Open the door to limitless opportunities
“To have another language is to possess a second soul.” – Charlemagne
At the intersection of language and culture you’ll find a world of possibilities. As a Global Languages and Cultures major, you will develop linguistic competence and cultural literacy guided by faculty who are expert in languages including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Navajo, and Spanish. Learning to communicate across languages and cultures will prepare you to become an informed global citizen in an increasingly interconnected world. Your educational experience will include numerous cultural activities, invited speakers, film festivals, performances, and opportunities for international internships and study abroad.
If you are already proficient in one of the languages we offer, you have options for earning credit and/or being placed in advanced courses.
To support classroom language learning and language study exploration, the Global Engagement Language Learning (GELL) Center offers a computer room, digital and printed materials, and opportunities for native speaker conversation in the form of Conversation Groups.
By joining language clubs and tables, students can enhance their linguistic competence in an informal setting and through telecollaboration, they have the opportunity to communicate directly with native speakers abroad.
By studying abroad you will be immersed in a different culture. You will develop a deeper understanding of yourself and the world in which we live. The Center for International Education can help you arrange to study at one of dozens of international locations.
Exchange programs allow you to pay regular NAU tuition while abroad and use all financial aid towards program costs. The Department of Global Languages and Cultures has faculty-led programs in Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain.
Save with NAU
The College of Arts and Letters awards $2 million annually in scholarships, including several scholarships specific to students studying languages.
Students who are Global Languages and Cultures majors from 14 qualifying states, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible for the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). Qualifying students pay NAU’s discounted tuition rate, nearly 40 percent less than our out-of-state tuition.
With NAU’s Fixed-Tuition Pledge, you’ll pay the same fixed tuition rate for up to four years—no increases, guaranteed.