In an era of globalization and increasingly diverse multicultural perspectives, the Division of International Cultures and Languages, which emphasizes comparative, structural and multidisciplinary cultural and language studies, endeavors to enhance students' personal horizons by stimulating awareness of and reflection upon various international cultures, literatures and languages.
The Division of International Cultures and Languages is made up of the following three sections: Comparative Cultural Studies, Literary Forms Studies and Structure of Cultures and Languages Studies. Students select to specialize in the cluster of courses offered by one of these sections by registering either in Comparative Cultural Studies, European Cultural Studies or English-speaking Countries Cultural Studies.
The Comparative Cultural Studies section carries out comprehensive and globally-oriented education and research in such areas as comparative literature, comparative culture and comparative religions; the basic classics of western literature and culture; and image cultural studies that concentrate on such non-verbal culture phenomena as photographs and other types of visual images.
Through education and research in such European languages as French, German, Russian and Spanish, the European Cultural Studies section's courses cover comparative European studies, European regional studies and theories of literature.
While mainly focusing on the systematic study of the cultures and literatures of Britain and the United States, the English-speaking Countries Cultural Studies section's courses also incorporate studies of a broader area of English-speaking countries, such as Ireland, Canada and Australia. In addition, the cluster of courses in this section includes those in such fields as methods of language communication and the comprehensive study of the history and structure of the English language as well as other languages.
Students in the Division of International Cultures and Languages are expected to acquire high-level skill in two or more modern Western languages through taking many of the diverse language courses offered by the Division. Importance is placed on each student acquiring the knowledge and language ability necessary to be active in global society. Students will develop the ability to express themselves more effectively in speaking and writing in foreign languages, and they will become more observant, thoughtful and articulate in response to what they choose to study.
The courses students have taken in the Division of International Cultures and Languages will lead them after graduation into various exciting career directions and for some serve as preparation for graduate studies. Graduates have frequently gone on to pursue outstanding careers as civil servants, teachers and businesspersons.