The Spanish and Portuguese programs are designed to enable students to attain the linguistic, cultural and literary knowledge necessary to understand the Spanish and Portuguese speaking worlds. Acquaintance with the many forms of culture of these worlds and their languages has become essential in this age of global communications and the internationalization of economic, political, cultural and social life. Moreover, the study and appreciation of the diverse and dynamic cultural heritage of the hundreds of millions of Spanish and Portuguese speakers in the Americas, Europe and Africa, including the various Latino communities in the United States, have intrinsic value and are central to a comprehensive liberal arts education.