DEAR VISITOR,
Harvard has offered courses in French, Italian and Spanish since at least the early
nineteenth century. Portuguese was added in 1886, Catalan in 2000. In 1900, the
Department of French merged with several Romance branches of the Modern Language
Department to form the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures focuses on the four most widely
used Romance languages--French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish--and on their cultural and literary traditions around the globe. Introductory Catalan and independent studies in Catalan Literature are also available.
The RLL curriculum honors both the shared origins of this cultural community and the
variety of the directions it has taken throughout history. Examples of fields of study
offered in RLL are: modern Italian cinema; early modern French and Spanish theater; the
Francophone literature of the Caribbean and Africa; Spanish and Portuguese in their
intersections with other languages and cultures in America; comparative studies of the
development of Romance languages and cultures.
Concentrations in RLL focus on language, literature, and culture. They share the
following important features:
• Individualized programs to enable students to pursue their particular interests.
• Small classes that enable close contact with Faculty members.
• Concentrations that foster comparative and interdisciplinary work.
• Study abroad to enhance language skills and knowledge of culture.
• Many activities beyond the classroom: films, language tables, visiting lecturers.
• Courses that embrace activities-based learning.
Our concentrators go on to various careers, such as investment banking, consulting,
teaching, translating, publishing, performing arts, law, business, public policy, ministry,
and medicine.
The Department of RLL offers Harvard undergraduates different levels of specialization in Romance languages. Students can indeed take only a few elective courses in one or
several Romance languages and literatures. But they can also structure their electives in
order to obtain a language citation, or to fulfill the requirements for a secondary field in
French, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish. The next step is to decide to become a
concentrator. We have now six concentration tracks:
French and Francophone Studies
Hispanic Studies
Italian Studies
Latin American Studies
Portuguese-Brazilian Studies
Romance Studies
A full concentration track can be oriented more toward literary studies or more toward
cultural studies. Joint concentrations are still possible, although in many cases, a secondary field may be more advisable. For more details, see our Handbook for Concentrators.
In the recent years, the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures has been at the forefront of the development of Harvard Summer Programs Abroad. We started with a program in Italy, soon followed by programs in Bolivia, Brazil, Spain, France and Argentina. We encourage and help all students taking courses with us to complete their studies of romance languages, literatures and cultures with various experiences abroad. Most of our concentrators spend a semester abroad, usually in their junior year. For more information, see Study Abroad.
We hope that you will find this website useful and informative. We hope even more that you will pass by to visit us on the fourth floor of Boylston Hall, just next to Widener Library [link to map]. Our Office Coordinator, Kathy Coviello, and our Undergraduate Coordinator, Walter Hryshko, will welcome and orient you. Our Director of Language Program, Dr. Stacey Katz, and her assistant, Katherine Killough, will help you navigate language curriculums and language citations. Our Undergraduate Advisers (listed below under Program Contacts) will inform you on secondary fields and concentration tracks. The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Mary Gaylord, and the Chair of the Department, Prof. Virginie Greene, will be available during office hours or by appointment if you wish to consult them on any academic or personal issue related to your studies in Romance Languages and Literatures.
Yours truly,
Virginie Greene, Chair
General Information for Concentrators
Concentrators
Handbook for Concentrators
Fields of Concentration
Current concentrators in RLL
General Information for Undergraduates
Language Tables
Secondary Field in Romance Languages & Literatures
Study Abroad
Prizes
Undergraduate Foreign Language Requirement
Languages at Harvard (brochure)
Citations in Foreign Languages
Freshman Advising
Frequently Asked Questions
Placement Tests
Frequently Asked Questions
Information for High School Students
Information for First-Years and Other Interested Undergraduates
Careers requiring knowledge of a foreign language
Program Contacts
Mary M. Gaylord, Director of Undergraduate Studies; Undergraduate Adviser in Romance Studies
Clémence Jouët-Pastré, Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
Mylène Priam, Undergraduate Adviser in French
Giuliana Minghelli, Undergraduate Advisor for Italian
José Rabasa, Undergraduate Adviser in Latin American Studies
Clémence Jouët-Pastré, Undergraduate Adviser in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
Mary M. Gaylord, Undergraduate Adviser in Romance Studies
Johanna D. Liander, Undergraduate Adviser for Spanish
Walter Hryshko, Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Last updated on August 25, 2009
