Kiswahili

Discover Kiswahili. Discover You.

The CSLC strives to support all languages on campus, including those that do not have a home department or program. Each year, the CSLC facilitates the arrival of Fulbright language teaching assistants (FLTAs) to lead Kiswahili (Swahili language) courses open to undergraduate and graduate students. These courses can be used to satisfy university language requirements through the fourth semester (Intermediate II) and provide an important way to engage with new worldviews and diverse cultures.

Why Learn Kiswahili?

There are between 120 million to 200 million speakers spread across different countries in eastern and southern Africa where Kiswahili is a lingua franca. It is also an official language of the African Union. Proficiency in the Swahili language is a valuable skill for researchers, students, missionaries, humanitarian workers, diplomats or global affairs specialists, medical professionals, tourists, and hospitality managers.

Learning Swahili has not only been an intellectual highlight of my experience at Notre Dame, it has opened a world of possibilities for me. I now have the skills to undertake fieldwork in East Africa. Swahili has been the launchpad to get me to Zanzibar where I am now, and has enabled me to conduct original research for my senior thesis.

Did You Know?

The U.S. government seeks out speakers of less commonly taught languages because these languages are important to foreign affairs and national interests. Kiswahili is designated as a critical/strategic language by both the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Defense.