Cultures & Languages

The Army Leadership Studies program promotes the development of undergraduate students on small group leadership. Students will walk away with an in-depth understanding of Small Unit Tactics, Land Navigation and Field Training, Operations and Logistical Planning, Team Building, and Peer-to-Peer counseling.

In the Asian American Studies Program (AAST), students undertake an interdisciplinary and critical study of race, immigration, and political and social representation through examination of the experiences of Asian Americans. Students study the experiences of Asian Americans compared to and connected with other groups in the United States, as well as situated within a global and transnational context.

Individual Studies (IVSP) students enjoy broad academic freedom and flexibility to pursue their degrees in ways that best suit their intellectual interests and passions. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor and the IVSP staff, students create their own unique, interdisciplinary majors that approach important issues, questions, and problems from a range of disciplines and perspectives. 

The public leadership minor empowers student to think critically about the solutions needed for a range of pressing problems, examining such issues as democratization and human rights, crime and punishment, diversity and affirmative action, and poverty and inequality. In addition to exploring the issues, you will engage in critical questions and learning about leadership for the public good and effective citizenship.

The nonprofit leadership and social innovation minor gives you the tools to engage in hands-on learning to enhance your knowledge of local, national and global issues. Students will examine different approaches to social impact and study the role of the nonprofit, non-governmental and social sectors, in addition to social innovation, leadership and nonprofit management skills.

The public policy major implements a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach to tackling the most pressing policy dilemmas. Our coursework sharpens students' analytical and decision-making skills by focusing on practical problem-solving rather than theoretical concepts. Whether you are passionate about addressing inequality, reducing poverty, combating barriers to healthcare or strategic risk management, the public policy major provides a strong foundation for creating innovative solutions.

The Minor in TESOL curriculum provides a foundation in second language learning and pedagogy, cross-cultural issues and understanding, and curricular and pedagogical issues which support reading and writing in a second language context. Several of the courses include field components that provide candidates with direct experience in working with second language learners.

The Disability Studies Minor promotes the study of disability and prepares students for an inclusively designed world. Students enrolled in the DS Minor will examine the concept of disability historically, in contemporary society, and in their chosen fields of study. Through required and elective courses, students will explore challenges and opportunities we face in making our world more accessible to all.

The World Languages Education program offers teacher certification in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latiin, Russian, and Spanish. It is a double major in language and education. This program powerfully combines theory, research, and practice throughout its coursework and teaching internships.

The Secondary Social Studies Education students will receive a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor or Arts degree with eligibility for teacher certification (Grades 7-12). A strong focus on learning to read and evaluate sources carefully and sharpen their skills to discern truth from falsehood, seek multiple perspectives, and engage in civil, evidence-based discourse on critical issues.

The Elementary/Middle Special Education program leads to a Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree with eligibility for teacher certification. Teacher candidates will be prepared to teach students with support, students at-risk, students in need of intervention, and students with mild (high incidence) to severe (low incidence) disabilities, across disability categories. There are two tracks of study available to students, both tracks prepare our candidates to meet varying learner needs in diverse classrooms.

The minor in Paleobiology will provide students with a broad understanding of the application of the methods of biology and geology to the study of the history of life, and develop students’ appreciation of how issues in the study of paleobiology connect with larger trends in those sciences. It is intended for all students with an interest in the study of the history of life, be it professional or avocational.

The undergraduate minor in Earth History recognizes concentrated study in this designated field in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. The award of a minor will be noted on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.

The International Business major dynamically pairs your interests in international economics systems and their inherent multicultural characteristics. In addition to the usual core course and electives that comprise the degree, you’ll have the opportunity to select an upper-level foreign language course to truly expand your skills in a global capacity.

The field of Speech-Language Pathology deals with the diagnosis and remediation of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and fluency problems in children and adults. The Hearing and Speech Science major prepares students for graduate study by providing a strong foundation in the scientific fundamentals of both speech-language pathology and audiology, including causes and characteristics of disorders, prevention, assessment, and intervention.

Anthropology is a scientific and humanistic discipline devoted to improving our understanding of human culture and diversity, including exploring relationships between past and present humans, as well as the biological and social components of our species. The major maintains a strong focus on the practical uses and applications of anthropological knowledge.

Anti-Black racism minors study policies and practices rooted in social institutions (i.e. education, health care, criminal justice system, housing) that reinforce prejudice and discrimination towards people of African descent. This minor will give students a deeper understanding of these policies, practices, beliefs, and behaviors as well as ways to work to ensure they can be inclusive leaders

The African Studies Minor focuses on the history, culture, politics and economics of the peoples who populate the continent of Africa. As an interdisciplinary field of study, the minor will provide students with an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts that have and continue to shape political, economic and social development in Africa.

African-American Studies majors examine a range of historical and contemporary issues relevant to people of African descent and contribute to the development of meaningful social policy. Our faculty conduct research on women and labor, social inequalities and health, educational inequalities and policy, incarceration and victimization, and family dynamics and health in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Latin American and Caribbean Studies minor helps prepare students for careers related to Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, all minors must demonstrate their competence in one of the languages of Latin America and the Caribbean, including Spanish or Portuguese.

The Portuguese program spans language, culture, cinema and literature courses, fostering linguistic and critical thinking skills. Emphasizing faculty support and interaction, it offers a rigorous education in language and culture for academic and professional excellence. The Portuguese minor enhances language proficiency through immersive language and cultural coursework. This interdisciplinary approach enhances cross-cultural communication abilities and encourages individual exploration.

The Korean Studies minor offers a foundational understanding of Korea's language and culture, welcoming heritage and non-heritage students. It combines Korean program courses with various departments across campus. The Korean program offers language, culture and linguistics courses, with special topics through the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) due to our Big Ten affiliation.

The Black Women's Studies minor explores women's lives from Africa and the African Diaspora. Merging Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and African American Studies, it explores the intersectionality of race, gender, class, sexuality and ethnicity in the experiences of Black women. An interdisciplinary minor, it enhances students' career paths, including nonprofit management, social justice advocacy, law, healthcare, education and government.

The LGBTQ minor provides students an opportunity for interdisciplinary study of the lives, experiences, identities and representations of LGBTQ people. This program provides solid grounding in the concepts and methods that define studies of sex, gender and gender identity today. Students gain familiarity with vocabulary and knowledge in critiquing key developments, along with critical reasoning and research skills.

Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies covers feminist scholarship, the history of women, and gender as a social construct. The program offers concentrations in social justice, transnational politics, race, ethnicity, bodies, genders, sexualities, arts and LGBTQ studies. These concentrations explore diverse aspects of gender, race and queer studies, fostering critical understanding and activism. Students can also design their own concentration.

Our award-winning program provides hands-on experience in acting, directing, voice, movement and design with a curriculum focused on student engagement and professional development. The faculty represent various dramatic disciplines. Alumni have achieved success on Broadway, in film and television, and working with established artists like Beyoncé. Located near D.C., we offer unique networking opportunities and partnerships with prestigious institutions.

A minor in Spanish offers opportunities in international fields, education, public service, law and more. It includes three tracks: Literature, Linguistics, and Culture; Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts; and Heritage Language and Latina/o Culture.

A minor in Spanish offers opportunities in international fields, education, public service, law and more. It includes three tracks: Literature, Linguistics, and Culture; Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts; and Heritage Language and Latina/o Culture.

A minor in Spanish offers opportunities in international fields, education, public service, law and more. It includes three tracks: Literature, Linguistics, and Culture; Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts; and Heritage Language and Latina/o Culture.

A B.A. in Spanish develops language and cultural skills with applications in diverse fields such as education, business and law. Three tracks are available: Spanish and Latin American Literature, Culture, and Media; Spanish Linguistics, Culture, and Education; and Spanish Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts. Each track focuses on different aspects of Spanish language and culture.

Students completing the Russian minor will be able to converse at an intermediate level about personal interests and everyday issues; comprehend basic, authentic written materials in Russian; and demonstrate developing knowledge of the institutions, values and cultural traditions and practices of Russia.

The Russian program offers students small class sizes, promoting faculty-student interaction. Faculty are experts in Russian literature, culture, film and language. Specialized courses accommodate heritage learners. Students can engage in DC internships, double major and study abroad. Living in St. Mary's Language House is an option for Russian students.

The B.A. in Romance Languages focuses on French, Italian and Spanish. It aims to develop cultural understanding, language proficiency, and oral and written expression skills for cross-cultural communication. Students also learn to analyze and interpret texts in various genres in both languages.

The Religious Studies minor enables students to study the texts, culture, history, beliefs and practices of world religions. The minor draws from a wide range of areas including anthropology, art history, classics, English, history, Jewish studies and philosophy. The breadth requirement for coursework ensures that students have been exposed to a variety of religious traditions, periods and geographic regions.

The Religions of the Ancient Middle East major delves into the roots of biblical Israel, ancient Judaism, Christianity and early Islam. The program offers the opportunity to tackle key religious questions and explore. A capstone seminar completes the interdisciplinary journey. The Language track offers language-enhanced options, encouraging students to learn Arabic, Hebrew or Greek and apply it to research.

The Philosophy major aims to unravel the concepts of scientific disciplines such as biology, physics and psychology and to train students on developing the skills required to clarify and critically analyze ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing. Areas of specialty are philosophy of science, cognitive studies and value theory. Graduates are well-prepared for a variety of careers.

Persian Studies offers students a comprehensive understanding of Persian language, literature and culture, and equips them for diverse career opportunities. This includes Iran, Afghanistan, Persian-speaking Central Asia and the Persian diaspora. Students develop language skills and insight into contemporary life. The Persian Flagship Program offers a pathway to professional-level proficiency.

The Music and Culture minor explores how human cultural diversity is represented through music. You’ll develop skills in hearing, thinking, analyzing, discussing and writing about music while relating it to other aspects of human life. Students take ethnomusicology courses to explore diverse musical cultures and genres, as well as have the chance to participate in cultural music ensembles.

The Linguistics program offers an interdisciplinary education with research labs and a focus on critical thinking. The program explores language structure, native speaker knowledge and scientific analysis. Graduates can apply their skills in fields like speech therapy, psychology, education, cognitive science and computer science or pursue graduate school. The curriculum offers the Grammars and Cognition track and the Language track.

The Hebrew minor is jointly offered by the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and Jewish Studies. It provides language and cultural skills for Hebrew-speaking contexts. It consists of advanced language classes and electives covering Israeli literature, Israel studies, Zionism, Israeli cinema and Hebrew Bible. Students gain proficiency in reading, writing, listening, speaking and cultural understanding.

The Israel Studies minor examines the history, culture and political structure of Israel and its place in the Middle East, including Hebrew and/or Arabic language.

The Jewish Studies major and minor introduce students to Jewish history, culture and literature while fostering critical reading and persuasive communication skills. Students attain proficiency in Hebrew. The Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies offers merit scholarships and support for students studying abroad. Graduates work in various fields, including business, education, government, law, medicine, journalism and social work.

The Japanese major and minor programs offer training in language, literature, linguistics and culture, preparing students for careers in East Asia-related fields like higher education, the arts, business, government, international relations and media. Combining Japanese with other majors, such as business, computer science, engineering, government and politics, economics and journalism, is also an option for students.

The Italian Language and Culture minor offers a comprehensive understanding of Italian language, culture and literature. It serves as an official recognition of a student's proficiency in the language, and it can demonstrate their competence to potential employers.

Italian, the language of modern Italy, serves as a gateway to its rich culture, including art, music, fashion and more. The Italian program prepares students with language and culture skills for active participation in Italy's cultural and professional realms, with options for graduate studies, research, career growth and teaching roles in education.

The Middle East Studies minor provides students with an understanding of the Middle East's history, culture and politics, from the emergence of Islam to the contemporary era. The program covers modern and pre-twentieth-century aspects of the Middle East and North Africa, encompassing their political, intellectual, religious, ethnic and cultural diversity.

The certificate in East Asian studies provides specialized knowledge of the cultures, histories and contemporary experiences of the peoples of China, Japan and Korea. The curriculum focuses on language instruction, civilization courses and electives in different departments and campus programs. This certificate helps demonstrate competence and skill sets in East Asian affairs to prospective employers, graduate and professional schools.

The History major aims to enrich cultural understanding and prepare students for various careers, including publishing, teaching, law, journalism, museum work, civil service, military, archival and library work, diplomacy, business, graduate study and many more career opportunities. Focus areas include the ability to analyze historical texts, conduct research using various sources, and formulate and defend a historical thesis.

The German Studies major develops intercultural skills and language proficiency. Students customize degrees for global competence, including the German in Engineering program. Students develop enhanced skills and cultural understanding, as well as participate in regular career development programming sponsored by the department. The German Studies minor provides students with an in-depth understanding of German language, literature and culture.

The French Studies minor provides a comprehensive exploration of the French language, culture and literature. Courses in French include topics from history and philosophy to linguistics and contemporary issues, spanning different time periods and locations. Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, the program offers pedagogical training, fostering a diverse community of scholars in French and Francophone studies.

The French major enhances intercultural skills, language proficiency and the exploration of French-speaking cultures worldwide. Students customize degrees for global competence. Expert faculty teach French literature, linguistics and cinema. Students develop skills like business French and diplomacy for careers in law, journalism, international relations, teaching and more. The program offers diverse courses encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and pedagogical training in French studies.

The Rhetoric minor analyzes the history, theory and criticism of civic discourse and cultural practices. The minor empowers graduates to engage with important social issues and take on active leadership roles. The minor may be especially valuable for those who plan careers in the fields of business, education, government, law and others where persuasive writing and speaking skills are prized.

The Professional Writing minor offers students opportunities to engage deeply with the theory and practice of writing, editing and designing print and digital documents for professional workplaces, civic organizations and community deliberations. The minor is a good fit for any student wishing to enhance their marketable skills and broaden their post-graduate employment opportunities.

This interdisciplinary minor explores the methods and findings of archaeology along with providing hands-on fieldwork experience. The program courses span eight departments and five colleges, drawing much of its evidence from archaeology or providing basic scientific background and training in important techniques, such as remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

The Greek minor allows students to specialize in either ancient or modern Greek language, not both. By completing this minor, students will attain an intermediate or advanced level of language proficiency and gain insights into the history and culture of Greece, depending on their choice of ancient or modern Greek.

This Latin minor introduces students to the language, enabling them to read significant works of Latin literature. It holds value not only for its intrinsic appeal but also for the skills it imparts, potentially leading to higher GRE exam scores. Students who have a passion for Latin from their high school experience are encouraged to further their studies.

The Classical Mythology minor introduces students to classical mythology, its uses within ancient Greek and Roman culture, and its subsequent influence on art and literature.

The Classics major delves into ancient Greece and Rome, exploring their extensive histories, languages, religions, politics and gender systems. The Classics major emphasizes critical analysis and scholarly engagement. It offers three tracks: Classical Humanities, Latin, and combined Latin and Greek, preparing graduates for diverse career paths like law, education and government service.

The Cinema and Media Studies major offers an interdisciplinary approach to cinema and audio-visual media, emphasizing the study of history, theory and comparative analysis through scholarly analysis. Undergraduates explore aesthetics, culture, history and technology through cultures and societies, as well as courses in global film, all of which promote a comprehensive understanding of this influential medium's evolution and its global impact.

Deemed a "critical language," the Chinese major prepares students for careers in East Asia-related fields like education, arts, business, government, international relations, agriculture and media. Combining it with majors in business, government, economics or journalism is possible. Chinese students can join Language House and study abroad. A 15-credit Chinese language minor offers courses in speaking and modern Chinese fiction.

Art History and Archaeology students explore a wide spectrum of visual culture, spanning fine arts to street art. They collaborate with D.C arts institutions, broadening their perspectives. Students are encouraged to diversify their studies, pursue internships and engage in study abroad programs. Graduates find career opportunities in arts and cultural management, education, museum work, research and communication.

The Arabic department takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of Arabic language and culture. Students participate in discussions surrounding cultural patterns, social issues and historical contexts in addition to taking classes in colloquial and formal Arabic. Students are eligible to participate in the Flagship Program and many students double major, providing increased access to a variety of careers.

The U.S. Latina/o Studies program examines the histories, communities and cultures of Latinas/os. The program is optimal for students engaged in work with U.S. Latina/o communities in a variety of professions including history, literature, education, urban studies and planning, health care, social services, business, government and public policy.

At its core, the department’s focus is social justice, exploring the social construction of difference and the culture of everyday life in American society, past and present. The field combines critical, contextual understanding with personal awareness. An American Studies degree offers tremendous versatility, applicable to numerous and diverse fields. Graduates have entered industries like arts, law, government, academia and technology.

A minor in history and theory of architecture will provide students who have an interest in architectural history the opportunity to develop an understanding and appreciation of architecture as a basic component of human society. Students will gain an insight of diverse architectural cultures as well as apply diverse research methods in order to understand architectural phenomena in a broad context.

The School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation offers two undergraduate degree programs, cultivating creative thinkers and skilled designers. Students engage in a comprehensive curriculum blending architectural history, theory, technology, and hands-on studio experiences. Guided by renowned faculty, graduates emerge with a strong foundation in architectural principles, prepared for careers shaping the built environment with innovative and sustainable solutions.

This certificate open to any student is designed to enrich their major with a global perspective. The required courses focus on: language instruction; international aspects of the environment, agricultural production, development and sustainability, nutrition, and business. Also included is an experience abroad and a capstone course surrounding the student's travel abroad.