Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures is dedicated to fostering a critical understanding of European and Latin American cultures in a global context. To this end, we offer programs in:

• European Literature and Culture
• German Studies
• Hispanic Studies
• Italian Studies
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Russian and Slavic Studies

These programs immerse students in the study of specific languages, literatures, thought, cinemas, cultures, and national traditions while encouraging transnational approaches and cultural plurality. In addition, we offer a selection of courses that are not specific to just one language or culture, including film, eco-criticism, literary theory, book history, and digital humanities.

In terms of undergraduate studies, we seek to broaden students’ liberal arts background. Our goal is to enable our undergraduates to develop communicative skills in at least one target language and to provide critical tools to understand the complexities of other cultural traditions. The skills acquired are invaluable for careers in business, government, the media, cultural and literary fields, and numerous other professions.

For a list of LLCU courses offered, refer to the Programs tab.

Graduate Studies

We are committed to international standards of excellence in graduate student training; our graduate programs in German, Hispanic, Italian, and Russian Studies offer a vibrant research environment combining the rigour of traditional philological inquiry with a range of other theoretical and methodological approaches, many of them informed and/or creatively challenged by broader transnational and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Students who envision graduate studies upon completion of the B.A. are strongly advised to pursue an honours* or joint honours program (honours students must submit their thesis by March 15). Although the Major and Minor concentrations form an important part of the Multi-track B.A. in Arts, this general degree does not provide the specialized training called for by most graduate programs in the humanities and social sciences.

*Please note students registered in a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) degree are not eligible to take an honours program. 

Undergraduate Advising

Students may need to obtain Departmental approval to register for language courses and are strongly urged to consult with the Department for advice/approval of their program plans. A placement test is available and may be booked before the start of term with the Language advisor of the respective area of study. Please see the Program Advisors section of our website.

Students may begin at the intermediate or advanced level in their first year if they have taken approved courses in high school, CEGEP, or through McGill Summer Studies. Please consult with our advisor for more information.

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures offers undergraduate programs and concentrations which permit students to pursue a variety of intellectual and pre-professional options.

The Minor Concentration in European Literature and Culture provides students with a broad foundation for understanding the development and interconnectedness of European culture, and its relevance for the comprehension of today's world through the study of literature and the arts from the Middle Ages to modern times. Knowledge of a language other than English is not required to complete the program.

Advisor: Stephanie Posthumus
680 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 331

With faculty members working at the forefront of literary, media, and cultural studies, the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures – German Studies immerses students in both the rich literary traditions of the German language, and in the innovative directions of transdisciplinary research.

With our multiple major, minor, honours*, and joint honours undergraduate programs, as well as our graduate program, we accommodate a broad range of student interests, from the debates of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment to questions of migration and multiculturalism in contemporary German culture. While our department offers a wide spectrum of courses in language, literature, and culture, our particular strengths lie in philosophy, critical theory, cultural studies, philology, cinema, and media studies. Students receive close attention and individual mentoring in both their academic and professional training.

We also consider German Studies to be part of a broader humanistic endeavor and encourage students to draw on the wealth of faculty working on relevant topics both at McGill and the many other Montreal universities, in departments and programs such as History, Philosophy, Music, Art History and Communications, Jewish Studies, English, and other national literatures.

*Please note students registered in a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) degree are not eligible to take a German honours program. 

Advisor: Tove Holmes
680 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 473
Telephone: 514-399-9429

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures – Hispanic Studies offers courses in the literature, intellectual history, and civilization of Spain and Latin America, as well as in the Spanish language. The Department's undergraduate and graduate programs are committed to expanding the liberal arts background of students by helping to develop the skills of communication and critical reasoning, and by providing insight into the culture of other regional, linguistic, and national groups. Enrichment in these areas reduces provincialism and broadens intellectual horizons, regardless of the professional interests or fields of specialization that may guide students in other facets of their university education.

McGill University has bilateral exchange agreements with the Universidad de Salamanca (Spain), the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and the Universidad de las Américas, Puebla (Mexico), as well as with other leading universities in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world which allow student and faculty exchanges, and other collaborative ventures. Further information about these exchanges may be obtained from the Department or from the International Education website.

Advisor: Prof. Amanda Holmes
680 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 386
Telephone: 514-398-4400, ext. 00864
Note: Advanced Placement (AP) credits and courses taken at other universities in Quebec will not be accredited toward the Minor.

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures – Italian Studies has a mission to maintain the traditions and study of the great classics, as well as to provide a window on an increasingly complex and diverse contemporary Italian culture. It promotes the study of the Italian language through an excellent and rigorous language training program. Its undergraduate and graduate programs also offer courses in Italian literature, both in Italian and in English, as well as in Italian film. The Department periodically invites scholars specializing in contemporary politics, the Italian immigrant experience, and social change, enabling students to gain both a broader and more critical understanding of various aspects of Italian culture through contact with specialists in these areas.

Advisor: Eugenio Bolongaro
680 Sherbrooke, Room 443
Telephone: 514-399-9423

The Honours* Latin American and Caribbean Studies is designed to meet the needs of students who plan to attend graduate or professional school upon completion of the B.A. This program provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean upon which more specialized coursework and research may be based. This program is recommended for students who envision graduate study in a specific discipline, such as History or Political Science. While the Faculty of Arts regulations require a minimum CGPA of 3.0 for Honours programs, in addition, students pursuing the Honours Latin American and Caribbean Studies must normally maintain a B+ (3.30) average in all program courses. Students must also meet all additional Faculty of Arts requirements for graduation with Honours.

The B.A. - Joint Honours* Latin American and Caribbean Studies Component provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Latin American and Caribbean region. Students wishing to study at the Honours level in two disciplines can combine Joint Honours programs in any two Arts disciplines. For a list of available joint honours programs, see Faculty of Arts > Undergraduate > Overview of Programs Offered > Joint Honours Programs. Joint Honours students should consult an advisor in each department to discuss their course selection and their research project. Joint honours students are expected to maintain a program GPA of 3.30 and, according to Faculty regulations, a minimum CGPA of 3.00 in general. At least 9 of the 36 credits must be at the 400 level or above.

*Please note students registered in a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) degree are not eligible to take an honours or joint-honours in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. 

Advisor: Prof. Katherine Zien
Department of English, Arts Building
Telephone: 514-398-4400, ext. 09343

The Major* Concentration in Liberal Arts exposes students to texts from and histories of a suitably wide range of cultures and societies. Students are able to choose among three intellectual streams: literature and the arts (including theatre and architecture); history, culture and society; and philosophy and religion. Students in each stream must satisfy distribution requirements in relation to minimum number of 300/400+ level courses; maximum number of courses in one discipline; geographical areas and historical periods. All students majoring in Liberal Arts are also required to complete a Minor Concentration in a language program (other than English). Students who are native speakers of a language other than English are strongly encouraged to fulfill this requirement in a third language.

The Honours* in Liberal Arts exposes students to texts from and histories of a suitably wide range of cultures and societies. Students are able to choose among three intellectual streams: literature and the arts (including theatre and architecture); history, culture and society; and philosophy and religion. Students in each stream must satisfy a language requirement as well as distribution requirements in relation to minimum number of 300/400+ level courses; maximum number of courses in one discipline; geographical areas and historical periods. Honours student must maintain a program GPA of 3.30 and an overall GPA of 3.00. All students in the Honours Liberal Arts are also required to complete a Minor Concentration in a language program (other than English). Students who are native speakers of a language other than English are strongly encouraged to fulfill this requirement in a third language.

*Please note students registered in a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) degree are not eligible to take any Liberal Arts programs. 

Advisor: Matteo Soranzo
680 Sherbrooke, Room 433

In addition to offering the only full undergraduate and graduate programs (including M.A. and Ph.D.) in Quebec, the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures – Russian and Slavic Studies continues to attract one of the largest student enrolments in North America. We are proud to have approximately 25 graduates each year from undergraduate programs, many of whom have received credit for courses taken in Russia during their studies. Due to expanding global links—both commercial and institutional—many opportunities are open to students with qualifications in Russian studies. Students may be interested in the organization of human society, comparative literature, and linguistics; Russian Studies are highly relevant to all of these.

Advisor: Lyudmila Parts
680 Sherbrooke, Room 332
Telephone: 514-399-9412