Academics

Penn State School of Languages and Literatures has new name

Now known as School of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The former Penn State School of Languages and Literatures is now the Penn State School of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

Penn State’s Board of Trustees approved the school’s renaming at its May 6 meeting. The change took effect July 1.

Caroline Eckhardt, professor and director of the school, said the new name more accurately reflects the interdisciplinary and global emphasis of the school’s academic programs and areas of research. The name change also highlights the alignment of the school and its programs with the global priorities of the College of the Liberal Arts — the school’s academic home — and the University.

"I am pleased that the Board of Trustees has approved this new name, which captures the essence of the school’s programs in world languages and cultures,” said Susan Welch, dean of the College of the Liberal Arts.

The School of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures includes five academic units: the Department of Asian Studies; the Department of Comparative Literature; the Department of French and Francophone Studies; the Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures; and the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. 

The units offer an array of degrees, including a major and minor in global and international studies and dual-title degrees through affiliations with Penn State’s African Studies and Language Science programs. The school also is home to the Summer Language Institute, the Center for Global Studies (a federally funded Title VI National Resource Center), and the Less Commonly Taught Languages Initiative.

To learn more about the school and its programs, visit www.sll.la.psu.edu.

Last Updated July 22, 2016

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