Explore Our Programs
Students majoring in French, German, or Spanish take 30 hours of foreign language courses at the advanced level in addition to courses selected from a broad, well-balanced curriculum in fulfillment of the university and college requirements in general education.
Arabic classes are the key to introduce the students to the Arabic language and cultures. Arabic is the official language of 22 countries, in addition to being an official language at the United Nations. Muslims around the world use Arabic to read the holy Quran and conduct their religious ceremonies in Arabic too. Proficiency in Arabic allows the students to communicate in MSA and the Levantine dialect and prepares them to interact with the native speakers of the language in oversees programs. It also prepares them to read the old Arabic scripts, poetry and prose, in addition to translate news articles or other official documents from the internet. Our modern world is full of international events, which require the knowledge of Arabic to better analyze Middle Eastern events and gives our students better chances of employment in NGOs and government-related jobs.
The program offers a variety of classes starting with beginner's classes, which focus on learning the Arabic alphabet with its unique sounds and shapes. In these classes, the students start getting used to writing from right to left and use their jaws in ways they didn't know possible, by pronouncing the deep glottal Arabic letters. These unfamiliar beautiful sounds and shapes are usually mastered within the first few weeks by most of the students, which make their journey of studying Arabic a fun, easy and exciting one. These beginners' classes require no previous knowledge of Arabic and are considered the base to the next levels. After successfully finishing these classes, the students are allowed to move to the more specific and content-based classes dealing with the culture, literature media and the politics of the Middle East up until the 400-levels.
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About one-fifth of the world's population, or over one billion people, speak some variety of Chinese, making it the most commonly spoken first language in the world. Chinese civilization extended for thousands of years of unbroken history. This ancient culture has undergone a complex process of modernization and is poised to become a central player on the international stage of commerce and politics. As one of largest trading partners of the United States, China is becoming the second largest economy in the world.
Whether you are studying Chinese to fulfill your foreign language requirement, as preparation for study abroad in China, for a minor in Chinese Studies, or for your future career, this program of the World Languages and Cultures Department at ¹ÏÉñÍø offers you both curricular and extracurricular means to meet your goals. The Department offers the Chinese Language and Culture courses at all levels: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced I, Advanced II and Topics in Chinese.
All classes are student-centered, interactive and informative, with key language points taught through multimedia and drills practiced in class. Class activities include individual and group projects such as student-developed games and presentations, and students also watch movies and practice calligraphy to learn about Chinese culture. After class, students can join ¹ÏÉñÍø Chinese Culture and Language Club and are also partnered with native speakers to practice their language skills and to understand Chinese culture.
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Whether you are studying French to fulfill your foreign language requirement, as preparation for study abroad in a French-speaking country, or for a major/minor in French, the French program of the Department of World Languages & Cultures offers you both curricular and extracurricular means to meet your goals. Through this broad range of offerings and opportunities, our program encourages students to work not only toward proficiency in the French language, but to learn about the culture, history, literature, politics, and geography of the French-speaking world.
The focus of the French Studies program is on practical, culture-based proficiency in the use of French. Course content is both literary and more broadly cultural, drawing on fields such as history, philosophy, politics, economics, and the arts.
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The German Program welcomes you to be part of a vibrant and diverse community!
The German Program in the Department of World Languages and Cultures offers you a great variety of curricular and extracurricular means to meet your academic, professional, and personal goals—whether you are studying German language and culture to fulfill your language requirement, in preparation for studying and working in a German-speaking country, for your double major, major or minor in German or out of sheer interest and curiosity for all things German.
All of our instructors are experienced native or near-native German speakers, who are either from Germany or have lived, worked and studied in Germany. Our courses are taught in an interactive seminar format with a focus on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as well as intercultural competence, which sets students apart on the job market. As a student in our program, you will achieve practical and culture-based proficiency in German through studying German literature, philosophy, film, art, and news as well as related fields such as history, politics, economics, and the arts. Our courses have an interdisciplinary focus and are often cross-listed with other departments and programs, such as World Cultural Studies, International Studies, Communication and Theatre Arts, History, and Jewish and Interfaith Understanding. To further practice your language skills outside of the classroom, you can take advantage of ¹ÏÉñÍø's Language Learning Center, participate in our extracurricular activities, and attend regular screenings of German films at the local movie theatreÌýNaro.
A great strength of our German program is that we teach small discussion-based classes which usually meet at least twice or even three times a week. In addition to allowing students to get to know each other well, form lifelong friendships, create crucial professional networks, and learn how to solve problems in teams, this intensive format allows students to work closely with their instructors. As one of the smaller programs at ¹ÏÉñÍø, we pride ourselves in knowing our students well and advising and mentoring them through every step of the way so that they achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals.
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Learning Japanese will open doors to new places and new possibilities. Our interactive, proficiency-oriented classes aim to develop students' language skills and socio-cultural awareness and competencies. Students have many opportunities to practice their language skills and connect with Japanese speakers through class projects, language clubs, and various events throughout the year.
Minoring in Japanese is a fun and exciting adventureÌý— it will show that you possess determination, grit, and no fear of challenging yourself. Along the way, you will meet and make friends with people from diverse backgrounds, and expand your (view of the) world. We are committed to fostering competent global citizens who are critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, and good collaborators.
Ìý
Spanish is spoken worldwide by more than 572 million people and is the official or co-official language in 21 countries, the UN, and the European Union: it is the third most spoken language in the world, the first in the Americas, and the second in the USA. With more than 58 million speakers, the US has the second largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.
At a global and national level, proficiency in Spanish has become an indispensable strength in many professional fields. Whether you are interested in the impact of global warming and rising sea levels, in national and international social issues, or in a career in business entrepreneurship, health, law, social sciences, engineering, US government, education, Spanish gives you the opportunity of being one step ahead. Learning Spanish lets you develop the language skills and cultural awareness needed to successfully interact in a wide range of situations.
Spanish is considered one of the easiest languages for a native English speaker to learn. Spanish is a great way to strengthen your CV and improve your national and international career prospects when paired with another B.A or B.S degree. The Department's knowledgeable instructors and a methodology focused on language proficiency and intercultural communication, with ample opportunities to interact with different native speakers inside and outside the classroom, will allow you to improve your language skills and cultural know-how.
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World Cultural Studies welcomes you to an innovative, interdisciplinary program that explores the interrelationships between global challenges, human communities, and power. At ¹ÏÉñÍø we offer both a Major in World Cultural Studies and a Minor in World Cultures: Values and Visions.
Our program is designed to connect individual student interests with a broad range of courses on global issues, and to promote the development and application of skills in intercultural understanding and fluency that are necessary in today's global marketplace. Our classes welcome students as well as featured guest speakers from many degree programs at ¹ÏÉñÍø. Students work closely with faculty mentors to build a specialized area of focus that will contribute to their graduate education or future career paths. A foundation in world cultural studies has an application in almost all fields today, from engineering to international business. Students also pursue careers in education, the non-profit sector, human rights advocacy and international development.
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The mission of the Foreign Language Teaching Licensure program is to prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to teach a World Language within the Pre-K through Grade 12 environment. The need of proficiency in more than one language is of critical importance in order to make an impact in today's global world. This program is designed for prospective teachers and offers a great variety of curricular and extracurricular means to meet students' professional goals. With this degree, students will achieve proficiency and cultural competence in Spanish, French, or German through the study of literature, philosophy, film, and art, as well as related fields such as history, politics, economics, and current events.
Students in this program will be required to complete courses in both the Department of World Languages and the Department of Teaching and Learning. These classes will be for French, German, or Spanish, and for Education. At the end of their studies, students will be placed in the teacher candidate internship and will have fulfilled all requirements for temporary teacher certification with the State of Virginia. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to step confidently into their own classroom.
Ìý
Arabic classes are the key to introduce the students to the Arabic language and cultures. Arabic is the official language of 22 countries, in addition to being an official language at the United Nations. Muslims around the world use Arabic to read the holy Quran and conduct their religious ceremonies in Arabic too. Proficiency in Arabic allows the students to communicate in MSA and the Levantine dialect and prepares them to interact with the native speakers of the language in oversees programs. It also prepares them to read the old Arabic scripts, poetry and prose, in addition to translate news articles or other official documents from the internet. Our modern world is full of international events, which require the knowledge of Arabic to better analyze Middle Eastern events and gives our students better chances of employment in NGOs and government-related jobs.
The program offers a variety of classes starting with beginner's classes, which focus on learning the Arabic alphabet with its unique sounds and shapes. In these classes, the students start getting used to writing from right to left and use their jaws in ways they didn't know possible, by pronouncing the deep glottal Arabic letters. These unfamiliar beautiful sounds and shapes are usually mastered within the first few weeks by most of the students, which make their journey of studying Arabic a fun, easy and exciting one. These beginners' classes require no previous knowledge of Arabic and are considered the base to the next levels. After successfully finishing these classes, the students are allowed to move to the more specific and content-based classes dealing with the culture, literature media and the politics of the Middle East up until the 400-levels.
Ìý
About one-fifth of the world's population, or over one billion people, speak some variety of Chinese, making it the most commonly spoken first language in the world. Chinese civilization extended for thousands of years of unbroken history. This ancient culture has undergone a complex process of modernization and is poised to become a central player on the international stage of commerce and politics. As one of largest trading partners of the United States, China is becoming the second largest economy in the world.
Whether you are studying Chinese to fulfill your foreign language requirement, as preparation for study abroad in China, for a minor in Chinese Studies, or for your future career, this program of the World Languages and Cultures Department at ¹ÏÉñÍø offers you both curricular and extracurricular means to meet your goals. The Department offers the Chinese Language and Culture courses at all levels: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced I, Advanced II and Topics in Chinese.
All classes are student-centered, interactive and informative, with key language points taught through multimedia and drills practiced in class. Class activities include individual and group projects such as student-developed games and presentations, and students also watch movies and practice calligraphy to learn about Chinese culture. After class, students can join ¹ÏÉñÍø Chinese Culture and Language Club and are also partnered with native speakers to practice their language skills and to understand Chinese culture.
Ìý
Whether you are studying French to fulfill your foreign language requirement, as preparation for study abroad in a French-speaking country, or for a major/minor in French, the French program of the Department of World Languages & Cultures offers you both curricular and extracurricular means to meet your goals. Through this broad range of offerings and opportunities, our program encourages students to work not only toward proficiency in the French language, but to learn about the culture, history, literature, politics, and geography of the French-speaking world.
The focus of the French Studies program is on practical, culture-based proficiency in the use of French. Course content is both literary and more broadly cultural, drawing on fields such as history, philosophy, politics, economics, and the arts.
Ìý
The German Program welcomes you to be part of a vibrant and diverse community!
The German Program in the Department of World Languages and Cultures offers you a great variety of curricular and extracurricular means to meet your academic, professional, and personal goals—whether you are studying German language and culture to fulfill your language requirement, in preparation for studying and working in a German-speaking country, for your double major, major or minor in German or out of sheer interest and curiosity for all things German.
All of our instructors are experienced native or near-native German speakers, who are either from Germany or have lived, worked and studied in Germany. Our courses are taught in an interactive seminar format with a focus on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as well as intercultural competence, which sets students apart on the job market. As a student in our program, you will achieve practical and culture-based proficiency in German through studying German literature, philosophy, film, art, and news as well as related fields such as history, politics, economics, and the arts. Our courses have an interdisciplinary focus and are often cross-listed with other departments and programs, such as World Cultural Studies, International Studies, Communication and Theatre Arts, History, and Jewish and Interfaith Understanding. To further practice your language skills outside of the classroom, you can take advantage of ¹ÏÉñÍø's Language Learning Center, participate in our extracurricular activities, and attend regular screenings of German films at the local movie theatreÌýNaro.
A great strength of our German program is that we teach small discussion-based classes which usually meet at least twice or even three times a week. In addition to allowing students to get to know each other well, form lifelong friendships, create crucial professional networks, and learn how to solve problems in teams, this intensive format allows students to work closely with their instructors. As one of the smaller programs at ¹ÏÉñÍø, we pride ourselves in knowing our students well and advising and mentoring them through every step of the way so that they achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals.
Ìý
Learning Japanese will open doors to new places and new possibilities. Our interactive, proficiency-oriented classes aim to develop students' language skills and socio-cultural awareness and competencies. Students have many opportunities to practice their language skills and connect with Japanese speakers through class projects, language clubs, and various events throughout the year.
Minoring in Japanese is a fun and exciting adventureÌý— it will show that you possess determination, grit, and no fear of challenging yourself. Along the way, you will meet and make friends with people from diverse backgrounds, and expand your (view of the) world. We are committed to fostering competent global citizens who are critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, and good collaborators.
Ìý
Spanish is spoken worldwide by more than 572 million people and is the official or co-official language in 21 countries, the UN, and the European Union: it is the third most spoken language in the world, the first in the Americas, and the second in the USA. With more than 58 million speakers, the US has the second largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.
At a global and national level, proficiency in Spanish has become an indispensable strength in many professional fields. Whether you are interested in the impact of global warming and rising sea levels, in national and international social issues, or in a career in business entrepreneurship, health, law, social sciences, engineering, US government, education, Spanish gives you the opportunity of being one step ahead. Learning Spanish lets you develop the language skills and cultural awareness needed to successfully interact in a wide range of situations.
Spanish is considered one of the easiest languages for a native English speaker to learn. Spanish is a great way to strengthen your CV and improve your national and international career prospects when paired with another B.A or B.S degree. The Department's knowledgeable instructors and a methodology focused on language proficiency and intercultural communication, with ample opportunities to interact with different native speakers inside and outside the classroom, will allow you to improve your language skills and cultural know-how.
Ìý
World Cultural Studies welcomes you to an innovative, interdisciplinary program that explores the interrelationships between global challenges, human communities, and power. At ¹ÏÉñÍø we offer both a Major in World Cultural Studies and a Minor in World Cultures: Values and Visions.
Our program is designed to connect individual student interests with a broad range of courses on global issues, and to promote the development and application of skills in intercultural understanding and fluency that are necessary in today's global marketplace. Our classes welcome students as well as featured guest speakers from many degree programs at ¹ÏÉñÍø. Students work closely with faculty mentors to build a specialized area of focus that will contribute to their graduate education or future career paths. A foundation in world cultural studies has an application in almost all fields today, from engineering to international business. Students also pursue careers in education, the non-profit sector, human rights advocacy and international development.
Ìý
The mission of the Foreign Language Teaching Licensure program is to prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to teach a World Language within the Pre-K through Grade 12 environment. The need of proficiency in more than one language is of critical importance in order to make an impact in today's global world. This program is designed for prospective teachers and offers a great variety of curricular and extracurricular means to meet students' professional goals. With this degree, students will achieve proficiency and cultural competence in Spanish, French, or German through the study of literature, philosophy, film, and art, as well as related fields such as history, politics, economics, and current events.
Students in this program will be required to complete courses in both the Department of World Languages and the Department of Teaching and Learning. These classes will be for French, German, or Spanish, and for Education. At the end of their studies, students will be placed in the teacher candidate internship and will have fulfilled all requirements for temporary teacher certification with the State of Virginia. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to step confidently into their own classroom.
Ìý
Additional Courses Taught
In addition to our programs, WLC offers courses in Hebrew, Italian, Latin, and Russian.