World Languages Department
The Department of World Languages offers you the world
Our programs not only build and broaden language skills, but also expose you to the rich culture and history of the world’s people and places. Our comprehensive and intensive range of courses allows for the study of a wide variety of languages and cultures, including French, German, Japanese , and Spanish. For information on Cherokee language studies in the Anthropology and Sociology Department, please visit Cherokee Studies.
We offer several undergraduate academic programs that include a World Languages BA major with a concentration in German, Japanese, Spanish and Dual Language. We also offer a minor in German, Japanese, Latina/o Studies, and Spanish.
In addition to your curricular pursuits, you’ll find any number of special opportunities and events to get involved in—including student-run organizations, Study Abroad, Hispanic Heritage Month, and the annual Language Contest for High School Students, to name but a few.
Whether your passion is absorbing the cultures of the world or teaching a foreign language or second language learners, the Department of World Languages offers you the world.
Our faculty have a wide range of expertise, experience, interests and connections. The small size of most classes in the World Languages Department means there is plenty of opportunity for interaction between teacher and student.
Language Contest
The annual Language Contest for high school students was held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Details of the 2027 Language Contest will be posted in February.
News
- Keep up with Spanish Program news with our blog, where you’ll find updates on current students, alumni, faculty, and upcoming events.
- Take a look at what is happening on our Japanese Program blog where you will also find information on events hosted by our Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator
- Want to learn more about languages in general? iLanguage Talks, orchestrated by Garrett Fisher, showcase how language and culture intersect.