Central Washington University Foreign Languages Department, Office Files and Minutes, 1963-2006

The Foreign Languages Department of Central Washington University was established in the fall of 1964. Prior to that date, foreign language courses fell under the Division of Language and Literature. The first foreign language course to be taught at Central Washington University was Latin in 1895, when the college was known as the Washington State Normal School. An academic major in French was first offered in 1942 but a decline in enrollment during the war years and lack of support from the school’s administration led to its removal the following year. French was re-introduced as a major in the fall of 1949 along with Spanish. Currently the Foreign Languages Department offers degrees in six languages, including American Sign Language.