The vision of the Department of English and Foreign Languages is to prepare all Paine College students to communicate in English, French and Spanish in a manner expected of college-educated individuals in a global setting. The Department strives to enhance students’ oral and written communication skills and to cultivate students' knowledge and appreciation of literature and foreign languages. The Department teaches students to demonstrate the ability to read thoughtfully and critically; to analyze critically; and to express their ideas logically, clearly, and precisely. It seeks to build and refine students' ability to communicate effectively; to explore their thoughts and feelings; and to become aware of how others think, write and speak. In addition, the Department seeks to help students read and write about literature and to communicate in a foreign language.

Through the study of literature, students gain insight into experiences, thoughts, and feelings different from their own, and they come to perceive the likeness among people as well as differences determined by such circumstances as gender, race, and class. In their study of literature, students learn various ways of interpreting and analyzing literature. They learn the major genres of literature including poetry, drama, fiction, and the essay, and they trace the basic history and development of the English language and of the English, American, and African American literary traditions. Through the study of foreign languages, students will be prepared to function within the world community of diverse cultures, languages, and peoples.