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Studies & Degrees in Basque Studies

Basque studies is the study of the Basque language (euskera or Euskara), its literature, and the history and culture of the Basque Country. The language is spoken on both sides of the Pyrenees, in Spain and France. The Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) describes it as the only language isolate in Europe, with no known relatives, and its origin is still an open scientific question.

Students learn the language in depth and study linguistics and literature. The UPV/EHU degree covers grammar, the history of the language, dialectology, the textual tradition, sociolinguistics and language teaching. Outside the Basque Country the subject is usually taught as language courses, single modules or postgraduate research inside departments of Hispanic studies, linguistics or history.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. The Grado en Estudios Vascos of the UPV/EHU is taught at the Facultad de Letras on the Álava campus, in Vitoria-Gasteiz. It lasts four years and has 240 ECTS credits, the standard length of a Spanish bachelor's degree (grado). The university offers 80 places, and the admission cut-off mark for 2026-27 was 9.854. The price per credit for a first enrolment is €13.42.
  • Specialisations. Students of that degree can choose a mention in Basque literature and philology, linguistics, Basque linguistics, history of the Basque Country, European literature and culture, or a second language (German, classical languages, Spanish, French, English or Russian). Voluntary external placements are possible.
  • Courses abroad. The Etxepare Euskal Institutua, the public institute that promotes Basque language and culture abroad, funds lecturers (lectores) who teach Basque language and culture at universities outside the Basque Country, within the official study plans of those universities. Students on these courses can do language stays in the Basque Country and sit Basque level accreditation tests organised with HABE.
  • Postgraduate study and research. The same institute currently supports twelve chairs of Basque studies at universities abroad. They include the Bernardo Atxaga chair at the City University of New York, opened in 2011, the Koldo Mitxelena chair at the University of Chicago, a chair on 20th and 21st century Basque art at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, and a chair on the Basque exile at the University of Liverpool. In the United States, the Center for Basque Studies of the University of Nevada, Reno offers a Tutorial Ph.D. in Basque Studies, with application deadlines of 1 November for spring and 15 April for autumn.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists five active schools for Basque studies, all in Spain. Three are campuses of the UPV/EHU, in Leioa (Bilbao), Vitoria and San Sebastián; the bachelor's degree described above is taught in Vitoria. The other two are the Universidad de Deusto, in Bilbao, and the Universidad de Navarra, in Pamplona. Ask each university which degrees, language courses or research groups in Basque studies it currently offers.

The degree is centred on the Basque language; the UPV/EHU page lists Basque, Spanish and several other languages of instruction. Applicants who are not Basque speakers should ask the faculty what level is expected at entry. International students who want to start the language from zero usually begin with a lecturer's course at their home university or with language courses for adults in the Basque Country.

For research, the Jon Bilbao Basque Library in Reno holds 55,000 volumes and is, according to the University of Nevada, one of the world's largest collections of Basque-related materials.

Careers

The UPV/EHU names these fields of work for its graduates:

  • Teaching in secondary schools, universities and language schools
  • Linguistic and literary research
  • Language advice and language planning
  • Publishing, editing and proofreading
  • Translation and interpreting
  • Cultural services and linguistic and cultural mediation

Lecturer posts abroad are another route: the Etxepare Euskal Institutua selects lecturers of Basque language and culture through public calls.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I take a full degree in Basque studies?

The UPV/EHU teaches the Grado en Estudios Vascos at its Facultad de Letras in Vitoria-Gasteiz. It lasts four years and has 240 ECTS credits.

Do I need to speak Basque before I start?

The degree is aimed at students who want to study the language in depth. Ask the faculty what level of Basque it expects at entry. Beginners can start with Basque courses taught by a lecturer at a university abroad.

Can I study Basque outside the Basque Country?

Yes. The Etxepare Euskal Institutua has agreements with universities around the world where lecturers teach Basque language and culture, and it supports twelve chairs of Basque studies abroad.

Is there a doctorate in Basque studies in English?

The University of Nevada, Reno offers a Tutorial Ph.D. in Basque Studies through its Center for Basque Studies.