<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I have a question directed more towards the current upperclassmen at Vandy.</p>
<p>Overall, how would you rate the foreign language department at Vandy? I'm enrolling in German 101 this semester and plan to take all 4 levels of the langauge (4 semesters) and the two advanced "conversation and composition" courses, with a maymester in Vienna and my final semester in Germany.
How much is the oral component emphasized? Is it all about grammar and writing? Do the instructors help you perfect your accent?
I'm hoping to not only become a good writer of the language but also a good speaker, as I have lots of family/distant friends in Europe that I hope to one day connect with. Will Rosetta Stone or any supplementary resourse be necessary?</p>
<p>Thankssss. </p>
<p>Before you advance with that plan, beware that study abroad during final semester can prevent you from participating in commencement. D of a good friend did study abroad during her fall semester senior year. She had such a wonderful time, she decided to go back for the spring semester. However, her credits didn’t get transferred back in time for May commencement. She was technically an August graduate and told she could participate in commencement the following May.</p>
<p>Both of my kids did German at Vanderbilt, but I can’t speak to your technical questions. I can tell you that D did a summer semester in Berlin and had a wonderful experience there. She took the third German course while there. It was a well planned program in conjunction with FUBIS.</p>
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<p>One more question 
(directed at vandy students who are taking any foreign language)</p>
<p>I know that most languages meet 5 days a week. What goes on in these class rooms 50 minutes a day? They way it looks, less than 10 people will be enrolling in german per class. Is it in a traditional classroom, a lecture hall, or is it situated in a small room with everyone sitting around one table? Is it straight out of the book or do the instructors like to keep it fresh and interesting?</p>
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<p>If you look on YES, only lower-level language classes meet 5 times a week. 200-level classes meet for 3 hours a week, just like any other class. Some, such as PORT 102 (which is intended for students who speak another Romance language, such as Spanish, already) meet 4 times a week.</p>
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