“Society must require of its educational system that it guide and assist the members of the next generation to transcend the particularities of their own culture in the name of humanity.” -Jaroslav Pelikan, The Idea of the University: A Reexamination          

Georgetown University’s long tradition of fostering international understanding is particularly embodied in the teaching and learning of other languages and cultures offered by the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (FLL) of the Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences.

The FLL’s intercultural curriculum is designed to educate students in a well-developed program of studies, to evaluate ideas and values from a humanistic and a theoretical/critical perspective. Along with the in-depth study of the cultures and literatures of other lands and times, language studies are integrated with the various fields of linguistics. Thus, understanding the language in all its forms, styles, and uses ultimately leads to successful cross-cultural communication and more authentic relationships among peoples. The aim is to produce graduates who are sensitive to the needs of the world community, open to exploring new ways to improve life, and ready to approach problems with an intercultural perspective.

The FLL offers a full academic program in foreign languages, culture and literature studies, as well as in linguistics. Students may major in Arabic, Chinese, Classical Greek, Comparative Literature, French and Francophone Studies, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, or Linguistics. In addition, coursework is available in Basque, Catalan, Farsi, Irish, Modern Greek, Hebrew, Korean, Persian, Polish, Ukrainian, Thai, and Turkish. 

Students who enter the College of Arts & Sciences with a declared major in a language department or program have their language abilities evaluated either by their SAT II test scores or by a departmental placement test to ensure that they begin their language study at the appropriate level. 

For more information on recent events in the FLL, please see the FLL Newsletter.  For inquiries about the FLL, please email the FLL convener, Dr. Susanna Lee, Professor and Chair of French and Francophone Studies.

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