The Department of Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures is dedicated to engaging in research that enriches the humanities, second language studies, and our communities - locally and globally. Our classrooms (online & face-to-face) are a place of connection, where faculty personally invest in students' growth. We equip our students to be competitive in the next stage of their career through high-impact education in language and culture. Throughout our campus and community, we foster linguistic and cultural diversity and advocate for multiculturalism.The Department of Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures will promote transdisciplinary cultural and literary studies and second language research. Our faculty and staff will engage in ongoing skill development to train diverse populations of students. We will cultivate a spirit of open dialogue and mentorship that unites faculty, staff, and students. We will set ourselves apart in the provision of experiential learning through accessible study abroad programs and local hands-on learning opportunities. We will build research and teaching partnerships with regional K-12 schools to serve local needs. Our department will lead efforts to recruit, retain, and advocate for Hispanic students to serve the university's mission as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. We will promote interculturality through collaborative partnerships across the university and throughout the community.<br><br>With over one billion speakers worldwide, Mandarin Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world, the second most popular language on the internet, and one of the six official languages of the United Nations. China's economy is booming, and it is no surprise the U.S. government defines Mandarin Chinese as a critical language to know. The demand to know Mandarin Chinese will certainly increase as trade and business with China continue to expand internationally. Knowing Mandarin Chinese not only makes you stand out in the job market, but as you learn you'll delve into an amazing culture, rich in history and philosophy. You'll notice it isn't as difficult as you think, there's no conjugation, no gender, no inflection, and no case in Mandarin Chinese grammar. Chinese characters and calligraphy are based on pictographs, and are very artistic and attractive to learn. What makes learning Mandarin Chinese at Texas Tech so powerful is the program's emphasis on culture, to really understand the people. In your future career, the Chinese people you'll meet (which is almost 20% of the world population) will definitely appreciate your effort to learn and speak their language. Your language learning journey will be well worth it.