As part of its educational program, the Department operates three small residences - a French , a German , and a Spanish house, each under the leadership of a resident graduate student who is an assistant in the Department and a native speaker of the language. While in residence, students are expected to speak French, German, or Spanish exclusively. The Language Houses participate in the House Fellows program, whereby instructors conduct one course per semester in residential buildings. The Language house experience has been available to Hood students for over twenty years. Living in a small house, you make close friends, friends for life.
Students thus have the opportunity to experience total immersion within the language.
Students living in the houses run their meetings in the language, share occasional meals during which the language is spoken, and coordinate activities which enhance their understanding of the respective culture. Each house has a language assistant who is selected by the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department. L.A.s are native speakers who teach conversation classes in the house. In addition, they are responsible for assisting the residents in their efforts to become fluent. Applications are available in the Foreign Language Department.