Departmental History
The Romance Languages have been taught at the University of Cincinnati since 1875. In 1900 the university organized the Graduate Division, offering the PhD for the first time. That year UC also reorganized the languages, separating Romance Languages and German, which had been taught previously by one professor of French and German and another of Spanish and Italian.
Twenty-nine graduate students were enrolled in 1900, eight of whom were studying French and four were studying German. More than 100 years later, 30 full-time students are pursuing MAs in French and Spanish and the PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures.
In 1900, a total of 297 students were enrolled in Romance Languages. In 2005, more than 650 students took courses in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic. For Fall Semester 2014 more than 2400 seats are filled in RLL basic language, culture, advance level and graduate classes.
The heads of Romance Languages over the past 100 years have been
- Michael Gott (2023- )
- Thérèse Migraine-George (2018-2023)
- Carlos Gutiérrez (2014-2018)
- Nicasio Urbina (2010-2014)
- Jeff Loveland (2008-2010)
- Lowanne Jones (2000-2008)
- Kirsten Nigro (1999-2000)
- Sara Friedrichsmeyer (1998-99)
- Jean-Charles Seigenuret (1997-98)
- Heather Arden (1996-97)
- Judy Muyskens (1995-96)
- Ed Couglin (1994-95)
- Judy Muyskens (1987-94)
- Jean-Charles Seigneuret (1982-87)
- Kornel Huvos (1977-82)
- Patricia O'Connor (1976-77)
- Donald Bleznick (1967-72)
- Robert Esquenazi Mayo (1966-67)
- James Doolittle (1961-66)
- L. Clark Keating (1957-61)
- Martin Jerome Hubert (1938-56)
- Phillip Ogden (1910-38)
- Marco F. Liberma (1903-10)
- F.J.A. Davidson (1900-03)
- Charles F. Sebald (French & German, 1895-1900)
- Paul F. Walker (Spanish & Italian, 1895-1900)