Mailing Address: 255 S. Central Campus Dr., Rm. 1400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0490
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am-5 pm
Website: www.languages.utah.edu
Phone: 801-581-7561
Email: wlc-advising@utah.edu
Department Chair: Dr. Christopher Lewis
Graduate Director: Dr. Deberniere Torrey
Undergraduate Director: Dr. Natalya Kuznetsova
Contact for Prospective Students: wlc-advising@utah.edu
Mission Statement
Humanistic questions cannot be addressed solely in English. The Department of World Languages & Cultures (WLC) embodies these two essential aspects of a university education: Helping students wrestle with the important issues of the day while teaching practical skills at the same time.
Founded in 1868 as the Department of Modern Languages, WLC contributes to the University’s mission both in its world-class research and pedagogical engagement with communities around the world as well as in its societal impact on the local community through innovative pathways to graduation that begin in the K–12 educational system.
WLC offers BA, MA, and PhD degrees as well as several minors across more than twenty fields of study, including languages, comparative literature, cultural studies, and religious studies. The department is also affiliated with many other campus programs and centers and supports the university’s public life mission through lectures and programming in the community, community-based research projects, continuing education, and learning abroad.
Overview
All languages taught at the University of Utah are housed in the Department of World Languages & Cultures, which provides undergraduate and graduate students with a forum for learning and research in more than 20 linguistic, cultural, and literary traditions. In addition to language proficiency and cultural competency, this extends to areas such as cinema, art, history, religion, pedagogy, and politics. Students develop independent and critical thinking and acquire skills for engaging effectively with other communities both in the state and abroad.
Languages & Subject Areas
American Sign Language
Arabic
Chinese (Mandarin)
Classical Civilization
Comparative Literary & Cultural Studies
French
German
Greek (Classical)
Greek (Modern)
Hindi-Urdu
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Nahuatl
Navajo
Persian
Portuguese
Religious Studies
Russian
Spanish
Types of Degrees
Bachelor of Arts
Minors
Masters of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy
Graduate Certificate
Undergraduate Programs
Students in World Languages & Cultures benefit from meaningful access to faculty expertise and mentorship. Classes are interactive and discussion-driven, with language courses employing a communicative, immersive approach. The department embeds several experiential learning opportunities in its undergraduate degrees. Students cultivate local connections in their target language through community-engaged learning courses, work alongside faculty on research and fieldwork projects, and expand their cultural competency through transformative learning abroad programs. Students build community as well as strong leadership skills through language-specific student organizations and programming.
Undergraduate Advising
Advisors from the Liberal Arts & Sciences Student Success Hub provide professional advising and guidance on academic planning.
Scholarships
The department offers several merit-based scholarships. Please see https://languages.utah.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/ for more information.
Graduate Programs
The Department of World Languages & Cultures offers the following graduate degrees:
Doctor of Philosophy in World Languages & Cultures — advanced study in literature and culture with an emphasis in Comparative Literary & Cultural Studies.
Master of Arts in World Languages & Cultures (WLC.MA) — literature and culture specializations in French, Spanish, or Comparative Literary & Cultural Studies.
Master of Arts in Language Pedagogy (MALP) — focus on language teaching and second language acquisition. Language specializations: Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
The department collaborates with the Urban Institute for Teacher Education in the College of Education to offer teaching licensure programs in several languages, providing a pathway into K–12 language education alongside graduate study.
Graduate students in World Languages & Cultures frequently serve as Teaching Assistants to gain professional language teaching experience concurrently with their academic program of study. Graduate students also plan and host a biennial Graduate Student Conference with participants from the department, College of Humanities, and other peer institutions. The department hosts regular workshops and events for graduate students to promote professional development, community, and overall student success.
Graduate Advising
In a graduate student’s first year, advising is initially a collaborative effort between the Graduate Coordinator and Director of Graduate Studies. As students establish their supervisory committee, advising shifts to the faculty.