Undergraduate Majors
French
Samford French majors build linguistic skills and knowledge of French and Francophone cultures, history, memory, literature and film. Award winning faculty, challenging courses and international study opportunities prepare our graduates for a rich variety of careers.Learn More
German
We offer challenging language, culture and business courses in German to help prepare students for global citizenship and the career of their choice. Scholarships, visiting native speakers and a summer immersion program in Germany complement outstanding faculty teaching and mentoring.Learn More
Global and Cultural Studies Interdisciplinary
The Global and Cultural Studies Interdisciplinary major is a customizable program for students interested in the relationship between cultural forms, everyday life and structures of power in a global context. It's a great choice for students called to international careers in government, business or non-profit organizations.Learn More
Language and World Trade
The Language and World Trade major, offered in cooperation with Samford's Brock School of Business, is a comprehensive combination of linguistic skills and essential business knowledge. Our students choose a language and business focus and complete an international trade internship, employing language skills in a business setting.Learn More
Spanish
The Spanish major gives students proficiency in the oral and written language, acquaints them with Hispanic and Latino cultures, and develops their skills in cultural, literary and linguistic analysis. Our graduates are prepared for advanced degrees and the many careers that rely on a deep understanding of the Spanish language and experience in the increasingly multicultural, transnational and global contexts that define Hispanic cultures and US/Latin American relations today.Learn More
World Languages and Literature
The World Languages and Literature major adds a literary emphasis to the courses led by our expert faculty and to the international study opportunities that give all our graduates essential skills living in different cultures. Majors choose two language and literatures to combine from French, German and Spanish.Learn More
Undergraduate Minors
French
The French minor build linguistic skills and knowledge of French and Francophone cultures, history, memory, literature and film.
View Curriculum
German
The German language minor offers outstanding support for students called to careers in business and science.
View Curriculum
Spanish
The Spanish minor is an ideal choice for students called to careers in business, ministry, health care or any other profession that is engaged with Hispanic and Latino cultures in the U.S. and abroad.
View Curriculum
World Languages and Cultures
The World Languages and Cultures minor allows students in any discipline to enhance their major and general education language requirements with six world language courses at any level.
View Curriculum
Critical Languages Program
The Critical Languages Program presents a rare opportunity for students interested in pursuing language study in various less commonly taught languages, most of which are called “critical” as they are deemed important to United States national security, as well as economic and scientific competitiveness, and for which there is a shortage of professionally proficient speakers. These languages include Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Thai and Vietnamese. In addition, our program offers courses in Italian and American Sign Language. These languages are offered through our membership in the National Association of Self-Instructional Language Programs (NASILP).
In our program, educated, native speakers guide motivated students through their course of study in small classes. Most classes contain a lab component, also with a native-speaking student assistant. Further self-instruction is completed through our learning management system–Canvas.
While our Critical Languages Program classes are not intended for native speakers, we offer the unique opportunity for heritage speakers of critical languages to enroll in a course which will teach them to read and write the language of their family.
Students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo and Miles College may enroll in our classes thanks to our membership in the Birmingham Area Consortium on Higher Education (BACHE).
Our classes take place in the late afternoon or evening Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday in the fall and spring semesters, making them convenient for high school students and community members to enroll, as well.
We offer a customizable World Languages and Cultures minor and specialty activities such as Dobro Slovo, the National Slavic Honor Society, foreign films, scholarship opportunities, speakers, and the Samford tradition of the “Christmas around the World” convocation each December.
Our goal is to equip students to be global citizens who function respectfully in countries and cultures different from their own. Our program also serves as a resource for cultural and language education for faculty, staff, and students at Samford University.