Providing students with the ability to function more effectively in the plurilingual and multicultural world in which we live.

A group of students participating in the international festival, dancing and wearing traditional mask and clothing from their culture.

The UMass Lowell Department of World Languages and Cultures strives to represent the diversity of human cultural achievements and experiences through the development of international language skills in French, Italian and Spanish. Our curriculum specifically focuses on the relations, interactions and influences of the arts and humanities on one another, both in the context of a single linguistic or cultural community and in our multilingual and multicultural global world. 

Learn About the Department

A group photo from a study abroad trip to Greece in 2014.

Study Abroad Blogs

Our students regularly blog about their adventures. Read more on blogs.uml.edu.

World Languages & Cultures News

  • Monument and cathedral entrance at the Valley of the Fallen in Spain

    Honors College Expands Study Abroad Programs

    The Honors College expanded its study abroad options this year with new courses on Shakespeare’s London and the history of Madrid. Honors College Dean Jenifer Whitten-Woodring is looking for faculty partners to offer even more.
    Featured Story
  • Two photos by Pedro Letria from his show "Maskirovka"

    Portuguese Photographer Documents Lowell’s Luso-American Community

    Visiting Prof. Pedro Letria, a Portuguese photographer and writer, is teaching photography and documenting the Portuguese American community in Lowell for the university’s Portuguese American Digital Archive. His wife, journalist Cláudia Lobo, is also gathering oral histories for the archive.
    Featured Story
  • Physics majors Michele Woodland, left, and Shanice Kelly work at the new Schueller Astronomical Observatory.

    Honors Students Set Sights on the Stars

    Michele Woodland and Shanice Kelly do almost everything together: They’re both in the Honors College and they both do renewable energy research with Physics Prof. Robert Giles. They both work at the new telescope on South Campus – and they’re president and vice president of the UML Astronomy Club.
    Featured Story
  • Bernie and Kay Petruzzello

    Senior is Fourth Generation to Graduate from UML

    When Harry Rider graduates from UMass Lowell this spring, he will be the fourth generation in his family to do so, starting when his great-grandmother earned her teaching certificate at Lowell Normal School.
    Featured Story