Center for Latino/a Studies and Engagement. For more information, contact program faculty.
Students who intend to transfer to an institution other than Oregon State University should follow the degree requirements for the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT). It is important that students identify the institution that they plan to attend. An advisor in the foreign language department can help students select the classes at LBCC that will transfer to their chosen institution. Students are encouraged to also work with an advisor from the transfer institution.
LBCC also offers a wide variety of non-credit conversational foreign languages to meet community interests and the needs of local employers. Conversational foreign language classes are offered through Community Education centers in Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon.