Why Study a Foreign Language?
The global market only keeps growing on our fast-paced, wired planet. Speaking a foreign language is one of the most marketable skills you can offer to an employer. You will instantly jump to those among the top of the applicant list. For example:
- A corporate president waits in silence while an interpreter closes a deal with important Japanese investors.
- A nurse can’t diagnose a complaint because the patient can only speak French and the interpreter has not arrived yet.
We strive to offer dynamic, engaging language classes that challenge students to progress in their target languages. We are living in a world where knowing more than one language can make an impact on the job market, where communication can make or break a business deal, where global travel is on everyone’s dream list, and where knowing a foreign language is an invaluable asset.
We offer courses in Arabic, French, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Emphasis is placed on practical application of the language for effective communication.
Our Mission
We were established in February 1959. Our mission is:
- To instill humanistic values and enhance career options.
- To introduce, develop, and reinforce language skills through classroom work, the language laboratory, and the tutoring resources of the department.
- To focus students’ learning on the cultural aspects of the courses offered in the department, and thus foster not only self-awareness but also appreciation, both of one’s own culture and of other cultures.
- To encourage students from all majors to be active in the college community, the larger community, and as global citizens, through participation in clubs, volunteer activities, and study abroad.
- To prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university.
Department of World Languages and Cultures
Alexander Lamazares, Chairperson
Alexander.Lamazares@bcc.cuny.edu
Main Office: Colston Hall, Room 201
Miguel Rivera, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 718-289-5633
Email: miguel.rivera@bcc.cuny.edu
Hours
Mon-Fri 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
