There are many reasons to study a foreign language. First, it promotes respect for other people and nationalities. In addition to learning vocabulary and grammar, you can develop an understanding of the cultures connected with the language. Second, multilingual students can access a wide range of opportunities. Language skills can widen your network and allow you to meet people across the globe. They can also improve your employability and career options. Third, language learning can strengthen decision-making, critical thinking, and communication skills. These skills can support your general academic and professional development and make you more resilient in life.
After you’ve identified the language you want to study, the next step is choosing the right school for you. There are many schools and universities offering language programs, but the guide below highlights notable universities with established language departments and programs.
Top Languages Schools in the World
1. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford offers a wide range of learning resources, including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources, and IT services. Its Bodleian Libraries form the largest library system in the UK and hold more than 13 million printed items.
One of Oxford’s undergraduate programs is the Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages, a four-year degree that provides practical training in written and spoken language, as well as an introduction to literature and thought in European languages. Students can study languages such as French, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian and other Slavic languages, or Spanish, depending on the course combination. At the graduate level, Oxford offers the MSt in Modern Languages, a nine-month full-time program for advanced work in one or more linguistic and literary contexts. The course is structured around self-directed study, special subject options, a methodological component, and a dissertation.
2. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom is renowned for academic teaching and research. Students can also get involved in many clubs and societies across the university.
For language study, Cambridge offers the BA (Hons) in Modern and Medieval Languages, a four-year full-time course that includes a year abroad. Students study two languages from French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, or may combine one of these with Classical Latin or Classical Greek. The course includes language classes and options in literature, history, film, thought, and linguistics. In the third year, students spend at least eight months abroad through university study, an English-language assistantship, or an internship.
3. Harvard University
Harvard University is another prominent university for language study. Its Department of Romance Languages and Literatures offers undergraduate work in the literatures, cultures, and critical approaches of societies where French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Catalan are spoken. The undergraduate concentration includes courses about literature and society taught in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, with opportunities for advanced language work and study abroad.
At the graduate level, Harvard offers a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures. Students may pursue research in French and Francophone, Italian, Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian, or Spanish and Latin American literary traditions. Harvard does not offer a separate terminal master’s program in Romance Languages and Literatures; an AM may be awarded within the Ph.D. program under specific conditions.
4. University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina offers language study through its Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Students can study about a dozen languages, including Latin, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. The department’s Bachelor of Arts in Languages, Literatures and Cultures includes concentrations such as Chinese Studies, Francophone Studies, German, Russian, Spanish, and Comparative Literature, while other languages are available through minors and coursework.
Graduate students can pursue an M.A. in Languages, Literatures and Cultures with concentrations in Comparative Literature, French, German, or Spanish. The department also offers Ph.D. programs in Comparative Literature and Spanish, as well as an M.A.T. in Foreign Languages in collaboration with the College of Education.
5. Stanford University
Stanford University provides many options for foreign language study. Language programs are housed in departments such as East Asian Languages and Cultures, French and Italian, German Studies, Slavic, and Spanish and Portuguese, as well as through the Stanford Language Center, which supports Arabic, Hebrew, Swahili, and other less commonly taught languages.
Students can pursue language, literature, and culture through undergraduate majors and minors in areas such as French and Italian, Iberian and Latin American Cultures, German Studies, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and East Asian Languages and Cultures. At the graduate level, Stanford’s Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages and Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures offer several M.A. and Ph.D. programs. The Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages also offers undergraduate minors in Modern Languages and Translation Studies.
6. University of California, Los Angeles
At the University of California, Los Angeles, language-related programs are available primarily through the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. These programs combine language study with literature, culture, and research.
Under the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies, undergraduate students can study European languages and transcultural studies in areas such as French and Francophone, Germanic, Italian, and Scandinavian studies. At the graduate level, the department offers Ph.D. degrees in French and Francophone Studies, Germanic Languages, and Italian, as well as a terminal M.A. in Scandinavian.
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers undergraduate programs such as Spanish, Spanish and Community and Culture, Spanish and Linguistics, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, Spanish and Portuguese, and Mexican Studies. It also offers a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. The M.A. in Spanish or Portuguese is awarded after successful completion of the first phase of the doctoral program; the department states that it does not offer a terminal M.A. program.
7. Columbia University
Columbia University’s East Asian Languages and Cultures offerings focus on East Asian studies, including China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, and Vietnam. The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures offers an East Asian Studies major for Columbia College and General Studies students, and SEAS students may pursue a minor. Students complete language study in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, or Vietnamese, along with East Asia-wide introductory and civilization courses.
Columbia also offers a five-year combined BA-MA option in which eligible students may apply for early admission to the M.A. in East Asian Languages and Cultures and begin graduate coursework in their senior year. Undergraduate fellowship and study-abroad opportunities are available through programs such as FLAS, Weatherhead, Freeman-ASIA, and other East Asia-focused funding opportunities.
We hope that you found this article on language schools in the world informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students to learn more about studying abroad!
