Welcome to the Website of the IUPUI Department of World Languages and Cultures!

More than ever before, language knowledge and cross-cultural understanding are needed to participate effectively in the diverse world we share and to compete successfully in the increasingly globalized market place. We, the faculty in WLAC, are equipped to provide you with the skills that you need to meet the cross-cultural challenges of the new century. Our department includes well-known experts in foreign language pedagogy, cultural and literary studies, translation, and heritage studies.

WLAC has established a reputation for teaching and research excellence, pedagogical innovation, leadership in teacher education, and application of language and culture study to textual analysis, intercultural communication, business and engineering, medical training, modern media, and translation.

Class size in all our courses is restricted to encourage individual participation and interaction. The communicative approach to language acquisition encourages student self-expression and collaborative learning. As a result, the language classroom creates an ideal environment for students' academic and social development. In addition, each program has a language club and program of cultural activities, including conversation hour, lectures, films, immersion events, and field trips.

Off campus, the vibrant international community of the Indiana capital offers access to many cultural events related to students' language interests, along with opportunities for language practice with native speakers through service learning, as well as access to a wide variety of employment opportunities.

Do you want to find out more about our course and program offerings? Please take a look at our website. We look forward to communicating with you by email, phone or in person.

Thank you for your interest in learning another language.

Larbi Oukada
Professor and Acting Chair of WLAC

The overarching mission of the Department of World Languages and Cultures is to make international languages and cultures familiar to our students, our colleagues, and the broader community, helping them to participate more effectively in the diverse world we share through new linguistic and cross-cultural understanding.

To be a model department for the study and teaching of languages and cultures of the non-English-speaking world.

To advance and apply knowledge of world languages and cultures, both contemporary and past, through teaching, research, and service.

To share the fruits of our experience, reflection, and research with diverse communities — academic and non-academic — at the local, national, and international levels.

To prepare our students to communicate effectively in a broad global context by developing proficiency in languages other than English with an appreciation of their cultural settings.

To foster and enhance intellectual and linguistic flexibility and creativity in IUPUI's students through the exploration of world languages & cultures and through direct interaction with speakers of other languages at home and abroad.

To provide cultural and linguistic resources to the local community and encourage understanding of and respect for cultural heritage and diversity.