With fall 2026 registration underway, Chatham University students have new opportunities to explore language learning through the modern language department and the certificate in modern languages, both overseen by Dr. Alison Halasz. The department offers instruction in multiple languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish, with plans to introduce a course on American Sign Language in fall 2026.
The new certificate allows students to study one or more languages by completing four courses, along with ENG209: Linguistics. The flexibility of the certificate welcomes students to focus on one single language or explore multiple ones.
“The certificate is a fun and flexible way to explore language while building your academic profile,” Halasz said. “The language classes we offer at Chatham build foundations for lifelong enjoyment in one’s personal and professional life.”
With Chatham’s modern language department and the new certificate in modern languages, language-learning is accessible and applicable for Chatham undergraduate students. Additionally, for many, learning a new language can be a fun way to pass time and can lead to future career opportunities.
Students in Chatham University’s linguistics (ENG209) course took their studies beyond the classroom last semester to visit the Duolingo headquarters in East Liberty. During the trip, students gained firsthand insight into how language and technology can cooperate to create more language-learning opportunities. For many students, the trip highlighted how applicable the study of linguistics is to the modern world, and echoed some of the broader language-learning opportunities at Chatham.
“Visiting places like Duolingo can be enlightening,” Halasz said. “Seeing the operations and how these tools are built and run can introduce students to possible careers in the industry and having language experience and proficiency is highly appealing to employers.”
The visit to the Duolingo headquarters was organized by Dr. Sean Nonnenmacher, who taught the linguistics course in the fall and is Chatham’s director of academic partnerships. According to Nonnenmacher, the idea for the field trip grew out of the course’s emphasis on the scientific and humanistic study of language.
“Students explored the scientific and humanistic study of language through a tour of the main sub-disciplines of linguistics (sound structure, word structure and sentence structure),” Nonnenmacher explained via email. “Duolingo, whose mission is to provide global access to high-quality language education, is an example of a great, local, Pittsburgh-based ed-tech company putting language principles to work.”
During the visit, students learned about how Duolingo actively combines linguistics, education and technology to create an accessible language-learning tool for users around the world. From seeing different office spaces to taking photos with the Duolingo mascot, Duo, students at Chatham received a thorough tour of the headquarters and what it had to offer.
“[Language] is something we use everyday, whether you’re working on a homework assignment with a friend or listening to your favorite music,” Nonnenmacher said. “Even if students don’t go on to become computational linguists or instructional designers at Duolingo, seeing the kinds of jobs one can pursue that rely on an understanding of language is beneficial for Chatham’s undergraduates.”
To learn more about Chatham’s certificate in modern languages, visit the certificates section at Chatham.edu under “undergraduate degrees.”