Welcome to Howard University's Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.  

Dr. James J. Davis - Interim Chair

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures supports both the mission and the vision of Howard University. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, the DMLL contributes to the realization of Howard's enterprise by offering courses in foreign modern languages and literatures. The DMLL offers basic instruction in Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Swahili, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Yoruba and Zulu. It also offers advanced study leading to a major/minor in French, German, and Spanish languages and literatures. On the graduate level, the Department offers the M.A. in French and Spanish. Efforts are underway to restore the Ph.D. program in French and Spanish.

The DMLL was established on July 1, 1993, through a merger of two academic units and one support facility, namely the Department of German and Russian, the Department of Romance Languages, and the Language Resource Center. Presently there are approximately 46 full-time faculty members. It is the second largest department in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The DMLL faculty is a diverse group trained in the language, literature and culture of several nations. The faculty has extensive training, experience, and expertise in areas related to second language teaching, comparative literature and culture, international business, music, film, photographic journalism, pedagogy, anthropology, education, general linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and educational technology. Faculty members have garnered both a national and international reputation. Many are recognized as pioneers in their fields. Of special note is the international acclaim of several members in the unique fields of Afro-French and Afro-Hispanic studies. The DMLL provides an "unparalleled" opportunity for "in-depth study of the linguistic and literary contributions of Francophone and Hispanic peoples of African descent, foreign language education courses for teachers of foreign languages, and areas of specialization in traditional languages and literatures." The historical "Afro" research initiatives are presently being expanded to include important symposia and courses in German, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and African languages/culture (Yoruba, Swahili, Arabic, and Zulu). The DMLL's research can serve as one of the foundations for the Center on African and African American Heritage at Howard University, proposed by President Swygert in his Strategic Framework for Action.

The DMLL program of research and instruction is global in its reach. It will continue to situate Howard University at the forefront of global awareness which celebrates diversity in the international arena. Howard's Moorland Spingarn Collection, an important repository of Africana materials, serves as a resource for continued research in this area. The DMLL program prepares its graduates for entry into careers such as international affairs, international business, and international studies. Graduates of the program have secured positions in education (college, secondary and elementary), in the corporate world, and in government. In addition, graduates are admitted into prestigious national and international graduate programs.

The nation is preparing to enter the 2 1 st century and proposes cultural challenges which Howard University and the DMLL can confront in partnership. The DMLL is a microcosm of the larger society and can serve as a laboratory for the understanding of the cross cultural skills that the new society demands. In the July 26,1989 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, it was reported that the American Council on Education has called on colleges and universities to require all undergraduates to gain competency in foreign languages. The DMLL has certified language examiners who can facilitate the goals and objectives of foreign language competency which can be assessed according to professional standards. The national cultural dynamics demands an interdisciplinary and an international education. The DMLL will continue its role in this endeavor.

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