Discover Modern Languages and Literature
The department of Modern Languages and Literature offers majors and minors in Spanish, French, Chinese, and Japanese, and additional language courses in German. About 60 to 70 percent of our students are double majors.
- Our classes are small and you have the opportunity to get to know your classmates and professor, always using the target language.
- Many of our students study abroad for a semester or a year.
- Our professors are highly experienced in their fields and have traveled widely.
The University has chapters of two national honor societies for outstanding work in a language, literature and culture: Pi Delta Phi for French and Sigma Delta Pi for Spanish. The Jan Good Award is presented to winners of an annually posted essay contest in French or Spanish. The MLL Annual Awards night celebrates achievement in all of the above languages.
Which Language Should You Choose?
The Department of Modern Language and Literature offers language, literature and cultural history courses in Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. Programs are offered leading to a major or minor in Asian Studies, Chinese, French, Japanese or Spanish. Double majors across disciplines are encouraged. Some literature, civilization, film and interdisciplinary courses are taught in English translation. We invite you to explore these web pages, so you can decide which would be best for you:
Studying Abroad
If you're thinking of studying abroad, you've come to the right place! We strongly encourage our students to participate in a semester abroad or in one of the summer language immersion programs in Guatemala, Italy or China. Pacific was ranked as one of the best institutions in the U.S. for students interested in studying overseas.*
Broaden Your Cultural Perspective
Learning another language opens the door to a new culture, a new way of seeing the world. Imagine being able to communicate with people from many different backgrounds and travel the world.
In addition to the opportunity for direct cultural contact provided by Pacific's many Study Abroad program possibilities, our faculty emphasize practical knowledge and cultural content through film, literature, guest speakers, poetry readings and field trips to plays, museums and more. Classes, particularly at the intermediate and upper-division level, are small and provide opportunity for a great deal of individualized attention.
* In November 2010, the Institute of International Education ranked Pacific 14th out of approximately 1,000 colleges in the U.S. as one of the best institutions for students interested in studying abroad.