Prepare for a World of Opportunity

A World Cultures & Languages B.A. from Seton Hill gets you ready for meaningful work of global significance.

Benefits of a B.A. in World Cultures and Languages at Seton Hill

Certification by the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages

As a Seton Hill World Cultures & Languages Program major you’ll enjoy personalized training that follows the standards set by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). This leads to the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview Certification, which you will receive prior to graduation. (This is often required by government, court systems, hospitals and other organizations when they are hiring employees required to speak specific languages.)

Modern Language Minors

Modern Language programming at Seton Hill offers minor areas of study to support your degree in World Cultures & Languages.

• Modern Language minor (includes Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish)
• French minor
• Spanish minor
• Medical Spanish minor

Study in Federally-Designated Critical Languages

Seton Hill’s Critical Language Programs (a designation used by the U.S. government to recognize languages of national security interest) include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Hindi. Courses in these languages are offered in a fully synchronous online environment with experienced language teachers from throughout the world in collaboration with World of Learning via Intermediate Unit 8.

Language Clubs, Conversation Tables & More

At Seton Hill, you will have classmates and friends who share your love of language and culture learning. You will enjoy participating in:

• Spanish and French Club activities - from dance parties to cooking demonstrations to special holiday and cultural event celebrations
• Informal Dining Hall “conversation tables” that allow you to practice the languages you’re learning in a fun, supportive environment
• International exchanges that allow you to chat regularly with native speakers around the world.

Immersive Study Abroad

All World Cultures & Languages majors at Seton Hill University participate in at least one immersive study abroad experience.*

Options include:

• Short-term, intensive study abroad and service experiences led by Seton Hill faculty in January and May.
• A semester abroad at the University of Córdoba in Spain. Seton Hill’s cooperative exchange program with this university allows you to stay enrolled through Seton Hill, so your tuition rates and financial aid stay the same.
• Study at the Instituto Intercultural del Caribe in the Dominican Republic. Seton Hill’s collaborative agreement with this school allows you to easily transfer credits.

Passport to the World Program

Get ready to study abroad - and have Seton Hill pay for your passport - through the Passport to the World Program.

• We also have accommodations in place for local immersive experiences for cases in which international travel is impossible.

Nationally-Recognized Faculty

World Cultures & Languages Program faculty at Seton Hill enjoy teaching, advising, and traveling with students. Language professors at Seton Hill are also:

• Native speakers, hailing from Spain, France, Germany, Perú and the U.S.
• Active in the Pa. State Modern Language Association (PSMLA)
• Authors of books and articles on immigration, gender studies, poetry, theatre, narrative and film.
• Officers for the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).
  Coordinators of a yearly on-campus conference for K-16 teachers that fosters cultural knowledge and creativity in teaching. (Co-sponsored by the Western Pa. Chapter of the AATSP.)
• Content matter experts for student applications to prestigious Fulbright Awards in Latin American and Spain.

Career Opportunities

Study in world cultures and languages at Seton Hill prepares you with vital career skills needed in industries like education, government, politics, public policy and law. Popular career fields include:

Interpretation & Translation

The U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts that the number of jobs in this field will grow faster than the average through 2030. Median pay in 2021 was $50,000 per year, and only a bachelor's degree is required.

Education

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) predicts that by 2025 there will be a “hiring gap of 100,000 teachers annually.” At Seton Hill, you can prepare to earn Pre K - 12 Spanish or French teaching certification while you earn your World Cultures & Languages degree.

No matter which career field you choose, the award-winning Career and Professional Development Center at Seton Hill will help you get ready for your future.