Over 40% of the Ghanaian population speak various dialects of Akan, a language featured in literature and often chosen by students interested in doing research in Ghana or applying for a Fulbright grant to do research in Ghana.
Languages: Your Window to a World of Knowledge
Choose a Language and Explore a Culture
World Languages Taught
From the most common languages spoken in the world to the literature of ancient civilizations, our language courses can take you where you want to go. Learning a language can be your on-ramp to a business career in Asia or to a NGO service role in Africa. Your language courses can lead to study abroad in Europe or give your resume an added boost for careers at home or around the world.
If your major requires a language, pick a new location to explore. If it doesn't, go ahead and add a cross-culture skillset to your resume.
Offered by International Studies
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Hindi
To understand a place as complicated as South Asia, one must understand its languages. Spoken today by well over a billion people, Hindi-Urdu has its roots in Sanskrit and Persian and is heard today around the globe as the language of Bollywood.
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Indonesian
Learning Indonesian will help you communicate not only with Indonesians but with ethnic Malays throughout Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, parts of the Philippines, southern Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
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Thai
Studying Thai can open doors to the NGOs, American businesses, and U.S. governmental agencies operating in Thailand. OHIO houses one of the largest U,S. collections of research materials on Southeast Asia.
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Wolof
Wolof dominates communication and business for African peoples of the West Atlantic. It's spoken in Senegal and Gambia, used in southern Mauritania, and expanding to Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali.
Meet the World Languages Coordinator: Pittaya Paladroi-Shane
Pittaya Paladroi-Shane is also a Thai Associate Lecturer and coordinates the center's African and Asian language programs.
Offered by Linguistics
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Arabic
Arabic is the mother tongue of over 300 million people in Africa and Asia. And since the Qur'an, the holy book of Muslims, is written in Arabic, people in other Muslim countries have from basic to advanced knowledge of Arabic.
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Chinese
Chinese is spoken by more than 1 billion people. The Chinese economy is the fastest growing in the world, with Chinese political, social, and cultural influence is everywhere.
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Japanese
More than 130 million people around the world speak Japanese. Learning Japanese opens the door into this unique culture and society where old arts contribute to the creation of new technology and Western ideas harmoniously blend into Eastern thoughts.
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Swahili
Today, African languages like Swahili are more in demand than ever before as the world becomes more globalized. Knowledge of Swahili opens doors to many opportunities both locally and internationally.
Offered by Modern Languages
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French
The French major provides students with a base of knowledge not only in languages, but, just as importantly, in cultural content so vital for understanding and navigating the world.
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German
Students studying German often find employment in print or broadcast media, government, teaching, social services, or industry because they possess career-specific skills in addition to general knowledge and language proficiency.
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Italian
Studying the Italian language is an an introduction to the very rich and varied culture of Italy. A certificate in Italian studies is a complementary course of study for any undergraduate degree.
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Spanish
Spanish courses provide students with a base of knowledge not only in languages but also in cultural content so vital for understanding and navigating the world.
Offered by Classics & Religious Studies
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Why Study Classical Greek?
While the ancient Greeks' bodies are dead, their voices are still very much alive and relevant — for those who long to hear them. Learn to read the very words of Homer, Plato, Thucydides, the New Testament.
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Why Study Latin?
Romance and the Renaissance still resonate today — and by studying Latin, you'll gain the basic toolkit for studying antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and Romance languages and literatures.