The University will be closed December 19, 2024 to January 5, 2025. If you need assistance during that time, please call 1-855-OWU-1842 and leave a detailed voicemail along with your contact information. One of our colleagues will respond to your call as soon as possible.
If you would like to make a 2024 gift, please make your gift before midnight on December 31.
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.
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.
OWU language students now can earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy, an internationally recognized credential that allows them to highlight their linguistic achievements when applying for jobs or graduate school.
Classical Studies is the study of the world of ancient Greece and Rome: the language and literature; ancient history and mythology; archaeology and philosophy of the classical world. Classical Studies students are trained in the ancient languages of Greek and Latin, and they read the great works of classical literature in the original (without the need for translations): the epic poetry of Homer and Virgil; the histories of Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and Tacitus; the rich tradition of lyric and elegiac poetry; tragedy and comedy; the vast output of Cicero and other great men of politics and government; and the philosophy of Plato and Lucretius.
French is the second most widely learned foreign language, and there are currently over 220 million French speakers worldwide. French is one of the working languages of the United Nations and the European Union. Speaking French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world. As the world's fifth biggest economy and No. 3 destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.
There are 40 million Spanish speakers in the United States and the Spanish-speaking population is still growing rapidly. With over 400 million speakers, Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the world. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is the native language in 21 countries, including the United States.
Classics
French
Spanish
Pursuing a minor while at OWU will expand your knowledge, add depth to your major, enhance your résumé, and allow you to explore academic areas of interest.
Professor Counselman is the director of Ohio Wesleyan's study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain. He teaches Spanish language courses from beginning to advanced levels as well as a course on Romance linguistics.
Born and raised in northern Germany, Professor Colvin teaches courses in Spanish language and Latin American literatures and cultures. She specializes in 20th Century Latin American narratives.
Professor Lewis specializes in Francophone literature and culture. She teaches courses that focus on North African and Maghrebi literature, as well as postcolonial studies and theory.
Professor Nieto-Cuebas specializes in Early Modern Spanish Literature and Spanish Baroque Theater. At Ohio Wesleyan, she is co-advisor of VIVA, OWU's Latin American student group.
Professor Paris-Huesca's teaching and research interests include contemporary Spanish detective fiction and film noir, as well as Spanish literature of female authorship from XIXth Century to the present. She also teaches language courses from beginning to advance levels
World Languages & Cultures courses take place in University Hall. Built more than 100 years ago and featuring a bell tower that soars 148 feet, University Hall is Ohio Wesleyan's most visible and iconic landmark.
Students can apply to live in the House of Linguistic Diversity (HOLD), a Small Living Unit (SLU) on campus. HOLD is a place where students can explore and share their interests in language, diversity, and culture.
The Chinese Program received a Theory-to-Practice Grant to support the travel of seven students of Chinese to visit Beijing, XiAn, ChengDu, ShangHai, SuZhou, and HangZhou.