Two facts help to distinguish the Bethany Department of Foreign Languages. The first is a tradition of academic excellence and a nurturing community among the students and faculty. The second is an emphasis which goes beyond Bethany to encompass the world and all its cultural and linguistic diversity. The Bethany Department of Foreign Languages likes to think of its four-year program as a journey designed to lead the student outside of the classroom and into the world of the target language and culture. Yet the journey itself has its roots in the classroom and, more specifically, in a carefully formulated academic approach.
Students have the option of arranging independent studies on a variety of topics.
The Department has a unique approach to teaching language acquisition, the Rassias Method. Though students may, from time to time, be heard lamenting over the rigors of their course-load, few would deny that the challenges of the curriculum help to prepare them for a wide range of professional careers, graduate schools and, most importantly, for a life both responsive and sensitive to the world's many cultures. So, you have decided that you want to major in a foreign language. At Bethany, you can major in French, in German or in Spanish. Still, despite vague notions of grammar and literature classes, you may wonder exactly what that means.