Vision
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese will be among the top undergraduate and graduate programs in the United States in the fields of Hispanic Linguistics, Iberian Studies, Latin American and Latinx Literary and Cultural Studies, and Portuguese.
Mission
To teach, create and exchange knowledge about the languages, linguistics, literatures and cultures of Latin America, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking Africa and Asia through teaching and learning, research and creative activity, and community engagement from local to global levels.
To realize this vision and mission, we will dedicate ourselves to the following goals that demonstrate our commitment to the productive interrelationships between research, teaching and community engagement:
Excellent Faculty and Academic Programs
- Support innovative and relevant research about language, language contact, linguistic phenomena, literature, film and visual studies, and overarching cultural dynamics in Latin America, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking Africa and Asia
- Offer programs of distinction; and support innovative teaching
- Promote interdisciplinary research and collaboration
Diversity and Values
- Promote the understanding of and engagement with the rich diversity of the languages, literatures and cultures of Latin America, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking Africa and Asia in the classroom and outside of it
- Foster an environment of productive exchange between diverse peoples and viewpoints
Citizenship and Advocacy
- Prepare a diverse student body to be leaders and engaged citizens on local, regional, national and global levels by promoting multilingual and cross-cultural competencies
- Affirm the vital importance of education in diverse languages, literatures and cultures to the preparation of student-citizens
Community Engagement
- Foster collaborations between faculty, students, and community partners (on local, regional, national, and global levels) through classes and extracurricular activities
- Support innovative efforts to integrate teaching, research/creative activity and commnity engagement with the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities in central Ohio
Access, Affordability, and Student Success
- Expand access to teaching and learning opporunities through the use of new digital technologies
- Streamline undergraduate programs and provide cost-efficient study abroad opportunities to Latin America, Portugal and Spain
- Enhance linkages between classroom and experiential learning and post-university opportunities