Foreign language enrollment among U.S. college students is on the rise, according to a report released last week by the Modern Language Association of America. The University's enrollment numbers closely follow the nationwide trend, said foreign language professors yesterday.
The MLA report shows a 4.8 percent increase in the number of students enrolled in foreign language classes since 1995. The previous study from 1995 had shown a 3.8 decrease in enrollment between 1990 and 1995.
MLA Executive Director Phyllis Franklin said she attributes the rise to two major factors.
"Students are enrolling in foreign language courses due to economics and intellectual reasons," Franklin said. "They either feel it will be useful in their career or they find the idea of another culture very attractive."
A steady national trend apparent in both studies is the increase in the number of students enrolling in Spanish courses. Spanish class enrollment has risen 8.3 percent since 1995.
The report also shows that enrollment in the other two most popular languages, French and German, has been on the decline. French is down 3.1 percent and German is down 7.5 percent since 1995.
"Spanish is a major language in the U.S. and Northern Virginia and is [a] justifiable [choice] among students," said William E. Jackson, associate professor and chairman of the German department.
While the national trend shows decreases in enrollment in both languages, the University shows a decrease in German enrollment but an increase in French enrollment.
"The trend has definitely been down, although there was a slight increase this past fall," Jackson said.
He assumes the decline in enrollment is because "Spanish [is] the language of choice and Asian languages [are becoming] much more important," he said.
The French department, however, is not conforming to the national trend of a decline in French class enrollments, said Mary McKinley, professor and chairwoman of the French department.
"During the same period of time [that national trends were showing decreases] and up to the present, undergraduate enrollment [at the University] has increased," McKinley said. "Though not dramatically, any increase is dramatic considering the national trend."
According to the MLA report, Chinese and Arabic enrollments have risen 7.5 percent and 23.9 percent respectively. Enrollment in Japanese is down 3.5 percent since 1995.
The University's enrollment trends in these languages are similar to the national trends. Data from the Asian and Middle Eastern Languages Department show that enrollment in Chinese has risen from 119 students in the fall of 1997 to 168 in the fall of 1999. Enrollment in Arabic has increased from 81 students in the fall of 1997 to 127 in the fall of 1999.
The enrollment in Japanese followed the trend between the fall of 1997 to the spring of 1999, decreasing from 173 to 142 students. Yet this fall enrollment increased to 163 students.
Read More
Administrators and faculty paint conflicting pictures of May 4 encampment clearing
By Cecilia Mould | 2 days agoThe details contested between the town halls included the clarity of the University’s tent policy and the presence of suspicious individuals at the encampment.
Faculty Senate calls for an external review of May 4 clearing of encampment
By Priya Kommu | 2 days agoSenators had questions about the lack of direct communication between University administrators and the students and faculty present at the encampment.
University's last minute update to EHS tent regulations document creates confusion, frustration
By Arshiya Pant | 2 days agoRyan said that he did not believe there was confusion among protesters about the permissibility of tents due to warnings from University officials on several occasions to remove tents.
