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Rankings

15 Best Online Language Studies Degree Colleges

Written by College Cliffs Team At CollegeCliffs.com, our team, comprising seasoned educators and counselors, is committed to supporting students on their journey through graduate studies. Our advisors, holding advanced degrees in diverse fields, provide tailored guidance, current program details, and pragmatic tips on navigating application procedures.

Reviewed by Linda Weems I got started researching colleges and universities about 10 years ago while exploring a second career. While my second career ended up being exactly what I’m doing now, and I didn’t end up going to college, I try to put myself in your shoes every step of the way as I build out College Cliffs as a user-friendly resource for prospective students.

Updated: March 21, 2024, Reading time: 25 minutes

Find your perfect college degree

College Cliffs is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
Online Language Studies Degree

A Bachelor’s degree in Language Studies (also called Foreign Language) is designed to prepare adults for graduate education, career change, or career advancement while still providing personal enrichment.

This degree primarily focuses on literary appreciation, linguistics skills, and understanding people and their culture.

Foreign language students must choose their preferred language of concentration (Spanish, Italian, German, etc.) and are expected to achieve a broader knowledge of the various disciplines of the Liberal Arts.

Online Language Studies Degree

Our compilation of the Best Online Language Studies Degree Colleges features the programs offered in U.S. colleges and universities.

While this list mainly focuses on colleges offering bachelor’s or undergraduate programs, it also shows the programs across all higher education levels: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in online or hybrid formats. Non-degree or certificate programs are also mentioned.

In finalizing this list, we took into account the features, coursework, and accreditation status of the Language Studies degree programs. We also disclose, as applicable, each of the program’s application or admission requirements, program costs, and financial aid information.

We understand that students need to pick the very best school to attend, and therefore, we have listed the most reputable colleges and universities with unique program features.

Please visit our Methodology page to get in-depth information.

College Cliffs is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

The Best Online Language Studies Degree Colleges

New York University 

Online Language Studies Degree

The university has a Foreign Language Education (FLE) program comprising different degree programs.  The FLE is mainly designed for planning or teaching foreign language supervisors, department heads, and directors of other foreign language programs.

The program’s objective is to prepare the program heads and teachers and give them a better foundation in language development and linguistics.

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New York

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Duke University

Online Language Studies Degree

Duke University boasts of its International Comparative Studies. This program makes you learn a foreign language and deals with a deeper historical, political, and cultural understanding of the language of concentration. The said program requires four (4) full courses that you can finish in two years.

These are the languages that you may specialize in under this program:

Location:

Durham, North Carolina

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Below is a list of the ICS Foreign Language co-requisites for Duke University. 

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Middlebury Language Schools

Online Language Studies Degree

Whether you are beginning to learn a foreign language or pursuing a more advanced degree, Middlebury Language School has a degree program for you. They offer immersion programs for specific languages such as Abenaki, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Each immersion’s duration varies depending on the language of concentration, but it ranges from two weeks to eight weeks.

Location:

Middlebury, Vermont

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Stanford University

Online Language Studies Degree

One of the degree programs in the language offered at Stanford is the BA in Linguistics. The program’s objective is to introduce the major areas of linguistics, such as syntax, phonetics, semantics, history, and even the sociocultural facet of languages.

Opt for a minor in Modern Languages to supplement your expertise in Linguistics. Another minor you can take simultaneously is Translation Studies. The program teaches the students to develop and apply their foreign language knowledge through translations.

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Stanford, California

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Yale University

Online Language Studies Degree

Yale University offers a variety of Foreign Language degree programs. Under their East Asian Language & Literatures, they have undergraduate programs for China and Japan’s languages and literature. Also offered are language courses in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

If you want to pursue more advanced studies, it has a Ph.D. program for Chinese and Japanese Literature.

Location:

New Haven, Connecticut

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(Undergraduate degree programs in the languages and literature of China and Japan)

(Ph.D. programs in Chinese and Japanese Literature)

(Language Courses in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese)

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University of California, Berkeley 

Online Language Studies Degree

Applied Language Studies or Applied Linguistics deals with how languages are learned and how related it is to one’s culture and sense of self.

It concentrates on the study of translation and interpretation, contextualization, foreign language learning, and intercultural communication.

Since 2009, the University of California, Berkeley has offered an interdepartmental undergraduate minor in Applied Language Studies (ALS) thru their undergraduate Interdisciplinary Studies program.

This is particularly suitable for those students who have already studied languages but still want to add a research component to language learning.

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Berkeley, California

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Columbia University

Online Language Studies Degree

East Asian Languages and Cultures is based on East Asian Studies covering training in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan. The degree program is cohesively taught in curriculums under the social sciences.

Germanic Languages – this degree program is one of the most sought-after degree programs for Undergraduates. It’s been tagged as one of the country’s best!

Students are expected to be proficient in evaluating the literary works originally written in German. They are also likely equipped with a better understanding of modern German culture and society.

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New York

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(autobiographical information, lists and descriptions of a student’s achievements, employment, and activities, and personal essay)

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Washington State University 

Online Language Studies Degree

The university’s College of Arts and Sciences runs a Cultural Studies and Foreign Languages program. It has a degree program in Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish. Every degree program’s objective is for its students to be proficient in speaking and reading the language and knowing the country’s culture where the language originated. 

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Pullman, Washington

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At Washington State University, the foreign language program focuses on two major goals:

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Incoming Freshmen (High School Graduates)

For Students 25 years old and above

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University of Pittsburgh

Online Language Studies Degree

Under the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education, the University of Pittsburgh offers a Foreign Language Education program mainly for planning or teaching foreign languages. This advanced program is equivalent to a master’s studies.

The same department also offers Certification studies in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Latin.

Aside from the advanced programs, the university also offers other foreign language studies such as Korean, German, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Arabic, Portuguese, Chinese, French, and Russian. Most of these programs, however, are minors and merely supplement your major area of study.

Location:

Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

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Admission Requirements: (General Undergraduate)

The University does not offer direct admittance to first-year students. You should already be enrolled in the school in your junior year.

Current Pitt Students

Transfer Students

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Arizona State University

Online Language Studies Degree

Arizona State University offers 100% online undergraduate and graduate programs in the language studies department. All programs offer an in-depth study of languages, providing them with a holistic study and appreciation of different cultures and human nature.

Although ASU offers online programs, the university doesn’t specify whether students earned their degrees on campus or online. Both on-campus and distance learners learn from the same faculty and course content.

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Georgia Institute of Technology

Online Language Studies Degree

Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Modern Languages is one of the rare universities offering several language minors and degree options around the state. The university provides almost all dominant languages around the world, allowing students to pursue their target language without limits.

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Oregon State University

Online Language Studies Degree

Oregon State University’s World Languages and Cultures Department, in collaboration with Oregon State Ecampus, offers online language programs that involve the participation of live speaker interactions. Aspiring language professionals learn from world-renowned faculty who have taught languages for several years. Oregon State has more than 80 culture and language courses delivered online.

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Johns Hopkins University

Online Language Studies Degree

Johns Hopkins University has one of the most prestigious language studies programs in the U.S. Although it is above-average in terms of the price range, students are getting their return on investments and excel in their career pathways.

Pursuing a language study program at JHU provides students with the opportunity to learn from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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Pennsylvania Western University

Online Language Studies Degree

Aspiring language enthusiasts can enroll in one of Pennsylvania Western University’s online language studies programs. The university is excellent for students who prefer a few options when pursuing language studies.

Despite the limited choices, they are guaranteed to learn from a holistic curriculum and advance their target language proficiencies.

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National American University

Online Language Studies Degree

NAU’s Online Foreign Language program offers a variety of languages to specialize in. The programs provide students with basic and advanced oral and written communication skills in their target language. Its curriculum allows students to explore their target language’s regions and cultures.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Online Language Studies Degree

What can you learn with a degree in Language Studies?

The composition of language degrees greatly varies between different institutions and different languages. However, most foreign language degrees focus on your ability and fluency to read, speak and write another language. Some cover the politics, history, or literature of the country associated with your chosen language. 

What should you study at high school if you have plans to pursue a Language Studies degree?

Ideally, it’s advised that you study your chosen language to an advanced level during high school so you can easily transition to studying a few languages at a degree level. Nonetheless, it’s good to contact your prospective university for your entry options.

Some universities allow beginners to take modules in a new language that are usually supported through regular assessments, seminars, presentations, and independent studies. Some also authorize students to study a language ab-initio. 

Other subjects that complement a language degree are other humanities and arts subjects like English literature, politics, or history. Still, there are no defined lists of subjects that one can study alongside languages. 

Online Language Studies Degree

Why should you earn a degree in Language Studies?

Additional Information: