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Studies & Degrees in Language and Culture

Language and culture programmes teach a language together with the society that speaks it: its history, customs, arts, food and everyday life. The idea is simple. A language is easier to learn, and more useful, when you also understand how people who speak it live and think. Most programmes of this kind are taken abroad, in the country where the language is spoken, so that what is learned in class can be used the same afternoon.

A typical course combines language classes with a cultural programme. The Spanish Institute for Global Education in Seville, for example, describes its Spanish Language and Culture course as language teaching in which students also learn about culture and society. At the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca in Mexico, mornings are for communication skills and afternoons for workshops in Oaxacan cooking, Zapotec weaving and traditional pottery.

Qualifications and levels

The subject covers very different kinds of study, from one week at a language school to a full university degree.

  • Short and intensive courses. Language schools usually work with the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), from A1 to C2, and let students start on most Mondays. The main programme at the Spanish Institute for Global Education has 20 sessions a week; an à la carte programme allows 5 to 25. Students normally receive a certificate from the school.
  • Courses with university credits. Some schools attach ECTS credits to a course. Escuela Montalbán in Granada lists an Intensive 30 + ECTS credits course with 30 lessons of 45 minutes a week plus project work, in groups of at most 10 students: 2 weeks for €890 (2 ECTS) or 4 weeks for €1,760 (4 ECTS) in 2026, plus a €50 enrolment fee. Ask your home university beforehand whether it accepts the credits.
  • Study abroad semesters. Study abroad centres combine their own language and culture courses with classes at local universities. The Spanish Institute for Global Education offers a semester or a full academic year with registration at one of three universities in Seville.
  • Non-formal schools. International People's College in Helsingør, Denmark, is a folk high school with long courses of four to six months and short courses of one to three weeks. Everything happens in English, there is no fixed curriculum and no grades are given.
  • University degrees. Universities teach language and culture in degrees such as modern languages, philology, area studies or translation. In Spain, an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120.

Exams and accreditation

A school certificate shows attendance and level, but an external exam carries more weight. For Spanish, the DELE diplomas of the Instituto Cervantes cover all CEFR levels, are officially valid, do not expire and are recognised internationally. Candidates can register without having taken any specific course. Many schools offer DELE or SIELE preparation, and some are exam centres: the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca states that it is an authorised DELE test centre.

For Spanish schools, one quality mark to look for is accreditation by the Instituto Cervantes. Accredited centres pass an evaluation that is repeated every three years. Escuela Montalbán, for instance, states that it has been accredited since 2002. If a qualification matters for your studies or work, ask the school what recognition its certificate has.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 54 active schools for language and culture. Spain has the most, with 19, followed by the United States (8), Italy (4), Denmark (3) and Brazil (3); Canada, Japan, Mexico and Poland have two each. The language taught is usually the language of the country: Spanish in Spain, Mexico and Chile, Italian in Italy, Portuguese in Brazil. Some schools teach other subjects in English to an international group.

When comparing schools, look at the number of lessons per week and their length, the maximum group size, whether the cultural programme is included in the price, the accommodation on offer (a host family gives the most language practice), and which exams you can prepare for.

Careers

A language and culture course is rarely a professional qualification in itself. It adds a skill to another profession: business, tourism, teaching, health care, diplomacy or research. A full degree in languages can lead to translation and interpreting, language teaching, publishing, cultural management or international relations work. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and employment in the United States is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a language course and a language and culture course?

A language and culture course adds a cultural programme to the language classes: workshops, visits, talks on history and society, and contact with local people. The language level system is the same.

Do I need to speak the language before I start?

No. Language schools place students by level, and schools such as Escuela Montalbán teach all six CEFR levels, from A1 for beginners to C2.

Will I get university credits for a language and culture course?

Sometimes. Some schools list ECTS credits for certain courses, and study abroad centres work with universities. Your home university decides whether it accepts them, so ask before you enrol.

Which Spanish exam is officially recognised?

The DELE diplomas of the Instituto Cervantes are officially valid, do not expire and are recognised internationally. They exist for every CEFR level from A1 to C2.