Student Experience in Languages and Global Studies
In the Department of Languages and Global Studies, learning extends beyond the classroom through language-specific student organizations, education abroad programs, and faculty-mentored research opportunities.
These experiences help you strengthen language and cultural proficiency, build meaningful connections, and develop confidence and skills to thrive in a global world.
Student Organizations & Community Building
Connect with classmates, build your language skills, and explore new cultures through our Language Clubs. These groups offer a fun, relaxed environment for language practice, event planning, and cultural exchange. Clubs are available for all languages and open to all majors.
Students can also join Global Awareness & International Affairs (GAIA), where they can develop leadership skills, expand their professional networks, and gain valuable global perspectives. Open to all majors.
Language Clubs & GAIA
Connect with classmates, build your language skills, and explore new cultures through our Language Clubs. These groups offer a fun, relaxed environment for language practice, event planning, and cultural exchange. Clubs are available for all languages and open to all majors.
Students can also join Global Awareness & International Affairs (GAIA), where they can develop leadership skills, expand their professional networks, and gain valuable global perspectives. Open to all majors.
Live, Laugh, Languages
Every year, we invite students across the CSU campus to explore languages through an involvement fair with our student organizations. This annual event happens on the LSC Plaza. Watch our event calendar for more information about this year’s event.
Education Abroad
An experience abroad sets you apart from your peers, enhances your studies,
and engages you as a citizen of the world. By studying abroad, you gain skills in cross cultural communication, learn to think critically, and develop self-confidence, flexibility, and an appreciation of diversity—essential components of today’s global workplaces.
We offer a faculty-led program to Japan to explore modern and traditional Japanese culture. Majors are also encouraged to explore the 1,000+ opportunities with the Education Abroad Office, whether you want to intern abroad or study at an international university. Work with your academic advisor to add education abroad to your graduation plan.
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Japanese Language and Culture in Kagawa, Japan
This five-week program is part of an exchange partnership with Kagawa University in Japan. Through excursions to places like Konpira Shrine, Ritsurin Garden, Takamatsu Castle, and local schools, students will learn and experience Japan from a Japanese perspective.
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Semester at Sea
With the world as its classroom, Semester at Sea integrates multiple-country study, interdisciplinary coursework, and hands-on field experience for meaningful engagement in the global community.
Over a 100-day voyage on a shipboard campus, students select academic courses drawn from 20–25 fields of study that are integrated with relevant field classes in up to a dozen countries. This approach allows for an experiential, comparative education that is truly global—perfect for international studies majors!
Undergraduate Research
Work alongside faculty on translation projects, linguistic research, and cultural analysis that connects your classroom learning to real-world applications. Present your findings at student conferences and contribute to ongoing departmental research in areas like language acquisition and cross-cultural communication.
CSU-wide opportunities for undergraduate research include:
- The Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity Showcase (CURC) – an annual event held in April that showcases the creativity and scholarship of undergraduate students across various disciplines
- MURALS – an undergraduate research, leadership, and artistry symposium that provides a platform for undergraduate students to showcase their scholarly work
Internships
A great way to enhance your career opportunities is to participate in an internship.
The department offers course credit for relevant paid or volunteer work. Previous students have earned credit by teaching or tutoring across social, cultural, or linguistic divides, volunteering with non-profit organizations, or interning in areas such as research, event planning, public relations, fundraising, or other initiatives.
Connect with your major’s internship coordinator to learn more.
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Meagan Todd
- Instructor
Clark A-072
Scholarships & Awards
The Department of Languages and Global Studies offers a variety of scholarships for majors to support their academic studies and the pursuit of education abroad. Scholarships are awarded through the CSU Scholarship Application (CSUSA), which is available online from October 1 through March 1. A full list of available scholarships is on the College of Liberal Arts website.
VIDA: Learning Community
VIDA is a first‑year Residential Learning Community that helps students build community, explore interests, and connect those interests to academics and careers. Open to Liberal Arts majors and Exploratory Studies students in select tracks, VIDA offers peer support, faculty engagement, and interactive events in Parmelee Hall’s suite-style environment.
Get Involved
Make the most of your college experience at CSU.