The study of languages gives students a sound foundation in the liberal arts. Graduates with language backgrounds possess a resource for continuing intellectual growth and personal fulfillment, a passport for moving easily within the world community and its diverse cultures, and a practical tool for earning a living. Programs in the Department of World Languages concentrate on the acquisition of language and knowledge of the cultures that the language expresses. The department offers baccalaureate degrees and minors in French, German, and Spanish; minors in American Sign Language, Arabic Studies, Basque Studies, Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Latin American and Latino/a Studies, Latin, as well as language instruction in Bosnian, Korean and Portuguese. Special encouragement is given to students who wish to pursue a minor emphasis in a world language to support a major taken outside the department. With the changing population of the United States and the growing interdependence of the international community, career opportunities are expanding rapidly for graduates who know a second language. Second language competency has become highly desirable in teaching, government, social services, diplomacy, law, medicine, mass communications, science, technology, international trade, and marketing. The programs in world languages have the latitude and flexibility to fit nearly any career goal. The Department of World Languages encourages students who wish to acquire proficiency at a “professional” or “near-native” level to spend time in a region whose language they are studying. Programs available through the Office of International Learning Opportunities give students a chance to master a language and learn more about culture and customs, often while studying at foreign universities and living with local families.
