• Angeline Chu with engaged students in a sunny classroom

Welcome to the School of World Languages and Cultures!

The School of World Languages and Cultures (SWLC), part of UVM’s College of Arts and Sciences, unites scholar-teachers and students to explore how language is intertwined with all facets of life. Focusing not just on language learning but also on the study of linguistics and the literature and cultures of the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, we prepare you to engage with a diverse, globalizing, and ever-changing world. Our renowned faculty will train you for professional success in an exciting range of global careers by preparing you to communicate across languages, cultures, and time periods to explore problems and issues from different perspectives.

In our interconnected world, the School demonstrates UVM’s foundational commitment to global engagement and exploration, bringing together teachers and learners of different languages to create a single, powerful voice. Won’t you join us? 

Program in Asian Languages and Literatures

Asian art and architecture examples

Our Chinese and Japanese language, literature, and culture classes provide you with the skills to navigate the major languages of East Asia, opening up the rich heritage of the region. 

Program in Classics

classical greek architecture in marble

The original and quintessential liberal arts degree, Classics is multidisciplinary, with coursework that includes and extends beyond traditional study of Greek, Latin, and ancient societies to provide a broader view of the classical world and its relationship to the present.

Program in French and Italian

examples of french and spanish marble sculpture

In this program, you will study language, literature, and culture via courses exploring the Italian- and French-speaking worlds (including Québec), in preparation for studies, travel, and careers in those areas.

Program in German, Russian, and Hebrew

german, russian and hebrew architechture and literature

Conducted in a lively, interactive learning environment, this program encourages and enables you to investigate important connections among history, society, culture, and language in your region of focus. 

Program in Linguistics

text showing definition of the word dictionary

Working at the crossroads of the humanities and the social sciences, you will study language, including its structures and day-to-day use, to understand topics like formal grammar, language and culture, language acquisition, cognition, and bilingualism.

Program in Spanish

examples of spanish architecture

Combining language study with coursework in Spanish on peninsular, Latin-American, and U.S. Latinx literature and cultural studies, this program prepares you for learning experiences, travel, and career interests in the Spanish-speaking world.

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