Chairperson: Lois Oppenheim

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures is dedicated to diffusing knowledge about the languages and cultures of a diverse world population and to imparting respect for and understanding of similarity and difference across national borders. Faculty members help students achieve their goals, whether they include teaching, translation, international business, diplomacy, or entertainment. On campus, language clubs provide an informal setting for speaking and interacting in the target language. Recent events include film series, trips to restaurants, museums, operas, and plays in New York City.

The Arabic program offers two minors, one in Arabic language and the other in Arabic Studies. The former focuses on Arabic language acquisition while the latter allows students to explore the history and cultures of Arabic-speaking countries through a variety of interdisciplinary course offerings taught primarily in English. Interested students may contact Mazooz Sehwail for more information.

The Chinese program offers a Chinese language minor which can complement any of the majors of Montclair State University.  This program provides courses that enable students to achieve proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking Chinese and to acquire a fundamental understanding of Chinese culture. Through these courses, students will be equipped with the necessary language skills to further their studies and achieve their career goals. Students may contact Dr. Wing Shan Ho for more information.

The French program provides courses that develop linguistic skills, literary appreciation, and an understanding of French-speaking people and their cultures. French majors may choose the Translation-Interpretation Concentration and earn a Translation Certificate in order to enhance their linguistic skills or to enter careers related to international organizations. They may also take related business courses. For a liberal arts concentration, majors may specialize in French Civilization, which provides a sound foundation for graduate studies as well as careers in fields such as international relations and book publishing. Students may also select Teacher Education or a second teaching field in French. French minors may elect to follow a liberal arts emphasis or to specialize in Business French. Students may contact Dr. Lois Oppenheim for more information.

The German program features a liberal arts major and minor as well as a second teaching field. It provides courses that develop linguistic skills, practice literary analysis, and build an understanding of cultures in German-speaking countries. In addition to German language courses on all levels, the program offers German literature and civilization classes as well as a large variety of extra-curricular activities. The Montclair-Graz (Austria) sister city exchange program provides Montclair students with the opportunity to study in Graz for one or two semesters, usually in the junior year.  Students may contact Dr. Thomas Herold for more information.

The Russian program features a liberal arts minor and a second teaching field, as well as a Russian Area Studies minor. In the latter, students explore the history and culture of Russia by choosing from among interdisciplinary course offerings taught in English.  Students may contact Dr. Jefferson Gatrall for more information.

Programs also are available in Chinese, Japanese, and Hebrew. Students may contact Dr. Lois Oppenheim for more information.

Study Abroad
Students may also take advantage of Montclair-affiliated study abroad programs in over fifty countries. After successful completion of study abroad, up to 30 semester hours for a full year of study may be earned.