At Connecticut College, students explore intercultural communication skills as an integral part of liberal learning. All students are expected to study another language for at least two semesters; they are strongly encouraged to build on this foundation through more advanced coursework in order to become effective participants in diverse communities in the United States and the world at large. First-year advising teams work closely with students to develop integrative approaches to language study and the academic major that include civic engagement, study away, and summer internships.
World language and culture offerings at Connecticut College are robust: our faculty teach ten modern languages (American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew) and two classical languages (Latin and Greek). Interdisciplinary programs in Classics, East Asian Studies, French, German, Global Islamic Studies, Hispanic Studies, Italian Studies, and Slavic Studies enable students to gain nuanced understanding of the histories, cultures, political economies, and contemporary social issues linked to the language(s) they have chosen to study. Check out our Language Study brochure highlighting the strengths of our language and culture curriculum to learn more about the multiplicity of options.
Languages are incorporated in the curriculum in a variety of ways. Through FLAC, the Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum program, coursework in a wide array of fields can also be enriched through discussion and readings in a target language. Community-based learning courses such as "Second Language Acquisition," study away, SATA, and TRIPs-courses provide additional opportunities for our students to extend language study beyond the traditional classroom setting. Less formal venues on campus for practicing conversational skills include the Language Lunch tables at Freeman and the cultural activities and events hosted by the Language Fellows.
In addition, new courses have been developed across the curriculum with an emphasis on language skills in professional settings. Examples include German Business Culture, Spanish for the Professions, and Medical Terminology from Greek and Latin.
Language Immersive Internships
Through a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education (2018-2020), students are able to pursue language intensive internship opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. In the summer of 2019, students participated in language intensive internships in the U.S., Russia, Israel, Italy, Spain, Columbia, Brazil, and France.
World Languages Program
The World Languages Program connects Connecticut College students and students from the Regional Multicultural Magnet School (RMMS) in New London in after-school language workshops twice a week. The program seeks to inspire a love of learning languages and cultures among elementary students, while providing college students the opportunity to strengthen their teaching and communication abilities. Connecticut College students gain valuable experience in second language pedagogy, as well as an important professional credential for those who may wish to go on to teach world languages after college.
