Graduate Studies
Our M.A. in Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature (LLCL) offers a flexible curriculum that allows students to tailor their studies to their interests by combining coursework across languages, linguistics, and related fields. The M.A. in LLCL prepares students for careers in teaching, government and public service, translation and interpretation, publishing, cultural and literary work, international companies, and NGOs. Many of our students continue on to Ph.D. programs in discipline-specific areas or comparative & cultural studies, including the Comparative Studies Ph.D. Program at FAU.
Tracks & concentrations
Students typically complete the M.A. in two years (or 1.5 years with summer coursework). Students choose either a thesis track (8 courses plus 6 thesis credits, for a total of 30 credits) or a non-thesis track (12 courses/36 credits) for one of the available concentrations:
- French
- Italian
- Spanish
- Comparative Literature (French, Italian, Spanish)
- Linguistics
Students pursuing a concentration complete six courses (18 credits) in their chosen area of specialization. Completion of 18 graduate credits in a discipline meets commonly recognized credentialing requirements for teaching at the college level.
For students seeking maximum flexibility, a non-concentration option is available for both thesis and non-thesis tracks, which provides the opportunity to combine coursework across languages and linguistics without focusing on a particular specialization.
Students in French, Italian, Spanish, and Linguistics concentrations and those in the non-concentration track can combine the M.A. degree with a 12-credit Graduate Certificate in ESL Studies. Certificate courses double-count toward the M.A. in the 'Electives' category.
Current B.A. in LLCL: Linguistics students can apply to the Combined B.A.-to-M.A. degree. In their senior year, combined degree students take up to 4 graduate courses (12 graduate credits) that double-count toward both degrees, allowing students to complete the M.A. in under two years.
Course Offerings and Modality
Graduate students take a combination of in-person and online classes. In-person graduate classes meet at/after 4pm on the Boca Raton campus. Students can attend all in-person LLCL graduate classes remotely via Zoom if they cannot come to campus.
Teaching Assistantships
Full-time domestic and international graduate students can apply for Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) positions that include a tuition fee waiver, a stipend, and access to FAU's health insurance plan for GTAs. GTAs receive pedagogical training and work under faculty supervision. GTAs assist with grading or teach introductory courses in linguistics (taught in English) or one of the languages offered by our department (Arabic, French, Italian, Spanish). Tuition fee waivers for GTAs cover tuition fees and non-resident fees only. Waivers do not cover non-tuition fees.
Application Deadlines
We accept graduate students for Fall and Spring enrollments:
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Spring 27 (classes start in January 2027)
- September 1, 2026 for international students who require an F1 visa; November 1, 2026 for all other students
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Fall 27 (classes start in August 2027)
- February 1, 2027 for all students
Non-Degree Studies
Domestic applicants who intend to study part-time can enroll as non-degree students and take up to four classes (12 credits) before applying to the M.A. program. If admitted to the M.A., the non-degree credits would be counted toward the degree. The non-degree option may work for those applicants who (i) miss the application deadline, (ii) are not yet ready to commit to an M.A. degree, (iii) do not fully meet admission requirements (e.g., because of a low undergraduate GPA), and (iv) career-change applicants without any background in languages or linguistics. Non-degree applications can be processed as late as the first week of August for Fall classes and the second half of December for Spring classes. Please reach out to LLCL Graduate Studies for more details if interested in this option.