Students in the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures study languages other than English, as well as the cultures where these languages are spoken. The study of a foreign language allows for direct access to people and cultures other than one’s own and helps develop international understanding and sensitivity. We live in a complex world where global awareness, cultural understanding, and intercultural communication are vital aspects of business, government, and education, indeed of all human interaction. This field of study provides the training necessary to flourish in this competitive environment.

Combined with most any discipline, the study of foreign languages is an ideal enhancement to one’s marketability in today’s work environment. There are several areas in which a knowledge of foreign languages is crucial and the current need for language skills especially acute. These include the foreign service, international business and law, real estate, tourism, agriculture, health care and social work, major print and broadcast media, international communication, art and music, secondary and higher education, forestry, engineering and construction, intelligence and national security, law enforcement, and the armed forces.