Fulbright Department of World Languages Adds Two New Programs

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Leaning another language like Portuguese or Swahili embodies Senator Fulbright's vision for international understanding through education and cultural exchange.

The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has recently added two new language programs to the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

Portuguese and Swahili were chosen to be the newest additions to the World Languages, Literatures and Cutlures, giving students more language options for minors or areas of study.

Spoken on four continents, Portuguese is a rapidly growing language that may be helpful to students wishing to have an advantage in future international careers. Trade in and out of Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking country, has seen an enormous surge in recent years, making Portuguese an increasingly important language in world trade. 

"As the sixth most widely spoken language in the world, Portuguese has become the language of opportunity and as such it represents an important skill for professionals who plan to work for the international corporations and organizations located both in the US and Latin America," said Edvan Brito, head of the Portuguese program. "The Portuguese language opens the doors to a variety of interesting cultures, their literatures and music, and, more importantly, their unique ways of seeing the world."

Swahili, the most widely spoken language in sub-Saharan Africa, is symbolic across the entire continent. With about 50 million native speakers and 140 million speakers total, Swahili can be extremely useful those interested in pursuing academic research in East Africa in a wide range of fields, including anthropology, linguistics, history and archaeology. 

Additionally, Swahili is an important tool for students planning careers in sustainability and human rights in the region. The National Security Education Program has identified Swahili as a 'critical language,' and U.S. agencies such as the FBI and CIA regularly seek employees with professional fluency in the language.

"Learning Swahili becomes essential when one intends to learn about Africa or visit for leisure, research, work, etc. With recent rising interest of multinational investment companies and charitable organizations in Africa, including the U.N., that hire internationally, Swahili becomes crucial and learning it opens up great opportunities," said David Irungu, head of the Swahili program. "International security agencies that have spread their tentacles to sub-Saharan Africa also require knowledge of the language to facilitate their activities in their quest for a peaceful world."

The University of Arkansas offers a minor as well as a combined major in African and African American Studies, and Swahili courses count towards these degree programs.

Additionally, study abroad options exist for these and many other language offerings through World Languages, Literatures and Cultures.