Studies & Degrees in Modern Languages
Modern Languages Study Programs
Modern languages is the university study of one or more living foreign languages together with the literature, history and culture of the places where they are spoken. The name separates the field from classical languages such as Latin and ancient Greek. The languages most often offered are French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese and Russian, and many departments add Chinese, Japanese, Arabic or smaller European languages.
Students work towards advanced command of the language in speaking, listening, reading and writing, and study literature, film, linguistics, translation and the societies of the language area. As the University of Lethbridge puts it, studying languages is about exploring other identities and values through language, literature, history and culture, not only about learning to communicate. Most degrees can be started from beginner level in at least one language, and a period of study or work abroad is common.
Qualifications and levels
- Spain. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits and official master's degrees 60, 90 or 120. The typical degree is the Grado en Lenguas Modernas y sus Literaturas. At the Universidad Complutense de Madrid this grado replaced the earlier separate degrees in German, French, Italian, Romance and Slavic philology. It follows a major-minor model: about two thirds of the credits go to a first language and its literature, which must be combined with a second language and its literature for about one third.
- United States and Canada. Languages are taken as a major or minor within a bachelor's degree, either in one language or as a combined modern languages programme. The University of Prince Edward Island, for example, offers a degree programme in French and a minor in Spanish within Modern Languages; its French major consists of a minimum of 42 semester hours. The University of Lethbridge teaches French, Japanese and Spanish from beginner to advanced level. Hofstra University's Department of Romance Languages and Literatures covers French, Italian and Spanish.
- United Kingdom and France. British universities offer single or joint honours degrees in modern languages, usually with a period abroad. In France the subject is studied in the licence, in language, literature and civilisation programmes or in applied foreign languages.
- Master's degrees and doctorates. Postgraduate study specialises in literature, linguistics, translation and interpreting, or language teaching.
- Short courses. Language schools and university language centres teach courses without a degree. These lead to a certificate or prepare for an official language examination.
Language levels
In Europe, language ability is described with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which has six levels from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery). Universities use these levels in their admission requirements. Students who plan to study a degree taught in a foreign language should check which level and which certificate the university asks for.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 288 active schools for modern languages. The United States has 84, Spain 29, the United Kingdom 24, France 17, Canada 11, Germany 10 and China 7. Australia has 5, Vietnam and Ecuador 4 each, and Costa Rica and Greece 3 each.
The range of languages differs from school to school. In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Oviedo. In Canada, the University of the Fraser Valley teaches French, German, Halq'eméylem, Japanese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian and Spanish. In the United States examples are Hofstra University, Arcadia University and Jacksonville University. The University of Oxford's Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages lists, among others, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Modern Greek, Czech and Polish. Other listed schools are the Université d'Avignon in France, the Universität Stuttgart in Germany, Deree - The American College of Greece and the University of Pécs in Hungary.
A common choice is to study a language in a country where it is spoken, for example Spanish in Spain, Ecuador or Costa Rica, or French in France. The list includes both universities and language schools, so check each profile for the level and type of course.
Careers
Language graduates work in teaching, translation and interpreting, publishing and media, tourism, international trade, diplomacy and international organisations. Hofstra University, for instance, names education, translation and international relations. The United Nations, which has six official languages, describes itself as one of the world's largest employers of language professionals, and the European Union works in 24 official languages.
In the United States, interpreters and translators held about 73,900 jobs in 2025 and 28 percent were self-employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and the BLS projects employment to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. These figures apply to the United States only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak the language before starting a modern languages degree?
It depends on the language and the university. Many departments teach from beginner level; the University of Lethbridge, for example, offers French, Japanese and Spanish from beginner to advanced. For a language studied at school, universities usually expect prior knowledge.
Can I study two languages at once?
Yes. In Spain the Grado en Lenguas Modernas y sus Literaturas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid requires a first and a second language. Joint and combined programmes are also common in other countries.
How long does a modern languages degree take in Spain?
An official grado has 240 ECTS credits, which corresponds to four academic years of 60 credits. An official master's degree adds 60 to 120 credits.