Welcome to the Department of Foreign Language

What is Our Mission?

Lipscomb's Department of Foreign Languages exists to help students communicate, learn, and teach in other languages. Likewise, we strive to equip students with the intellectual tools that will enable them to interact with the diverse cultures that make-up our world. Students in our department interact with the literature, history and culture of the language they are studying.

Our mission grows out of the university's Christian identity as well as centuries of educational practice.  God chose to communicate through the grammar and vocabulary of a scriptural text and also became a human being who thought in and spoke a specific language, which demonstrates the importance of language in God's interaction with humankind. Similarly, from the Middle Ages on, Western education included grammar and rhetoric, two of the seven historic liberal arts. Learning languages is fundamental for a Christian university that, like Lipscomb, focuses on undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences.

1. We believe the ability to function in another language in the real world is essential
   Our department strives to develop literacy in the target language. For us, developing literacy meansthat a student is able to synthesize his or her knowledge of reading, writing, speaking, listening and culture so that he or she has a comprehensive, functional knowledge of the target language. A literate student is able to read and write and is competent when discussing and expressing opinions about literature or other specific subject matter content (i.e. history, culture, civilization, politics, etc.).  Essentially, we view language learning as a holistic process in which all skills support each other. Therefore, we focus on building these skills together instead of independently. 

2. We believe language learning is a community process
   Our language classes require a high level of interaction and participation from the students as well as the professor.  Specifically, our elementary and intermediate courses meet for two semesters for either four or five days a week.  This unique structure allows students to create relationships with each other and with the professor that are personal and meaningful. The skills language students develop in our courses enable them to relate more effectively with each other and with the society they will enter upon graduation. 

3. We believe language learning enhances service and develops empathy
   "Loving your neighbor as you love yourself" implies understanding others, including the languages of their hearts. Language learning builds the awareness that is the first step in working for justice. It opens the door to sensitive, informed service. Again, we are able to draw from the Standards as we emphasize that language is relevant only when used within and beyond the school setting. We encourage our students to put their language skills to use in order to facilitate an understanding of others which allows them in turn to minister and encourage those whose life experiences differ from their own.  We also believe that the language education students receive here will encourage them to pursue study beyond the college years for service or personal enrichment. 

What Do We Offer? 

To develop the above skills, the department has gifted, enthusiastic professors who are committed to teaching and research. In addition, language courses at Lipscomb make use of award winning software which enables students to simulate authentic situations requiring the target language. The software also has sophisticated voice recognition capabilities so that student’s can gauge how accurately they are using and pronouncing the target language. The department owns numerous international DVD’s and also makes use of a satellite signals which broadcast several French-, German-, and Spanish-language channels. Likewise, the university library includes a respectable collection of literary, linguistic, and cultural texts to support the language programs.

The department also offers opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. Study abroad programs offered through various Consortium Memberships (such as the CCCU and the Mid-Continent Consortium) have summer programs at the Université de Québec à Chicoutimi, Canada; Toledo, Spain; and Guanajuato, Mexico. Semester long programs are offered in Vienna, Austria and Costa Rica. The department also fosters relationships between our students through departmental dinners and activities. For example, students recently created a monthly Film Series, where they get together to watch and discuss foreign films. In all, there are many opportunities for students in Foreign Language at Lipscomb and we are always striving to create more!

Thank you for stopping in to visit us on the web. Please be sure to visit the catalog listing for complete details of all our department has to offer.

Where are We Located?

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is in the lower level of Elam. The full time faculty can be found in offices B-111, B-113, and B-115. Please don’t hesitate to visit us with any questions you have about majoring in or studying a Foreign Language at LU. We are happy to help!