World Languages & Literatures encompasses faculty and programs in European (German, Russian), Middle Eastern (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian [Farsi], Turkish), and Asian (Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese, Korean) languages and literatures, as well as Comparative Literature, the study of literature across linguistic boundaries.
For an overview of language study at BU, please see the guide to Language Advising at BU.
To add yourself to the waitlist for a course, please consult the Waitlist Guide below.
Degree Programs
BA to MFA in World Languages & Literatures
You can apply to the following BA-to-MFA programs beginning in Spring ’25. Click on each program to see the Bulletin description and requirements.
Chinese/Literary Translation
Comparative Literature/Literary Translation
German/Literary Translation
Japanese/Literary Translation
Graduates of BU’s MFA in Literary Translation program will be equipped with the skills, connections, and portfolio to find translation work and to pursue a wide variety of international careers, not only in literary translation, but also in technical, legal, and humanitarian fields. You will be well qualified to pursue a literary career or work as an editor in literary publishing.
Although the Literary Translation MFA is relatively new, we can already boast of the successes of our graduates, which you can read about here.
For more information about the program and its history, please visit here.
Majoring in World Languages & Literatures
Contact the Convener of the WLL program or Professor Yoon Sun Yang, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, to discuss majoring in WLL. The forms for declaring a major in WLL are available online.
WLL offers majors in:
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Chinese
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German
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Japanese
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Korean
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Russian
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Comparative Literature
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Middle East & South Asian Languages & Literatures (MESALL)
WLL also offers a joint major with Linguistics in Japanese and Linguistics.
Students learning Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and/or Turkish can major in Middle East and North Africa Studies in the Pardee School of Global Studies. For more information, please see theBA in Middle East and North Africa Studies page.
Students who study abroad can often fulfill a good part of the major requirements on theabroad program.
Minoring in World Languages & Literatures
Contact the Convener of the WLL program or Professor Yoon Sun Yang, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, to discuss majoring in WLL. The forms for declaring a minor in WLL are available online.
Students can minor in any of the languages below by taking 6 courses beyond the second-year level; Comparative Literature is a 6-course minor. Click below to see specific requirements for each minor:
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Arabic
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Chinese
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Comparative Literature
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German
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Hebrew
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Japanese
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Korean
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Persian Cultural Studies
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Russian
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Turkish Cultural Studies
All prospective minors are encouraged to discuss their plans with faculty advisors.
Every declared major and minor student in WLL is assigned to an academic advisor; all faculty whose official title includes the word “Professor” may act as advisors. If you wish to change your advisor, please contact department staff.
Languages
Middle Eastern & South Asian Languages & Literatures
European Languages & Literatures
Literatures and Cultures
WLL offers a wide range of course on world literatures and cultures taught in English translation. The following courses are good entry points for students wishing to get a taste of the world’s great literary masterpieces and traditions.
- The 250 “Masterpieces” Series Courses introduce students to literary masterpieces in Chinese (LC250), German (LG250), Korean (LK250), Hebrew (LH250), Japanese (LJ250), and Russian (LR250).
- The 220-Series courses in Comparative Literature look beyond national and linguistic borders to consider how literary traditions interact across the regions of Europe (XL222), the Middle East (XL223), East Asia (XL224), and South Asia (XL 225).
- In “Topics in Big Fat Books,” (XL230), students enter deeply into the world of one literary work and explore its reverberations across national and disciplinary boundaries.
- The World Cities Series focuses on the study of major cities through literature, film, and art. Each World Cities course counts towards the Comparative Literature major and the WLL breadth course for all majors within the department. Click here to view the World Cities courses.
Any of these courses can be used to fulfill the “breadth” elective requirement for WLL majors or as electives for majors in other departments.
Graduating with Departmental Honors
Students wishing to graduate with Honors in any WLL major (Chinese, German, Japanese, Russian, Comparative Literature, MESALL) have several options for doing so. The most usual scenarios involve writing a research thesis or preparing a significant work of translation, with a critical introduction. Normally, these projects are conceived within the framework of the required XL 479 Senior Seminar in the Fall semester of Senior year, and then completed the following Spring, either in an individually arranged Senior Project Directed Study course (LC, LG, LJ, LR, or XL 402) or in the Translation Seminar (TL 540). If Study Abroad arrangements or other scheduling problems make participation in XL 479 impossible, students may arrange a Fall Senior Project Directed Study course (LC, LG, LJ, LR, or XL 401) as a substitute, thus completing their project in a two-semester Directed Study (401/402). In consultation with an advisor, projects may also be undertaken in alternative formats or media (databases, websites, films, etc.). In addition to either the Senior Project Directed Study course or the Translation Seminar, one additional elective related to the major is also required, for a total of 13 (rather than the usual 11) courses in the major; this elective may be taken during or prior to Senior year.
Interested students should consult with their faculty advisor near the end of Junior year, or during the summer before Senior year. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.
For more information, see this page.
Study Abroad
Placement Tests, Transfer Credits, AP
- Demonstrate proficiency in all relevant modalities (speaking, writing, reading, listening) at a level that allows for communication and comprehension;
- gain insight into the nature and structure of language; and
- use the language to acquire knowledge of other cultures, past and present.
Other Languages at BU
CAS Language Requirement
CAS Language Requirement Q & A
Q My placement test score says I belong at the fifth-semester level or above. So have I fulfilled the language requirement already?
A No! Placement tests only advise you about proper placement; they fulfill no requirements. But if you enroll for one semester of the language at the fifth-semester level or above, you’ll satisfy the whole language requirement.
Q I already took the AP or the SAT-II in my foreign language. Does that fulfill the requirement?
A Yes, if your score met CAS requirements. An AP score at the qualifying level — in Spanish, French, or Italian, a 4; in German, Japanese or Latin, a 4; in Chinese a 5—or an SAT-II score of 560 in any language fulfills the CAS requirement. Students who have taken the SAT but will be continuing in the language should still seek placement testing or placement advice from Professor Mira Angrist (mangrist@bu.edu) or Professor Sue Griffin (griffins@bu.edu).
Q I grew up speaking a language other than English. Am I exempt from the language requirement?
A Not automatically. If your primary language is not English or if you have near-native proficiency in another language, you can take a College-administered exam for bilinguals: contact Academic Advising in BSR 100 (casadv@bu.edu). Passing this test will satisfy the requirement.
For all modern spoken languages, the proficiency testing includes reading, writing, and speaking; so if you can converse in a language but can’t read or write it very well, you’ll probably have to complete coursework to satisfy the requirement. (In some languages special courses are offered for students in this situation; call the department at 3-5032 or e-mail wll@bu.edu and ask to be referred to a faculty member who can advise you about your language.)
Q I want to take sign language. Why can’t I find any courses in it?
A American Sign Language at BU is offered through the Deaf Studies Program, and ASL courses are open to CAS students. Completing the fourth-semester course of ASL will satisfy the CAS language requirement. The four-semester course sequence is as follows:
- SED DE 381 American Sign Language I
- SED DE 382 American Sign Language II
- SED DE 383 American Sign Language III
- SED DE 384 American Sign Language IV
Course descriptions can be found on the Deaf Studies Program website.
QI feel insecure about my background in a language. My placement test tells me that I’m at a certain level, but I’d feel more comfortable taking a lower level instead. Can I?
A This is almost always a bad idea. You may feel shaky now, but languages come back to you quickly once you get into the classroom. You won’t be the only one feeling uncertain when the class starts, don’t worry — and the feeling won’t last long. Bottom line: our placement tests don’t lie.
Besides, those students who deliberately take language classes below their level are easily recognized by the way their eyes pop out with boredom by the third week of the term. Don’t disfigure yourself.
Stick with what the placement test recommends; if in spite of everything, you and your instructor should come to agree that for some reason dropping down a level is wise, you can drop down soooo much more easily than you could ever move up a level if you started too low.
Q Can I fulfill part of my language requirement while studying abroad?
A Yes, some BU study abroad programs offer courses at the first and/or second-year level (some examples are Chinese in Shanghai, Italian in Padua, or Spanish in Madrid). See the Study Abroad with Boston University website for details
Q I’m in a hurry. Can I take two levels of a language simultaneously to save time?
A Say what? No!
The CAS Bulletin provides additional information on the Foreign Language Requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences.