The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures provides a sequence of courses that leads to familiarity with a particular foreign language and the experience associated with that language. Students may select language programs necessary to their development as educated and aware individuals, and to their pursuit of a career goal. These programs aid students in acquiring fluency in a language, acquiring a thorough understanding of a foreign culture, and experiencing a variety of linguistic approaches to the world. Students in this program are strongly encouraged to study in a Spanish-speaking country. See faculty advisors for recommendations of foreign language study programs. The goal of the Foreign Languages Department is to provide students with an opportunity to become conversant with the languages and cultures of other nations. This mission is consistent with institutional purposes and College core curriculum goals. The Department fosters the development of proficient oral and written communication skills in various foreign languages. Also, as an integral part of a liberal arts curriculum, its programs offer instruction that is necessary to the development of educated and aware individuals who are capable of adapting to a changing and increasingly diverse world. The Foreign Languages Department offers opportunities for study that promote the understanding and value of human, cultural, and ethnic diversity.