Hi all,
How is Bates’s foreign language programs? I’m planning on studying Japanese and/or Spanish, and I want alumna/student perspectives. Middlebury is my top choice at the moment but I really like the Bates vibe… are their foreign language programs anywhere close to or on par to Middlebury’s?
My daughter is a current Bates junior and I read her question to you just now. My D had never done any Japanese in her life before attending Bates, and LOVES the program. Her friends do Spanish and also enjoy it. If you are planning to study one of the languages Bates offers, she said it is a time commitment and rigorous, but the students like their langauges.
As a bonus, Bates has excellent study abroad programs with some requiring a certian level of proficiency to be approved for the course. My D will be stduyignJapnanese in Japan while lving with a family. A friend of hers attended a program in Germany which was conducted in German, and is speaking fluently now. Another friend is in Chile right now, doing the same. Bates doesnt have the reputation for langauges that Middlebury does, but it offers very good quality.
thank you this is very helpful
Hi. I’m a Bates alum and was a French major. I’m also a parent of a Bates student. I got a great education! Small classes, good relationships with professors, and excellent study abroad opportunities (semester, year or Short Term). As an alum, I have provided job shadow opportunities to many language students over the past few years. They have all been bright, curious and motivated language students with diverse interests. Bates does a great job at getting students involved in the community. Many students work and collaborate with local organizations, schools and hospitals. I don’t know much about Middlebury, but of course it has an amazing reputation for languages (and a beautiful campus). But Bates does have a special vibe - down to earth, friendly, and community-oriented. Good luck!
Middlebury offers top foreign language programs for those seeking them, but a only a mid-range number (when compared to other NESCACs) of its students choose one as a “primary” major (22, out of 677, across foreign languages, literatures and linguistics in a recent class). The comparable figure for Bates is nine (out of 458). However, many more students at both of these schools may study languages in order to support other academic interests and career goals.
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Middlebury&s=all&id=230959#programs
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Bates&s=all&id=160977#programs
I would caution, depending on the language and your proficiency in it, to look carefully at ANY school’s offerings if this is your likely direction -especially as a major rather than as a “skill” accompanying some other academic interest. (Note @merc’s #s on majors above.) Many can get you through 4 years if you are a newbie to the language and many may go beyond that in the languages typically offered at US high schools. FAR fewer have the resources (teachers, libraries, etc) to support students who are at higher levels. Most have great study abroad options but different policies on the credits from them.
Bates is associated with a lot of great programs and has the policies in place that make it easy for most students to study abroad. Having a short term really adds flexibility.
I know someone who transferred from Bates because of lack of higher level classes (not either of the languages you mentioned. ) The positive is that it was taught so well at the lower levels that she knew she loved it enough to make that commitment. So, to that end, Bates does what it does well. – you need to assess if you need more than what they do. This is one of those areas where the difference is likely to be not between Bates and most other LACs, but between Bates and universities with graduate programs in the languages that interest you.
I would look at the course catalog for each of the schools you are considering to make that assessment. Quality is unlikely to be an issue.