The study of language and culture offers new dimensions to students’ lives, as it opens doors to the world; it also provides them with the opportunity to gain new perspectives on their own languages and cultures. For students to achieve such understanding, we encourage them to study a language other than what is spoken at home. 

To graduate from UHS, a student must complete level three or three years of study (whichever comes first) of one of four languages offered: Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. Students benefit most from language study when they pursue the same language as far as possible. Therefore, if they choose to enroll in a second language, we recommend doing so only after they complete an advanced level of the first. 

A shared goal of all language study at UHS is the close reading and interpretation of a range of texts in the target language, with special emphasis on literary texts as windows into diverse philosophical and cultural points of view. In the case of the modern spoken languages, an equal goal is to ensure that students can communicate fluently and that they have a broad understanding of the countries and cultures where the language is spoken. In so doing, we seek to empower students to attain the linguistic precision, cultural empathy, and sheer enjoyment that come from the spirited pursuit of knowledge.