Language Studies Department Information

Mission Statement

The mission of the Language Studies Department is to produce graduates who possess a fundamental understanding of foreign languages and societies from linguistic, literary, cultural and geopolitical perspectives.  The Language Studies Department is committed to teaching midshipmen to:

1.     communicate effectively in a foreign language and interact in culturally appropriate ways with native speakers of that language;

2.     acquire insight into the heritage, cultural values and practices of the foreign country or countries studied;

3.     develop disposition and cognitive strategies for lifelong studying of other languages and cultures.

The Language Studies Department emphasizes quality and professionalism in all its programs, beginning with introductory and intermediate language courses taught in the target language and extending through the minor program, with advanced courses in literature and culture.  The department faculty is committed to excellence in the areas of teaching and research of the various languages, literatures and cultures it offers.  It integrates the study of foreign languages into the overall mission of the Naval Academy and provides midshipmen with the means to access and analyze other cultures.

Within the Naval Academy curriculum, the study of foreign languages contributes to the understanding of different worldviews and symbolic systems of communication.  It provides tools for analyzing how language and culture structure human consciousness, thereby enhancing the capacity of future officers to evaluate situations in a multicultural environment and to respond to them appropriately.  In broad terms, the Language Studies Department aspires to provide the Fleet with linguistically skilled and culturally informed graduates who can be called upon to serve the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.