MMISSION Statement

As part of the Department of Languages and Literature, the Center for Foreign Languages and Cultures shares a common mission:  to provide opportunities for authentic experiences with other cultures which enable students to develop linguistic and cultural proficiencies. The Department contributes significantly to the College's mission to facilitate an understanding of human interaction across world cultures and time, enhance awareness of global perspectives, and foster in our students, the knowledge, skills and versatility needed to succeed personally, academically and professionally in an ever-changing society.

Although Bard has no foreign language requirement in its curriculum, proficiency in a foreign language, ancient or modern, serves many ends. It deepens an appreciation of one’s own language, increases sensitivity and understanding of the nature of language itself, and enables the student to gain a far more intimate understanding of different cultures than is possible through translations.  According to the college’s mission statement, “students are not expected to accept passively a rigid structure or prescribed plan of study, but rather are required by the curriculum’s structure to mold their education by making a series of active choices.”  The CFLC would like to see students to take the initiative to study and immerse themselves in a foreign culture through language learning.  Language proficiency and cultural literacy will enrich a student’s career at Bard as well as open them up to more opportunities for graduate schools and careers.  By providing services, resources, and an interactive environment, the Center hopes to encourage and enliven language study so its belief that all students should be multi-lingual can be fulfilled.

Here are the Center’s objectives:

• Preparing students through language proficiency to leave Bard linguistically and culturally competent.
• Supporting foreign language professors in the use of current approaches to teaching foreign languages, including the use of multimedia technologies.
• Supporting the foreign language requirements of other departments and the General Education program.
• Identifying and responding to community and professional needs in the area of language and culture.
• Supporting and assisting study abroad and internship opportunities, as well as service learning experiences to enhance the authenticity of linguistic and cultural education.
• Providing opportunities to study less commonly taught foreign languages.
• Contributing to the personal enrichment of students by providing an instructive community of exchange.