To prepare students for living in and contributing to the global community with language skills and cultural awareness.

Department Philosophy

Courses focus on fostering communication in our students. Emphasizing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, instructors also promote cultural awareness at all levels. Upper-division courses promote further linguistic progress while developing critical thinking through the analytic study of literatures and cultures outside the U.S.

Methodology in the Classroom

Students learn and practice language through a wide variety of activities, including group conversations, video, audio materials, grammar and vocabulary drill, and compositions. Majors and minors will hone their writing and speaking skills in all their courses. After an initial survey of literature and civilization, students progress to upper-division classes where they explore in detail advanced topics in literature, linguistics, culture, and cinema of the Hispanic and Francophone worlds.

Study Abroad

Foreign Languages majors are encouraged to fulfill six of their upper-division credit hours through study abroad experience.

The Department of Foreign Language currently offers a six credit hour summer program either in Mérida, México or in Avignon, France.  These programs offer students an opportunity to perfect language skills and immerse themselves in target language culture.  For more information on Mérida click here. For more information on Avignon click here.  

Other UM departments such as Art. Business, and Political Science offer various options to travel to other countries.

Teacher Education Program in Languages

UM offers secondary education certification in both French and Spanish. Students choosing the secondary certification track complete their program of study in coordination with the College of Education. Montevallo FL graduates frequently find employment in area schools.

Other Career Opportunities

Graduates of the University of Montevallo's Foreign Language programs are currently engaged in a great variety of careers, including education, government service, health care, business, and law.  Acquisition of a second language and familiarity with other cultures are an increasingly important component of professional preparation, even in fields not traditionally associated with foreign language.  As the non-English-speaking population increases in Alabama and across the United States, professionals in areas such as sales, insurance, banking, politics, and law enforcement are recognizing the need to become competent in a second language in order to provide adequate service to the public.

Many UM students pursue a double major in FL and an additional field of study such as business, speech pathology, and social work.  Additionally, students in diverse disciplines are recognizing the importance of a foreign language minor (French, German, or Spanish).  Employers in a given profession commonly prefer graduates with this asset.