“Knowing another language enriches your personal life, expands the range of professional opportunities open to you, and increases your power to act as a citizen of the world. ”
Language Study at UCSB
We invite you to discover the rich foreign language offerings at UCSB. The campus offers a wide variety of programs where you can study one or more languages. Language departments host a range of events and talks related to language study, all announced on their websites (links below).
Languages and Where to Study Them
Germanic and Slavic Studies
www.gss.ucsb.edu
Languages: German, Russian
Majors: German, Russian & East European Studies
Minors: German Studies, Russian
Religious Studies
www.religion.ucsb.edu
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan
Minors: Iranian Studies, Jewish Studies
Spanish and Portuguese
www.spanport.ucsb.edu
Languages: Basque, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish
Majors: Portuguese, Spanish
Minors: Portuguese, Spanish
Classics
www.classics.ucsb.edu
Languages: Ancient Greek, Latin
Major: Classics
Minor: Classics
East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies
www.eastasian.ucsb.edu
Languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean
Majors: Chinese, Japanese, Asian Studies
Minors: Chinese, Japanese
French and Italian
www.frit.ucsb.edu
Languages: French, Italian
Majors: French, Italian Studies
Minors: French, Italian Studies
Other departments where language study is a vital component: Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Film and Media Studies, Global and International Studies, History, History of Art and Architecture, Linguistics, and others.
The UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) offers many opportunities to start or continue language study. Visit their website and hear from fellow students about how their experiences have shaped their studies since returning from abroad as well as their post-college goals.
“As many languages one speaks, as many times one is a human being.”
Language video
Testimonials on Language Study from Students
I was just thinking how helpful, rewarding, and supportive the German program is here. I picked it up definitely late in my college education and it is one of the best decisions ever. I really feel like I am learning a lot being taught by professor(in)s that actually care and support their students in picking up the language. [In my other] major many of my classes have over hundreds of students and that connection isn't really there, at really no fault to the program it is just a large major. The environment the German program at UCSB has created is exceptional and I am glad to be a part of it. I would love to express my gratitude to someone higher up just to acknowledge the great work being done if possible.
UCSB undergraduate student
Taking Spanish at UCSB opened many doors for me down the line, especially during my study abroad. The professors are great about emphasizing real-world conversation skills and using content that's relevant to students' majors and personal interests.
UCSB undergraduate student
As a biology major, I spent a lot of time memorizing scientific names and extremely niche jargon. In its own right, taking Latin has been fun and interesting, but it has also made much of biology and academia feel more familiar. Now, I am able to intuitively find patterns in words, remember them, and understand how and why they are formed.
CCS Biology major
"Studying Japanese as an undergraduate student opened doors I never expected - it took me across the world to Japan for a year, allowed me to build relationships across language barriers, and gave me a deeper understanding of a culture so different from my own. Learning a foreign language isn’t just about words; it’s about experiencing the world in a new way, understanding different perspectives, and building real connections. That experience in Japan shaped my academic and personal interests, ultimately inspiring me to continue studying Japanese language and culture in graduate school. This journey all started from taking a foreign language class. All of this to say, studying a foreign language has changed the way I see and experience the world, and that is why it holds so much value."
UCSB BA and MA student
Faculty on the Value of Language Study
Learning a new language activates a part of our minds that otherwise lies dormant -- it is the doorway to a new way of thinking, a different culture, and it allows us to reflect on our own language, culture, and selves. It is one of the most enriching educational experiences available and it would be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity!
Dwight Reynolds, Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies
I couldn’t have become a European historian without language study. Knowing French opened the doors to the French archives and libraries in which I worked for many years. Not knowing French would have kept all those doors closed. I took German courses when I was an undergraduate, but learning a language isn’t like learning how to ride a bicycle. By not using German I forgot how to. In retirement, I took several German courses at UC Santa Barbara. The experience was a joy. I re-learned the language with the help of the superb teachers who staff a small department.
John (Jack) Talbott, Professor of History, Emeritus
Career oriented resources and research on language study
Language Connects Foundation - “The Benefits of Learning Languages”
New American Economy - “Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the U.S. Job Market”
Sara Pankenier Weld (via The Chicago Tribune) - “We need the humanities today more than ever”
Languages at UCSB - News and Features
