The Department of World Languages and Cultures supports both the mission and the vision of Howard University. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, it is the second largest department in the College of Arts and Sciences and contributes to the realization of Howard's enterprise by offering courses in foreign modern languages and literatures. The DWLC offers a Major & Minor in French, German, Ru
ssian and Spanish languages, cultures, and literatures. It also offers advanced study leading to a Minor in Arabic, Japanese, Portuguese and Swahili. The DWLC is constantly adapting itself to the global world offering basic instructions in Haitian Creole and Wolof. in French and Spanish entirely aligned with the vision of uniqueness at Howard University. Efforts are underway to restore the Ph.D. program in French and Spanish through an interdisciplinary doctorate program in African and African Diaspora Languages, Cultures and Literatures. History
The Department of World Languages and Cultures is the recent name adopted by what was until 2008 the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. The DMLL was established on July 1, 1993, through a merger of two academic units and one support facility, namely the Department of German and Russian, the Department of Romance Languages, and the Language Resource Center. Faculty
Presently there are approximately 46 full-time faculty members. The DWLC faculty is a diverse group trained in the language, literature, culture and history of several nations. The faculty has extensive training, experience, and expertise in areas related to second language teaching, comparative literature and culture, international business, music, film, photographic journalism, pedagogy, anthropology, education, general linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and educational technology. Faculty members have garnered both a national and international reputation. Many are recognized as pioneers in their fields. Of special note is the international acclaim of several members in the unique fields of African and African Diaspora (Afro-French and Afro-Hispanic/Afro-Latino studies).
