Global Languages, Cultures and Societies | College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Learn How to Thrive in Our Interconnected, Global Environment

The Department of Global Languages, Cultures and Societies helps students develop the skills to understand and critically engage with the consequences of complex flows of people, goods, ideas, conflicts and social problems across borders. Students hone critical thinking, language fluency, intercultural competence and holistic knowledge of important global social problems to prepare them for careers in business, economic development, nonprofit sector, government and international organizations, and culture industries. For more information about the department, send an email to glcs@webster.edu.

Undergraduate Majors, Minors and Certificates

Next Century Leaders Endowed Scholarship Fund Recipient

“I hope to help bridge language gaps, and bring people and their respective cultures closer together. Communication in any relationship is immensely important.”

Jessica Wright

BA in International/Global Studies, ‘22

Global Languages, Cultures and Societies Department Academic Resources

Students majoring in one of the programs administered by the Global Languages, Cultures and Societies department are encouraged to seek the direction of a Global Languages, Cultures and Societies faculty advisor as early in their studies as possible. A departmental faculty advisor will help assess and plan the student's program of study, focusing on the student's specific academic and career goals. The diversity of activities for which students are preparing themselves urges this approach: some students are seeking careers in teaching, social service, museums, historical societies, nonprofit organizational settings, or corporations, while others are preparing for admission to graduate and professional training programs.

Chinese (Mandarin), English as a Second Language, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. When there is sufficient interest, other languages are also offered, such as American Sign Language, Italian, Latin and Russian.

International Distinction award

Students who complete their undergraduate requirements and satisfy three core components of international education earn our University’s prestigious ‘International Distinction’ award.

Learn more about International Distinction Award program

There is an exchange of students as assistant instructors between Webster University and the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina, and between Webster and the French Ministry of Education. Advanced students of Spanish and French have the opportunity to apply for these teaching assistantships.

Students of German may apply for an internship through the University at Villingen-Schweningen, close to Stuttgart. Students are encouraged to apply for the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals in their senior year, which includes an internship and study at a university.

Webster University offers an exchange program with Kansai University in Japan.

The department also provides study abroad programs in France, Belgium, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Austria and Germany.

The minors in Africana Studies and in Anthropology: Archeology Focus offer the unique opportunity to study abroad at the Ghana and Athens campus respectively where students may experience firsthand many of the social-cultural and political-economic issues introduced in the classroom.

Le Centre Francophone

Our Webster University community established Le Centre Francophone in 2012 with the goal of promoting French and francophone cultures in and around St. Louis, Missouri — a city with one of the strongest French heritages in the United States.