World Languages and Literatures

Ernest Siva, a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians

Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month

In addition to supporting native students, CSU universities have partnered with Tribes to support them in their work to preserve their heritage, including languages, cultures and traditional ecological knowledge.

CSUSB has partnered with the San Manuel Bands of Mission Indians to offer Serrano courses and with the Pechanga Band of Indians on Luiseño courses.

Learn about CSUSB's efforts to preserve the languages and cultures

Phrases in Portuguese with a photo of São Paolo

Portuguese offered in Spring 2025

Want to learn Portuguese?

Coming this Spring 2025

Tuesdays - Thursdays 10:30 am - 11:45 am

Dr. Esteban Córdoba

Sign up for PORT 1111 (44445)

Clock tower at CSUSB in background with flowers in foreground

CSUSB awarded $204,907 grant to launch Spanish language certificate program for business and public administration professionals

The grant will fund the creation of a new certificate program designed to help students become proficient in Spanish while gaining valuable business and administration skills.

Read More about the new program

Acto Latino receives ALFSS Tamal Award

At the 2024 Association of Latino Faculty, Staff and Students (ALFSS) Awards, Acto Latino were recipients of the ALFSS Distinguished Organization Tamal Award! The students expressed their thanks for their advisor, Profesora Díaz, for her leadership and guidance as well as all of their amazing members for their dedication and commitment to Acto Latino and all of our amazing events.

Follow Acto Latino on Instagram to find out about more events

WLL 3920 (44462) Japan in the Global World: Pop Culture Through the Ages Spring 2025 Online Asychronous Taught in English Satisfies GE

Take WLL 3920 (44462)

This course examines the ways in which theater, cinema, anime, manga, and three-dimensional art (dolls) come to represent the Japanese culture.

Want to learn more about Japanese identity through art? Take WLL 3920 in Spring 2025!

Taught in English

Satisfies GE Category C4, G and WI Designations

For more info, contact Dr. Kanesaka

Students and Dr. Diaz in Puerto Rico with

Students explore Puerto Rico during educational summit

From Sept. 2-6, five Cal State San Bernardino students, accompanied by Bibiana Díaz, professor of World Languages and Literatures, visited 10 college campuses in Puerto Rico and participated in Hispanic Educational Technology Services’ inaugural “Student Passport: Connect, Learn & Lead” conference. - CSUSB News

Read the article about their visit

Indigenous Serrano language featured

The L.A. Times featured the important work of department faculty members, including Ernest Siva and the resurrection of the language of the Serrano people.

Study the Serrano language at CSUSB.

Full LA Times article regarding Siva's work

You can reach us by phone at (909) 537-5847 or via email at wll@csusb.edu, and you may contact me directly at george.thomas@csusb.edu.

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Department of World Languages & Literatures, I want you to know that your education and academic success are our highest concerns.

Dr. George Thomas

Department Chair

Publications

Explore some of the publications from our talented Department.

Need a Placement Exam?

Placement and Challenge Exam Information

Department Offerings

The Department of World Languages & Literatures (WLL) offers a wide variety of courses in the world languages, including American Sign Language, Arabic, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Spanish. Master's degree is available in Spanish (MA); Bachelor's degrees are available in Arabic (BA), French (BA), and Spanish (BA); minors are available in Arabic, French, Japanese, and Spanish, as well as Asian Studies and Latin American Studies.

Our classes will teach you to understand, speak, read and write the language you are studying. Our courses promote an understanding of world civilizations and an appreciation of their literatures. This background will prepare you for jobs in a variety of professions such as international trade, librarian, interpreter, translator, foreign service officer, foreign trade specialist, diplomacy, intelligence, teaching and law enforcement.

Study of another language truly places the world in your hands: you will be prepared to meet and work with people from other cultures. With the advancement of technology and the global marketplace, study of another language enhances job opportunities for everyone. Be prepared for the world of tomorrow by studying another language today.

Why Learn a Language?

Language Learning Opens a World of Opportunities

Learn how knowing a second (or third!) language gives you a boost up the ladder to success.
Top Ten Reasons to Learn Languages

Guy jumping gap to a stone work that simply says JOB

History has taught us the value of foreign languages

Have we learned our lesson?

A Degree in “Foreign Languages, Literature, and Linguistics" Equals Job?

In a May 2018 article written by Forbes Magazine, they referenced Burning Glass' report on underemployment, to which Forbes states, "The major with the fewest underemployed graduates, according [Burning Glass'] report was “Foreign Languages, Literature, and Linguistics."

In other words, for every cliché of a barista or bartender with a liberal arts degree, there were ten with a degree in business.