Classics and Modern Languages

The faculty of the Department of Classics and Modern Languages immerse our students in the diversity of world languages and cultures. We dedicate ourselves to this mission in recognition that our shared world is diverse, complex, and interdependent: as students develop linguistic skills and cultural literacies, they become increasingly proficient in making informed cultural comparisons; describing, analyzing, and interpreting authentic texts and artifacts; considering multiple perspectives and approaches to critical questions; and navigating local, national, and international expressions of diversity and linguistic pluralism. Our students of classical and modern languages alike are adept in connecting historical and culturally grounded perspectives to contemporary contexts.

Both classical and modern languages and cultures prepare Xavier students to pursue their vocations in a range of professional settings, broadening the conversations in which they are prepared to participate and the resources they can access beyond the English-speaking world. We strive to communicate the value of multilingual communication and exchange to students at all levels of proficiency, from our Core Language acquisition sequences to more advanced course work for major, minor, and elective credit.

The Department’s mission enacts reflects the Jesuit liberal arts tradition of learning from people and communities, pursuing questions critical to the mission of the College of Arts and Sciences as we engage students in conversation about how identity, location, culture and history shape our views of ourselves, of others and of our world. We leverage our disciplinary expertise in the classroom, in faculty research, and in professional service to cultivate solidarity and kinship, discernment, and reflection; our department’s approach to these values incorporates service rooted in justice and love; cura personalis; and magis as we celebrate Ignatian Belonging. 

 Major and Minor Programs