Our graduate programs in French, German and Spanish immerse students in a stimulating environment that combines the advantages of a large, multilingual department in a comprehensive research university with three distinct language sections.We offer the MA in Spanish, French and German, and the PhD in Spanish and French. 

While pursuing their degree in their target language, all of our graduate students work together to share their knowledge and coursework, participate in department-wide events, share common interests and interact with faculty in multiple languages and disciplines. Students participate in courses that range from literary theory and cultural studies to language teaching methodology.

We see our work as interdisciplinary and often collaborate with other departments and programs. The French program features an internationally renowned literary translator, and faculty work focuses on literatures of French-speaking Oceania, the body, the Renaissance, and women’s writing. German features the opportunity to pursue a unique double major with the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, as well as courses in the GOLDEN program. The internationally recognized Spanish faculty conduct research on areas such as gender studies, digital humanities, creative writing, heritage languages, exile and migration, and popular culture. As part of their comprehensive education, students can also pursue minors and/or take courses in other departments and programs, including Women’s and Gender Studies, Ethnic Studies, Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Film Studies, and more.  

Graduate students
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French

Our French program of courses in literature and culture has particularly strong emphases in the Renaissance, Francophone literatures of the Oceanic world, literary translation, and women’s writing. Core courses are supplemented by department-wide courses in second language acquisition, literary theory, and cultural studies.

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German

Our German program emphasizes proficiency in major areas of German literature and pedagogy, with your choice of specialization. Courses and seminars offered represent a spectrum of broad topics and highly specialized themes. Emphasis is placed on discussions, reports, and close work with professors. Core courses are supplemented by department-wide courses in second language acquisition, literary theory, and cultural studies.

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Spanish

Our Spanish graduate program provides students the opportunity to engage critically with Hispanic literatures, cultures and languages of the Spanish-speaking world. Students develop their professional skills as they collaborate with a dynamic and professionally active faculty with a wide range of scholarly and interdisciplinary interests, ranging from early modern and colonial society to contemporary culture in Spain and Latin America. We offer graduate seminars on Latin American and Latinx cultural studies, Spanish cultural studies, linguistics, feminist and LGBTQ+ studies, digital humanities, and intellectual history. Core courses are supplemented by department-wide courses in second language acquisition, literary theory, and cultural studies.

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MLL GSA

The purpose of this organization shall be to serve as a representative body for the graduate students in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures to create a common forum for Modern Languages graduate students, assist them with graduate concerns, and host job market/conference colloquiums related to the discipline. A secondary purpose of the MLLGSA is to promote a closer relationship within the graduate student community, to serve as a channel of communication between graduate students, faculty and staff, and to foster professional relationships.  The current president of the MLL GSA is Chris Etheredge, christopher.etheredge@huskers.unl.edu.