Center for Languages and Cultures
The USC Center for Languages and Cultures’s main mission is to promote language learning at USC.
For Students
Certificate of Language Proficiency in Two or More Languages
Showcase your multilingual skills with our Language Proficiency Certificate!
Gain official recognition for mastering at least two foreign languages, advancing your studies beyond standard requirements. Stand out academically and professionally—earn your personalized certificate and digital badge today!
Multilingual Board Game Corner
Join us at the Multilingual Board Game Corner in THH 309!
Come and play exciting games in many different languages, meet new friends, and practice your language skills in a fun and relaxed environment. Whether you’re a beginner or fluent, there’s a game for everyone.
Language and Careers
Explore the incredible value of your language skills in today’s global job market, uncover diverse professional opportunities, and provide practical advice to help you launch your career.
For Faculty
Fall 2025 Professional Development Series
Upcoming Event:
Fostering language acquisition through the guided use of AI and online translation
Dr. Errol M O’Neill, Ph.D
Date: Friday, September 12th from 12:00 -12:50 pm
Meeting ID: 95849886660
Dr. Errol M. O’Neill is an Assistant Professor, Course Coordinator, and Supervisor of Graduate Teaching Assistants in French at the University of Memphis. Errol’s research has investigated the frequency of online translator and dictionary usage among students, the effects of student use of these tools on their composition writing, the impact of training students in the appropriate use of online tools, and the implications for the modern second language classroom.
Learn more
Faculty Grant Opportunities
2025-2026 Faculty Grant Applications Now Open
The Center for Languages and Cultures invites faculty to apply for two funding opportunities designed to support professional growth and pedagogical innovation.
- Professional Development Grants: Four grants of up to $500 are available for RTPC faculty to support conference participation, research costs, and other professional expenses.
- Language Teaching Innovation Grants: Two grants of $800 will be awarded to language faculty for projects that adopt new teaching methodologies and tools.
The application deadline for both grants is September 15, 2025.
CLC is the home of Trojan Bloom
Trojan Bloom, USC’s multilingual student literary journal features literary works by undergraduate and graduate students in 17+languages.
Undergraduate
CLC offers a number of opportunities for students wishing to study languages at USC.
Faculty
CLC provides support for faculty teaching languages and cultures at USC through grants, professional development opportunities and by fostering a community of practice.
Graduate Students
Graduate students teaching languages at USC (ALs) are supported through training, professional development opportunities, an award and many other resources.
Language Scholarships
USC offers a number of funding opportunities for those who study languages and cultures
Sean Silvia ’23
Learning foreign languages at USC has allowed me to access a vast world of non-English texts that were instrumental to my historical research. For me, nothing compares to the experience of reading a text in the original language. It’s a very human feeling. You feel such a wonderful connection to a person who comes from a completely different perspective than you. You get a much better and richer understanding of the source as well. I will continue to study languages after I graduate, and USC has instilled in me both a strong passion and a valuable skillset for learning foreign languages.
Language Programs in the News
Read articles about our language programs published in the USC newspaper Daily Trojan
The contest let students showcase their adventures overseas with photography.
A student initiative aims to increase the amount of languages offered at USC.
A fixture of the USC Languages department on campus since last November, the Trojan Bloommultilingual literary journal aims to provide a creative outlet to writers in non-English languages taught at USC — and expand the journal to cover more languages spoken in the wider campus community.
Tania Apshankar ’23
My love for languages bloomed when I took my first Spanish class as a freshman at USC. Ever since, I have had the opportunity to grow in my Spanish abilities at an advanced level, and also begin learning Persian. Studying, and engaging in the language learning community inspired me to help start Trojan Bloom, USC’s first multilingual journal to give students on campus a platform to share their creative works in foreign languages. As a graduating senior, seeing the community grow everyday inspires me so much to continue studying languages!
CLC Annual Reports
Contact Us
Center for Languages and Cultures
3501 Trousdale Parkway, THH 309
Los Angeles, CA 90089
If you have a question about language placement test, contact [email protected] or the specific language program director.