Our Mission

Our Vision

The Department of Spanish & Portuguese engages in cutting edge research and instruction in the fields of Hispanic and Lusophone studies with the principal aims of preserving, increasing, and transmitting knowledge and understanding of these languages, literatures and cultures. The department aims to serve as a regional and national resource for students, educators, and organizations seeking to increase their cultural and linguistic understanding within the transnational and regional contexts where Spanish and Portuguese are spoken, including within the United States.

Guided by a vibrant community of scholars, the Department of Spanish & Portuguese aspires to expand its national and international outreach, to educate new generations of scholar-educators, and to instill in our graduates an understanding of the increasingly complex multicultural society in which we live. Central to our vision is the promotion of diversity to provide a positive environment for teaching and learning while promoting the value of cultural understanding, equity, and inclusion at the University of Kansas and the broader world.