A Study On Foreign Language Curriculum System Of Cornell University

In order to safeguard political, economic and military interests after the World War II, the United States has introduced a succession of national language strategies and supported foreign language education in colleges and universities by making a series of national programs and providing financial allocation. Currently, American universities have gradually established a foreign language curriculum system to cultivate specialized and versatile talents. As a member of America’s famous Ivy League, Cornell University sticks to its schooling philosophy of "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study". In that way, how is Cornell’s foreign language curriculum objective formed today? What are the unique features of its foreign language curriculum design, curriculum structure and curriculum management? What kind of ideological essence and experience can be referred to by Chinese universities? If all the important issues in this series can be studied intensively and solved systematically, it should be gifted with theoretical reference value and practical significance to the improvement of foreign language curriculum system in Chinese colleges and universities.This thesis is composed of five parts:Chapter Ⅰ Introduction introduces the research background as well as the purposes and significances of this study, reviews related research results and progress at home and abroad, defines the key concepts and pinpoints the content and research methods of this study.Chapter Ⅱ firstly analyzes the internal and external environment that contributes to the formation of Cornell’s foreign language curriculum objectives, and based on this, an overall objective and four specific objectives of Cornell’s foreign language curriculum are discussed.Chapter Ⅲ introduces the main body that is in charge of Cornell’s foreign language curriculum design, including the College of Arts and Sciences, its subordinate departments, center and research programs. It also gives an overview of the offering situation of foreign language curriculum by Cornell in cooperation with other universities and organizations. In the final part of this chapter, statistics and analysis are conducted on the curriculum’s quantity and content.Chapter Ⅳ explores the structure of Cornell’s foreign language curriculum at the beginning. Then it focuses on analyzing the curriculum’s management mode and its specific measures, including the approach to taking forging language courses, curriculum requirements, curriculum numbering system, course registration and exemption, course add and drop as well as course teaching support.Chapter Ⅴ summarizes the experiences and enlightenments that can be gained from the construction of Cornell’s foreign language curriculum system. And in view of this, the development and improvement of the foreign language curriculum system in Chinese colleges and universities can be carried out from the following several aspects:to highlight the strategic and epochal character of the curriculum objective; to strengthen the comprehensiveness and diversity of the curriculum design; to attach great importance to the structure adjustment of the curriculum; to enhance curriculum management and support.