Studying a second language provides the cognitive and intellectual preparation necessary to succeed in the academic and social environment the St. Francis graduate will encounter. Learning a second language allows her to gain an understanding  of languages  other than English, as well as of the peoples who communicate in French, Italian, Latin and Spanish and their cultural products.

Faculty members teaching in the Modern and Classical Languages Department are native speakers and/or have lived extensively in countries where the language is spoken. Although the graduation requirement for St. Francis is two years, most students complete 3 or 4 years of one language and many take more than one language concurrently.