# Concentration Info ## expand\_more ![globe](/sites/g/files/omnuum8296/files/styles/hwp_28_10__1920x685/public/2025-04/globe%20-%20undergrad%20concentrations.jpg?itok=b_NvK_0g) ## Romance Languages in the World and at Harvard Spoken today in Europe, North and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Romance languages and their rich literary and cultural heritage play a key role in the world's multicultural societies. The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures focuses on the four most widely used Romance languages and on their literary traditions around the globe. Harvard has offered courses in French, Italian and Spanish since at least the early nineteenth century. Portuguese was added in 1886. 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 RLL curriculum honors both the shared origins of this cultural community and the variety of directions its members have taken throughout history. Courses offer opportunities for intensive study of renowned authors—Dante, Montaigne, Camões, Cervantes, Duras, Borges, Balzac, Pessoa, and others—whose works have shaped world literature over time, alongside present-day and rediscovered writers who have forged new pathways in fiction, poetry, and the graphic novel. RLL is the place to explore how modern Romance literature and film intersect with other languages and cultures, and how they have developed as a vibrant presence in the United States and on the border. In RLL, students discover many new ways of understanding languages, literature, film, and visual arts. They also have the opportunity to explore issues of gender, race, political structures, and the environment. Many courses offer hands-on experience with poetry, theater, and translation, as well. In addition to courses focused on works in single language or particular region, our Romance Studies offerings engage with works from two or more Romance traditions. They involve the comparative study of both classic and cutting-edge developments in the Romance languages and their cultures. They are by definition multilingual and interdisciplinary in scope, in light of the power of geography and history to shape cultural production. RLL concentrators gain great communication skills and cultural competence in the Romance languages. The concentration prepares students for a broad array of immediate career options, and for advanced study in the humanities, social sciences, law, and medicine. RLL means *real life learning:* our concentrators carry the theoretical and practical tools for interpretation learned in our classrooms into their work as teachers, public health providers, lawyers, physicians, legislators, diplomats, bankers, entrepreneurs and global citizens. --- ## Individualized, Creative, Hands-on Programs ### Concentrations in RLL expand\_more Concentrators choose one of five tracks as the focus for work in the concentration. In consultation with the Concentration Advisor and the DUS, each concentrator creates a **Plan of Study** that reflects both the scope of the chosen field and individual interests and goals. Our Concentrations are: - [**French and Francophone Studies**](/undergraduate/concentrations/french-francophone-studies "French & Francophone Studies") - [**Italian Studies**](/undergraduate/concentrations/italian-studies "Italian Studies") - [**Portuguese and Brazilian Studies**](/undergraduate/concentrations/portuguese-brazilian-studies "Portuguese and Brazilian Studies") - [**Spanish, Latin American and Latinx Studies**](/undergraduate/concentrations/spanish-latin-american-latinx-studies "Spanish, Latin American, and Latinx Studies") - [**Romance Studies**](/undergraduate/concentrations/romance-studies "Romance Studies") (study of 2 or more Romance languages & literatures) ### RLL invites its concentrators to participate in: expand\_more - Individualized programs, tailored to students’ interests, created in consultation with faculty advisors and the DUS - Small classes that offer opportunities every day to discuss sophisticated topics in the target language - Faculty-taught sophomore tutorials - Faculty-advised honors theses - Critical thinking and writing, in theory and practice - Creative writing, translation, and dramatic performances - Studies in film, text, and image - Comparative and interdisciplinary work - Study abroad to enhance language and literature skills, and cultural knowledge - Relevant internships at home and abroad - “Language in the Community” courses - Beyond the classroom: film series, language tables, writing workshops, visiting lecturers, colloquia --- ## Advising Close consultation with faculty is an essential tool for making the most of a concentration in RLL. Concentrators are invited to meet early on and regularly with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Undergraduate Coordinator, and Advisors in each Special Field. ### Director of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Kathy Richman Boylston 422 ### Advisor for French and Francophone Studies Prof. Hannah Frydman Boylston 427 ### Advisors for Italian Studies Prof. Ambrogio Camozzi Pistoja Boylston 421 Dr. Chiara Trebaiocchi Boylston 328 ### Advisors for Spanish, Latin American, and Latinx Studies Dr. María Luisa Parra Boylston 326 [parra@fas.harvard.edu](mailto:///parra@fas.harvard.edu) Prof. Alejandra Vela Martínez Boylston 426 ### Advisor for Portuguese and Brazilian Studies Prof. Josiah Blackmore Boylston 322 ### Advisor for Romance Studies Dr. Kathy Richman Boylston 422 --- ### Resources The combined holdings of Widener, Lamont and Houghton libraries constitute one of the major collections of Romance literatures in the world. Concentrators in RLL have access to these resources, as well as to research and internship opportunities through the Harvard Art Museums; the Harvard Film Archive; the Center for European Studies; Villa i Tatti: The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies; Dumbarton Oaks; the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLS); the Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard; the Office of International Education; the Mignone Center for Career Success; and numerous other centers. ![Widener Library](/sites/g/files/omnuum8296/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2025-04/harvard%20library.jpg?itok=n20kkGJk) --- ## For More Info The Department's offices are located on the fourth floor of Boylston Hall. Faculty offices may be found on the third, fourth and fifth floors of Boylston. General Information and Support Information on Language Citations ## General Information and Support Cathy Downey Undergraduate Program Coordinator Boylston 405 617-495-1860 ## Information on Language Citations Katherine Killough Language Program Coordinator Boylston 436 [617-495-2524](tel:617-495-2524) --- [**How to declare a citation »**](https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=529e5ecadb6f4f04a914fff31d96190c)