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From Our Chair
Welcome to the Department of Romance Languages, Cultures, and Diasporas at Vanderbilt University!
Whether you are interested in pursuing a career that requires knowing another language or are simply curious about other languages and cultures, you have come to the right place.
We offer language courses in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. We also offer more advanced classes in culture and literature where you will develop your skills in communication, empathy, understanding, and critical thinking.
Our courses, majors, and minors, support a wide range of professional and intellectual interests, while our classes are small enough to give you personalized attention.
You will have the opportunity to study in locations around the world and learn from faculty from a similarly diverse pool of countries, and with a wide area of expertise and interests.
Most of all, you will join a close and caring community of faculty and students committed to supporting one another and to having fun while learning from each other.
If you have any questions about our program, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email. I look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Benigno Trigo
Interim Chair, Department of Romance Language, Cultures, and Diasporas
Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities
Professor of Spanish
Why Romance Languages, Cultures, and Diasporas?
The study of romance languages, cultures, and diasporas exposes students to the languages, cultures, and literatures of France, Italy, Brazil, Spain and the Americas, and the Luso and Francophone worlds. By integrating professional language instruction—in business, medicine, journalism, law, and engineering—with a humanistic core focused on literature, cultural studies, media, and diaspora studies, students will gain the tools to thrive in a rapidly changing, global, and interconnected world.
Our students gain the following marketable proficiencies:
Critical Thinking and Interpretation
Students learn to analyze texts, media, and cultural practices from multiple perspectives.
Clear Communication and Persuasive Argumentation
Students develop writing, research, and presentation skills that apply across fields.
Global Literacy and Intercultural Competence
Students are prepared to navigate multilingual and multicultural settings with confidence.
Creative Problem Solving
Students are able to adapt to unfamiliar contexts and synthesize diverse information to generate new insights.
Collaboration and Leadership
Students learn to work effectively in groups, contribute ideas, and respect diverse viewpoints.
Adaptability and Lifelong Learning
Students gain the confidence to learn new languages, systems, and professional practices beyond graduation.
Translation and Localization
Through courses in language and culture, students are equipped to build bridges in global companies and organizations by enabling culturally appropriate localization and skillful, contextualized translation of ideas and materials.
Contact Us
Building Address
Department of Romance Languages, Cultures, and Diasporas
Vanderbilt University
111 Furman Hall (French and Italian languages)
313 Furman Hall (Spanish and Portuguese languages)
Nashville, TN 37240-1617
Mailing Addresses
French and Italian
2301 Vanderbilt Place, PMB 356312
Nashville, Tennessee 37240-1617
Spanish and Portuguese
2301 Vanderbilt Place, PMB 401617
Nashville, TN 37240-1617