University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Department of Romance languages

The Department of Romance Languages was established in 1901 as the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and became the academic department providing coursework in romance languages. In 1905, the name changed to Department of Romance Languages. Prior to 1901, romance and Germanic languages were taught in one department, known as the Department of Modern Languages.

From the description of Records of the Dept. of Romance Languages, 1952-1980 [manuscript]. WorldCat record id: 26683316

Instruction in romance languages at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill dates from the opening of the university in 1795. However, through the nineteenth century, this instruction, which emphasized the reading and translation of French literature, was combined with the study of modern languages. A professorship of modern languages was created by the Board of Trustees on 15 December 1825. The responsibilities of the position included instruction in German as well as French. Throughout the century, the focus of language courses remained on reading and translation and only during the twentieth century did the courses broaden to include training in conversation. On 26 January 1886, the Department of Modern Languages was established by the Board of Trustees. In 1901, under President Venable, romance language (French and Spanish) courses were segregated from Germanic language instruction into a Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. Four years later, courses in Italian were added to the department's curriculum, and in 1905 the department's name was revised to Department of Romance Languages. Instruction in Portuguese became the third major component of the curriculum in the 1941-1942 academic year.

The graduate program in romance languages originated in advanced French courses developed during the 1894-1895 school year. The first departmental master's degree was awarded in 1908. The first doctoral degree was earned by J. C. Lyons in 1927.

From the guide to the Department of Romance Languages of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1952-1980, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.)