The faculty and students of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures explore the worlds of language and culture around the globe, from ancient times to the 21st century. Our courses examine what it means to be human--matters of identity, performance, expression--through folklore, myth, film, literature, linguistics, religion, media, art, and theater. Our professors are specialists in literature, film, folklore, mythology, anthropology, ethnography, history, sociology, religious studies, second language learning, and descriptive and applied linguistics. Each language area has a student organization that arranges opportunities for language practice and many  cultural events related to the areas of the world we study. Most of our students study abroad as well.

The department offers a major in Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures with options in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Chinese Studies, Classics, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies, Japan Studies, and Russian Studies as well as a major in Foreign Language and International Economics with tracks in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Russian. We also offer a minor in Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures with options in all those languages as well as in Folklore and Mythology and Italian Studies, and we participate in Jewish Studies as well. We are currently developing a Certificate in International Film and Media Studies. Many of our courses are taught in English and satisfy UK Core requirements.

At the graduate level, we have two teacher preparation programs at the Masters' level (Master of Arts in Teaching World Languages and in Teaching English as a Second Language) as well as Masters' programs in Classics, French, and German. The MA in Classics, French and German all participate in the University Scholars Program, which allows students to complete a BA and an MA in 4 or 5 years.