We live in a multilingual and multicultural world. The faculty of the Department of World Languages and Literatures is here to help UAB students understand that world — not simply by teaching grammar and conversation skills but by helping them understand the cultures and perspectives that have shaped those languages. Our faculty is the key to that mission.

An Active and Engaged Faculty

Our faculty bring experience and cultural perspectives to their classrooms and to their scholarship. They have expertise in linguistics, literature, and applied professional areas such as business, health, and translation. Many are also native speakers of languages and cultures from across the globe. They lead students on education abroad trips across the continents.

Excellence in Research

Our faculty receive competitive top national fellowships and scholarships from prestigious institutions such as the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities. They have been recognized for excellence in their research by UAB and by other educational organizations. Faculty scholarship has appeared in some of the top refereed publications in their fields of study.

A Focus on Students

Our faculty engage students in a wide range of classes at all levels, from the basic language instruction to the most advanced areas of proficiency at the undergraduate level. In addition, our faculty members mentor students as they engage the Birmingham community in internships and service learning courses. Whether meeting students in person, online, or in a hybrid learning environment, our faculty prepare their students for the 21st century workforce by developing their cross-cultural communicative ability — both orally and in written form — while also fostering a deep understanding of diversity and the participation of students in a global society.