“Lead through Languages”
Welcome to the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at The Citadel. Our passionate faculty is committed to enriching the lives of students by imparting a deep understanding of language and fostering a world of possibilities and connections. This is a fundamental and essential tool for leadership and success.
An adequate level of fluency in a foreign language is multi-folded in any career. Our global community has a constantly growing need for competent people able to express themselves in more than one language. This, of course, means brighter profiles at hiring times as well as greater financial earnings. As a result, Citadel students are declaring language majors and minors in record numbers.
Our students have access to a wealth of language-related opportunities to complement and enhance their studies.
Your Passport to the World Starts Here: Think languages are just for language majors? Think again! Knowing another language opens doors you haven’t even imagined – from international business to global politics, from cutting-edge research to connecting with diverse communities at home. Our Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures offers incredible opportunities to get you there. Picture yourself spending a summer in France, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Spain, or Taiwan, through our study abroad programs. And guess what? There are scholarships to help fuel your adventures, including specific funding for French majors/minors and cool stipends for German studies and cultural immersion. Our students have a track record of getting into some seriously impressive semester-long programs worldwide, proving that language skills are a significant advantage.
Real Skills for the Real World: Want more than just classroom learning? Our Spanish program offers internships with local organizations like the Medical University of South Carolina and TV stations, giving you hands-on experience and a serious edge in the job market.
Connect and Get Recognized: If you excel in your language studies, you could be invited to join our honor societies for French, German, and Spanish – a great way to boost your academic profile. But everyone is invited to join our language clubs for fun events and a chance to connect with others who share your interests.
Amplify Your Voice: We’re not just about speaking but about expressing yourself. Our national Spanish journal, El Cid, and our French campus publication, Le Gaulois Litteraire, showcase our students’ amazing writing and editing talents.
Our Faculty
Learn from the best! Our Chinese, French, German, and Spanish faculty includes some of the Southeast’s most accomplished scholars, many with international distinction in their fields. They are not just experts but dedicated mentors who use cross-cultural insights to expand our students’ global vision. Their cutting-edge teaching methods empower cadets and graduate students to experience the world anew through language. And while their impact is global, their focus is always on you, our students.
Our professors’ dedication and our undergraduates’ ambition converge in remarkable achievements, including:
- Launching 8 Fulbright Scholars onto the global stage.
- Securing numerous acceptances (many with fellowships!) into the nation’s top graduate programs in languages, law, business, and international studies.
- Producing 2 national Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellows, recognizing exceptional scholarly potential.
- Earning an outstanding 17 national “Honor Chapter” awards for our Sigma Delta Pi chapter, a testament to our vibrant Hispanic studies community.
- Recognizing 9 students with the prestigious national Gabriela Mistral Award, celebrating exceptional members of Sigma Delta Pi.
"Aim high and go big are the hallmarks of The Citadel Distinguished Scholars Program."
Photo above: Demolition begins on The Citadel’s Capers Hall on June 8, 2021. Lauren Petracca/Staff As seen in The Post and Courier, by Thomas Novelly The Citadel started demolishing its
Provided by Women in Defense Palmetto Chapter (WID) Pictured above (left to right): Cadets Lillian Layden and Catherine Guenther, 2020 Women in Defense Palmetto Chapter Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math