World Languages & Cultures Department
As a dedicated team of international faculty, we strive to educate students in cultural differences and sensitivity. We seek to provide students with language skills, cross-cultural experiences, and literary and cultural understandings that allow them to navigate effectively within other cultures. Through this process, students are empowered to understand linguistic and cultural differences within their own society. Because we know our students well, we are able to guide them as they discern career opportunities and vocational calling. As a result of this range of learning experiences, our graduates are ready to become citizens of the world.
Students in all Whitworth World Languages & Cultures classes develop the five areas of foreign-language study: comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and culture. In department majors (French and Spanish), as communication skills are refined, the focus moves to increased emphasis on literature, civilization, and culture of the French- and Spanish-speaking worlds. Our language classes (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Swahili) emphasize communication and appreciation for cultural differences.