Northern Illinois University
World Languages and Cultures
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Studying another language opens doors. It leads to exciting career opportunities and a better understanding of other people and cultures. Our undergraduate and graduate programs will prepare you for a dynamic career in the global economy, in areas like translation, business, tourism, service industries, banking and education.

Our distinguished faculty members are experts in the theory and practice of linguistics, literature and translation. In their classes, you'll have opportunities to work closely with them on research projects, or you can join one of their study abroad programs.

Explore the many languages we offer and see the worlds we can open for you. You can also view our upcoming course offerings.

2026 Department Award Winners

• Minor Language Recognition
  • Deaf Studies: Cynthia Grijalba-Duran
  • French: Khalil Barahaoua
  • German: Jocelyn Guzman
  • Japanese: Jackson Adams
  • Japanese: Derek Ernst
  • Spanish: Adaly Perez
  • Spanish: Ariana Sena
• Department and College Awards
  • Dean's Award - French: Ytzel Veloz
  • Dean’s Award – Spanish: Cynthia Grijalba-Duran
  • American Association of Teachers of German Award: Victor Wright
  • Outstanding Educator Licensure Award: Ailed Dueñas
• Dean's List
  • Joselyn Bahena Teran
  • Khalil Barahaoua
  • Ailed Dueñas
  • Savannah Gogel
  • Cynthia Grijalba-Duran
  • Nathan Nachman
  • Yaritza Salgado
  • Lucas Schaffer
  • Marco Sotelo Avila
  • Ytzel Veloz
  • Owen Zographos
• Graduate and Capstone Honors
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Award: Yaniz Rodriguez
  • Outstanding Internship and Capstone Project Award – Departmental Honors Distinction: Lidia Marquez

In the News

• We are proud to congratulate Kathy Kuschman on receiving the 2026 Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction Award. Presented by the Committee for the Improvement of the Undergraduate Academic Experience, this honor recognizes outstanding commitment to undergraduate teaching, dedication to student success and contributions to the undergraduate experience.
• Congratulations to Rahmi Aoyama on receiving the 2026 McKinley “Deacon” Davis Diversity Award. Presented by the Presidential Commission on Race and Ethnicity (PCORE). This award recognizes significant contributions made in advancing belonging and the campus culture related to race and ethnicity on the NIU campus.
• Khalil Barahaoua has been selected for a prestigious Fulbright award to Morocco for the 2026–2027 academic year. As a Fulbright recipient, Khalil will join an international network dedicated to advancing knowledge, fostering cross-cultural exchange and addressing complex global challenges. Congratulations, Khalil, on this remarkable achievement.
• Congratulations to Rahmi Aoyama on being elected vice president for the Council of Teachers of Southeast Asian Languages (COTSEAL), a worldwide professional organization focused on supporting college teaching of less commonly taught languages.