The number of traditional language programs in higher education has declined during the past 40 years, a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Riverside concluded.
Led by Steven Brint, sociology professor and associate dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, the study looked at the number and type of institutions which offered European language degrees and later discontinued them.
The study found only 59 percent of American four-year colleges offered Romance-language majors in 2006, compared to almost 76 percent in the 1970-71 academic year, though Spanish programs have not been affected in the same way. For German language majors, the rate declined from about 44 to nearly 27 percent during the same period.
Timothy Reagan, professor of foreign language education at Central Connecticut State University, discussed reasons for the decline. He suggested the trend toward removing language requirements in universities may play a large role.
"There is a general sense in the U.S. that English is sufficient," Reagan said. "People tend to be monolingual and assume that that is normal."
Brint said another factor of the decline is the economic recession and its impact on higher education funds.
"It is possible and likely that universities are cutting back on programs [because of the economy]," he said.
The type of institution also plays a large role in decisions to continue or abandon foreign language programs.
"Most large and higher-status institutions tend to not drop these fields in arts and science," Brint said. "There is a very strong relationship between size and status in maintaining these fields. [The schools in which] they are being dropped are smaller and less prestigious."
He added that institutions being established now are less likely to offer foreign language degrees.
Foreign language programs have not seen any decline in students or support at the University, however, French department Chair Cheryl Krueger said. With regard to French in particular, Kreuger said in an e-mail that there have been "no signs of declining interest in French language, literature and culture. Every semester we have to increase class sizes on several 3000- and 4000-level courses to accommodate the number of students who wish to take courses taught in French, dealing with France and the French-speaking world."
As long as foreign language departments continue to receive support, Romance languages will continue to thrive at the University, French Assoc. Prof. Janet Horne said in an e-mail. The Spanish department did cut its minor in September 2009, however, noting that "minors compete for courses with majors who need the courses to graduate," according to the department website.
Spanish is the one language that has seen significant growth in student interest and study prevalence in the United States, Brint said.
Reagan speculated American students continue to pursue Spanish because "[it] is arguably the most useful language."
Brint said he believes the prevalence of language programs is greatly beneficial for both students and universities because it promotes a more cosmopolitan student population.
"We often talk about globalization, and being prepared for a global world, yet we find the courses that prepare students for that are being cut," Brint said.
Horne said she believes students at the University recognize the need to maintain foreign language studies, however.
"Our students understand that an English-only approach to the world is very limited," Horne said. "Universities need to be places where the leaders of tomorrow can become more deeply engaged with other peoples and cultures through the study of world languages, literatures, and cultures.
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