Why study a foreign language?

Competence in a foregin language gives students greater facility in English. As the German poet J.W. von Goethe once said, "He who knows no foreign language knows nothing of his own."

In today's increasingly global marketplace, linked by the internet as never before, knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is vital. More and more American firms do business with companies abroad and are opening their branches overseas. Proficiency in a foreign language will make students increasingly attractive to potential employers and open doors to careers at home and abroad.

Learning a foreign language is also an important tool in understanding and appreciating cultural diversity. In the 200 U.S. Census, 28 million respondents claimed Spanish as their first language, a number that is expected to reach 40 million by the year 2025.

Why study classics?

"To read Latin and Greek authors in their original is a sublime luxury... I thank on my knees him who directed my early education for having possession this rich source of delight" (Thomas Jefferson). CNU courses in Ancient Greek and Latin enable students to read Homer, Euripides, Plato, Virgil, Cicero in their original language.

Classical Studies provides the best preparation for advanced study in several fields, including law, business, medicine, public service and teaching. "Law schools report that by yardstick of law review and grades, their top students come from math, the Classics, and literature..." (Harvard Magazine, May-June 1998, 50).

Classics majors get on well in life because they develop intellectual rigor, communications skills, analytical skills, the ability to handle complex information, and, above all, a breadth of view which few other disciplines can provide (The Princeton Review).