Cultural knowledge, along with the ability to use a foreign language, are essential components of a liberal arts education. In addition to language courses, the faculty of this department offers a wide variety of literature and culture courses both in English and in foreign languages. Students who already know the languages are able to take advanced courses to enrich their understanding of the humanities in these traditions, sequences of such courses can become important components of interdisciplinary concentrations, minors, or double-majors that complement a student's primary field of study. In-translation courses give students an understanding of the ancient Western and Asian classics, and of various modern Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cultures.