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World Languages and Cultures

Discovering the World Through Language

The department of world languages and cultures gives students a global view of the world that puts the language and culture of others at the forefront. We strive to prepare students who can order dim sum in Chinese in Beijing, navigate the map of the Paris métro in French, or discuss the complexities of the euro zone in Spanish while in Madrid.

Explore Our Programs

The department offers specialized programs in French and Spanish leading to either a major or minor. Japanese language students can elect to take an interdisciplinary minor in Japanese Studies; and students of Chinese may take part in the College’s new Asian Studies minor.

Spanish

French

Japanese

Chinese

Portuguese

2023-2024 Recipient of White House HBCU Scholar Award:
Camille Young, C'2025

Camille Young, C'2025 was the 2023-2024 Recipient of the White House HBCU Scholar Award. This prestigious award is granted to current HBCU students who demonstrate excellent academic achievement, proven leadership through civic and campus engagement, and those who have a keen sense of entrepreneurial ethos (pursues new opportunities).

Fulbright Language Teacher Assistants Fall 2023 - Spring 2024

FLTA for Chinese Language Program

Tsai,ming-Hsuan is from Taiwan and graduated from National Taipei University of business, majoring in commercial design and management. Before coming here she was a middle school teacher for two years, and had worked with ETAs ( Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program), her goals this year is to discover the various teaching skills and different subjects as Chinese teaching. Also it would be fun to find the culture difference in daily life. And as a teaching assistant, feel free to schedule the chinese tutoring hour with her!

FLTA for French Language Program

Calysia Ramos holds a Bachelor’s degree in English language, literature and cultures from the Université de Picardie Jules Verne. Her goal for the year is to immerse herself in American culture and society while sharing her own through a variety of events, conversation tables, and activities. In addition to her role as a Teacher’s Assistant, she offers tutoring sessions, customizing them to fit the student's schedule and will provide revision sessions leading up to finals week.

FLTA for Portuguese Language Program

Yasmin Siqueira is from São Paulo, Brazil and is currently a Teaching Assistant of Portuguese at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds an Undergraduate and Licentiate Degree in “Portuguese and English - Language and Literature” from University of São Paulo (USP). She has worked with EFL (“English as a Foreign Language”) for 12 years, teaching kids, adolescents and adults from basic to advanced levels.

Moreover, she is certified by Anaheim University in California for having taken the online courses: “TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)” and “TEYL (Teaching English to Young Learners)”.

Contact Us

World Languages & Cultures
404-270-5541

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Jobs for Language Enthusiasts

Creating a new generation of globally-aware graduates, the World Languages and Cultures programs open opportunities in teaching, Foreign Service, human rights agencies, social work and community service organizations, international corporations, international business and sales, consulting, interpreting, journalism, and the medical and legal fields, just to mention a few examples.

"Taking French at Spelman helped me in my first assignment overseas," said Ruth A. Davis, C’65, retired member of the U.S. Foreign Service, whose first assignment was Zaire, which is now the Congo. "Perhaps the most exciting career to which one could aspire, the Foreign Service gives one the opportunity to represent America abroad and offers exposure to different cultures and languages."