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Studies & Degrees in Catalan Studies

Catalan Studies is the academic study of the Catalan language, its literature and the culture of the places where it is spoken. In Spain the degree is usually called Catalan Philology or Catalan Language and Literature. Abroad, Catalan is normally a language option or a minor inside a department of Romance or Hispanic studies.

Catalan is a Romance language spoken by more than nine million people in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community, Andorra and parts of Aragon, southern France and Sardinia (Alghero), according to the University of Oxford's Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages. In the Valencian Community the language is officially called Valencian.

What students learn

  • The language itself, up to an advanced written and spoken level
  • Linguistics: grammar, phonetics, the history of the language, dialects and sociolinguistics
  • Literature from the medieval period to the present
  • Culture and society of the Catalan-speaking areas
  • Applied skills: language teaching, proofreading, translation and editing

The Universidad de Alicante describes the aim of its degree as a general literary education together with specific training in the linguistic, literary and cultural aspects of the language, for graduates who can teach, do research and work with media and information technology.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree (grado) in Spain. A Spanish bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits. At the Universidad de Alicante the degree in Catalan Philology takes four years at 60 ECTS per year: 60 core credits, 144 compulsory, 30 optional and a 6-credit bachelor's thesis. Students may enrol part-time.
  • Master's degree and doctorate. After the bachelor's degree, students can continue with a master's degree, for example to qualify as a secondary school teacher or to specialise in linguistics or literature, and then with a doctorate.
  • Minor or optional subject abroad. At the University of Chicago, the minor in Catalan requires six courses beyond second-year language. At the University of Oxford, Catalan is not a full degree subject but can be taken as an optional paper, with language courses from beginner level (A1+) upwards.
  • Language courses and certificates. Language centres teach Catalan by CEFR level. Outside the Catalan-speaking area, the Institut Ramon Llull examines and certifies knowledge of Catalan at five levels, from A2 to C2.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 8 active schools for this subject: 5 in Spain and one each in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.

In Spain, the Universidad de Alicante offers 50 places a year on its bachelor's degree in Catalan Philology. Teaching is in Valencian, with some courses in other languages, and the degree can be combined with the degree in Primary Education. The public fee is €12.79 per credit for a first enrolment, according to the university's page updated in September 2026; non-EU students who are not resident pay a different price. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili, in Tarragona, and the Universitat de Barcelona are public universities in Catalonia, where Catalan is also a language of teaching; ask each university for its current degree in Catalan language and literature. UAB Idiomes, the language service of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, teaches face-to-face Catalan courses from A1 to C2 and a self-study option on the Parla.cat platform, which has no final assessment or certificate.

Abroad, the Institut Ramon Llull supports a network of universities that teach Catalan; its map counts 130 universities around the world. Three are listed here. The University of Oxford teaches elementary, intermediate and advanced Catalan, a translation workshop and an introduction to Catalan linguistics, and its students can sit the Institut Ramon Llull exams in the faculty. The University of Chicago offers Catalan courses and a minor. The Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg is listed for Germany; ask the university which Catalan courses it currently offers.

Degree teaching in Spain is in Catalan (Valencian), so a foreign student needs a good command of the language, or of Spanish as a starting point, before enrolling. Abroad, classes are usually taught in the local language and in Catalan.

Careers

The Universidad de Alicante lists these profiles for its graduates:

  • Teaching: secondary and adult education, universities, and Catalan for foreigners
  • Research, through a master's degree and a doctorate
  • Text management, proofreading and copy-editing in publishing houses and the media
  • Literary criticism and literary consultancy
  • Linguistic and cultural mediation in companies, tourism and social services
  • Language consultancy in institutions and public administrations

In the Catalan-speaking regions, public bodies ask for a certified level of the language for many posts, so the certificates have practical value as well as academic value. The Institut Ramon Llull states that its certificates serve to prove a level of Catalan for academic and occupational purposes.

Frequently asked questions

How many people speak Catalan?

More than nine million people, in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community, Andorra and parts of Aragon, southern France and Sardinia, according to the University of Oxford.

Can I study Catalan outside Spain?

Yes. The Institut Ramon Llull counts 130 universities around the world that teach Catalan, normally as a language option or a minor and not as a full degree.

Which certificate proves my level of Catalan?

Outside the Catalan-speaking area, the Institut Ramon Llull runs exams at five CEFR levels, from A2 to C2. Inside the area, universities and regional governments issue their own certificates; ask your school which one its course prepares for.

How long is a degree in Catalan Philology?

Four years and 240 ECTS credits in Spain, as in the degree at the Universidad de Alicante.