Undergraduate Education
Through courses and extra-curricular activities, the Department introduces beginning students to Romance languages, literatures, and cultures, and builds upon the linguistic, cultural, and literary understanding of more experienced students. Our primary goals are to promote fluency in Romance languages; to make students sensitive to other cultures; to develop their skills in communication, critical thinking, cultural understanding, and reading; and to help them to succeed in a global community.

These goals are fundamental to a liberal arts education; we place high value on our role in the education of undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences. Through a variety of specialized classes as well as our language-immersion residence (Valentine House, open to all UC students), we also aim to serve students from other colleges.

In addition, the Department guides students through programs leading to Business Certificates, minors, and majors in French and Spanish as well as a certificate in Italian Language and Culture - all of which prepare them for engagement with today's diverse world.

Graduate Education
In response to a growing demand for graduate education in international fields - in particular in languages - and to the university's globalization initiative, we offer an MA in both French and Spanish. At the master's level we focus on training high school and elementary teachers in culture, literature, and language, and on preparing scholars to undertake doctoral study. Our MA graduates also enter a variety of other professions including business and law.

UC is the only institution offering the PhD in the Romance Languages in southwestern Ohio and the tri-state area.  At the PhD level we teach and model the complex critical and theoretical skills necessary to conduct research in the fields of the Romance Languages. With our nationally recognized language-instructor training, our careful mentoring in research methods, and our close ties to programs in European Studies, Latin American Studies, and other programs in the School of World Languages and Cultures, we prepare doctoral students for success in college-level teaching positions; our placement rate is excellent.

Research
The Department sees literary, cultural, historical, and pedagogical research as well as creative writing as central to its mission. Among our faculty are a number of internationally known scholars, poets, and fiction writers. We are a committed to the highest standards in our research and to fostering interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections with the goal of contribute to dialogue on European, Francophone, and Latin American issues.

Service
Service is central to the Department's mission. Through conferences, workshops, collaborative projects, fund-raising, and consultation, we serve the local Cincinnati community, the national and international scholarly community, and the world at large.

For more information, contact us.