Introduction to the Department

The study of foreign languages is uniquely liberating. As you master a new language, you mature into a new person, alive to new ways of thinking, feeling and acting. You become a citizen of the larger world in which we live. The ability to communicate with people from other cultures is the mark of an educated person.

Department Features

• In addition to majors and minors in Classics, French, and Spanish, courses are available in German, Italian, Japanese, and Latin.
• You may take advantage of programs in more than 20 countries. In addition to study abroad programs, the University offers interdepartmental majors in International Studies, International Business, Latin American and Latine Studies, and East Asian Studies, each of which has a strong foreign language component.
• Individualized interdisciplinary majors such as Hispanic Studies and Francophone Studies also may be developed.

Did you earn the Seal of Biliteracy in high school?

Beginning in Fall 2025, the Department of World Languages and Cultures will award college credit to incoming students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. Students who present the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish upon entry shall be exempt from SPAN 110 and 111 and granted one unit of credit for SPAN 225. This means they will have satisfied the "Learn a Second Language" core competency requirement.

They will also have one unit of credit (SPAN 225) toward a Spanish major or minor.

They will not be required to take the placement test but are encouraged to sign up for an intermediate-level Spanish course (SPAN 226, 250, 310, or 350), if they wish to continue their language study.

Earn a Global Seal of Biliteracy

OWU language students now can earn the , an internationally recognized credential that allows them to highlight their linguistic achievements when applying for jobs or graduate school.