Department of World Languages and Cultures

Our dedicated faculty and staff are the gatekeepers to a global journey of discovery. Our esteemed educators, hailing from diverse corners of the world, are passionate about fostering linguistic proficiency and cultural understanding. With expertise spanning languages from Japanese to French, and cultures from Latin America to the Middle East, they offer a kaleidoscope of perspectives and experiences to our students. Beyond language acquisition, they inspire a profound appreciation for the richness of global traditions, literature, and history. Together, our faculty and staff create an immersive and inclusive environment, nurturing not only multilingual proficiency but also intercultural competence. Join us on a voyage to explore the vibrant diversity of our world, guided by the expertise and enthusiasm of our World Languages and Cultures Department.

Meet our Department of Languages and Literatures Faculty

Arabic

Arabic is a highly regarded academic program at UW-Whitewater, and one of three languages shared with other UW-System universities (the other two are French and Japanese). The two-year program introduces students to the Arabic language and to Arab cultures, preparing them for careers in politics, history, business, and other fields. Students learning Arabic will:

• Interact with speakers of Arabic and engage with their experiences, backgrounds, and traditions.
• Feel more confident in their ability to learn other languages, especially Semitic languages since many words of Semitic languages are derived from Arabic.
• Gain insights into the cultural, religious, and political forces that influence the Arab world.
• Join the estimated 300 million speakers of Arabic, the fifth most commonly spoken language in the world (preceded by only Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, and Hindi/Urdu.)
• Become part of the growing number of college students studying Arabic. From 2002 to 2009, enrollments in Arabic courses increased by 231 percent (10,584 in 2002 to 35,083 in 2009) (Modern Language Association of America.)

Chinese

The two-year UWW Chinese language program offers comprehensive training in Mandarin Chinese-putonghua (普通话, common speech, as it is called in mainland China) or guoyu (国语, national speech, as it is called in Taiwan). Mandarin Chinese is an official language in China, Singapore, and Taiwan. It is the official language recognized by the United Nations. The program adopts the simplified Chinese characters in writing, allowing students access to a well-rounded education. Courses taught include Elementary and Intermediate Chinese and students learning Chinese will:

• Be introduced to the context (social, historical, and cultural) in which the language is shaped
• Gain communicative competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing. 
• Develop their language skills and gain cross-cultural understanding of the values, attitudes, and beliefs of Mandarin-speaking cultures through well-structured and interactive classroom instruction.
• Develop linguistic and cultural competencies they can combine with other professions for careers in international fields.
• Have the ability to communicate in the most spoken language in the world.

French

UW-Whitewater students have the opportunity to major or minor in French through courses in professional French, literature, culture, phonetics, translation, and civilization as well as study abroad. French is the international language of such fields as: Fashion, Fine Cuisine, Theater, Dance, and Architecture. It is one of the official languages of many international organizations, including

• The United Nations
• NATO
• Amnesty International
• FIFA
• UNESCO
• World Trade Organization
• The European Union
• The International Red Cross

French is spoken by 200 million people on five continents and is an official language in 29 countries. Click here to see how influential French is globally!

Students learning French will:

• Gain entrance to the international job market. According to the French consulate page, “An ability to speak French and English is an advantage on the international job market. A knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa). As the world’s fifth biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.” 
• Earn linguistic and cultural competencies for careers in government, diplomacy, politics, travel, fine cuisine, entertainment, the arts, and business, among many others.

German

German remains one of the most valuable languages in Europe and around the world today.  Not only is it the/an official language of five countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, and Switzerland), but it also is used in many neighboring countries as well (parts of the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, etc.).  In fact German is the most widely spoken language in the European Union. German language and culture also remain vital in the United States, where more than 40 million Americans claim German ancestry.  German-Americans make up the largest self-reported ancestry group within the United States, accounting for roughly 49 million people and approximately 17 percent of the population of the nation. Some states in the Upper Midwest contain well over 50 percent German heritage.  Also many leading German corporations and smaller businesses have branch operations in the United States, creating significant economic growth and employment opportunities on an ongoing basis.

• Gain access to a rich cultural and scientific tradition, as evidenced by the number of German-speaking holders of the Nobel Prize: 27 in Chemistry, 25 in Medicine, 22 in Physics, 7 in Literature, 4 Peace Prizes, and 1 in Economics.  Therefore it is no surprise that in the United States, 40 percent of scientists recommend the study of German. (Source: DAAD - "German in Science and the Humanities") 
• Access careers with higher income potential.  Learning German has a higher payout for those who use it in professional life.  (The Economist 2014)
• Have opportunities to study, live, and even work in Germany.  There are numerous established, reputable study abroad programs to choose from, and the German government awards a generous number of scholarships and other support to study in Germany.  Working holiday visas are available for young people from a range of countries, and special visas are offered to skilled workers and professionals.

Japanese

Students of Japanese at UW-Whitewater can choose to major or minor in Japanese Studies. The three-year Japanese language program offers courses designed to build a solid foundation of all four language skills and promote the development of language proficiency and cultural competence. In addition to the course offerings at UW-Whitewater, through a collaboration with UW-Oshkosh, students are given the option to take courses taught at UW-Oshkosh on-line. Students learning Japanese will

• Be able to combine their interest in Japanese with a degree in business, education, history, media arts and game development, international studies, and science. 
• Have the opportunity to use Japanese language outside the classroom by 

working with advanced-level Japanese tutors at the Mary Poppe Chrisman Success Center.

• Enjoy memberships in popular student organizations such as the Japanese Anime & Culture Society and the Japanese Language Club. Students learn new Japanese phrases and can participate in lively discussions about interesting aspects of Japanese culture with their new-found friends. 
• Practice Japanese communication skills together with exchange students and an ALLEX Japanese Teaching Fellow from Japan. 
• Be eligible to join a year-long or semester-long study-abroad program. Currently, UW-Whitewater has exchange programs with Sophia University in Tokyo, Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, and other partner universities throughout Japan. 
• Have the option of applying to the Guy Healy summer internship program where they will teach English to Japanese youth at various locations throughout Japan. 
• Have the opportunity to participate in travel study to Japan which is offered periodically to students during the summer. 

Spanish

Spanish has a rich and long history in the U.S. Arriving on the shores of Florida with Ponce de Leon in 1513, it is the oldest European language spoken in what is now the United States. Steeped in the hues of existing native Indigenous languages it has encountered on its American journey for more than 500 years, and in the sounds and rhythms of Afro-Caribbean cultures, Spanish in the U.S. is a living, vibrant language that transforms and evolves through daily contact with English. Our courses reflect the language's deep roots while exploring current language trends through courses in literature, phonetics, history, and other cultural markers. Students also have access to a growing array of professional Spanish courses. Students learning Spanish will:

• Stand out as job candidates in any field such as business, education, social work, medicine, public relations and journalism, the legal professions, non-profit work, among many others
• Have a strong base to pursue careers in translation and interpretation.
• Possess the cultural and linguistic capital to access careers in international fields.

Aside from the above opportunities, our strong Spanish for Heritage Speakers program will prepare student to:

• enhance existing linguistic and sociocultural competences
• gain the confidence they need to take full advantage of their rich cultural and linguistic heritage in any field they choose as a career

Finally, students majoring and minoring in Spanish will have access to high impact practices. They will be able to:

• study abroad
• volunteer in the Latinx/a/o/é community
• join student organizations where they can speak and use Spanish while promoting their cultural heritage
• intern with a company or organization that requires Spanish skills
• take classes that contain a Service Learning component
• do undergraduate research in or related to the Latinx/a/é/o community
• work as a tutor for Spanish classes