The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at San Francisco State University is home to programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Russian and Spanish.
Each program offers a unique curriculum designed to foster linguistic and cultural knowledge necessary to succeed in today’s multilingual world. Speaking another language introduces new perspectives closed off to the monolingual mind, as well as giving students the tools to communicate with people of different backgrounds and cultures. Additional training in linguistics exposes students to the commonalities of human language and experience. The study of culture allows students to fully understand and appreciate lifestyles and values other than one’s own; the analysis of literary texts helps students develop critical thinking skills for tackling issues that transcend national boundaries. Students emerging from our multifaceted program develop a keen international perspective that enhances the human experience and helps promote diversity in the global village in which we live.
We provide students with a rich background in their chosen program, focusing on language skills, cultural knowledge, knowledge of literature and language structure.