University of North Florida

What you'll study

This programme brings together language instruction, literary and cultural study, and linguistic analysis across the Romance language family (typically including Spanish and French, with opportunities to study other Romance languages). Core components emphasise communicative competence, critical reading, and analytical writing while introducing formal approaches to phonetics, morphology, syntax and sociolinguistics.

• Language sequence: progressive coursework in speaking, listening, reading and writing for one or more Romance languages, with intermediate and advanced-level classes designed to develop proficiency.
• Literature and culture: survey and specialised courses in literature and film in the original language(s), literary analysis, cultural history, and comparative studies of Hispanic and Francophone cultures.
• Linguistics: introductory and intermediate modules in linguistic description and theory, such as phonetics & phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, historical linguistics and sociolinguistics focused on Romance languages.
• Applied areas: electives in translation and interpretation, language pedagogy, computational linguistics fundamentals, and language assessment.
• Capstone/advanced project: a senior seminar, research project or practicum that synthesises language, literary and linguistic study; many students undertake original research or applied work with faculty supervision.
• Experiential learning: opportunities for study abroad, internships with community organisations, K–12 or adult language teaching placements, and off-campus research projects are encouraged to develop practical skills and cultural fluency.

Entry requirements

Admission to the University of North Florida requires completion of secondary education and fulfilment of the institution's general undergraduate admission policies. For this programme prospective students are typically expected to present a strong academic record and evidence of language interest; prior coursework in a Romance language is beneficial but not always required.

• Academic background: high school diploma or equivalent with satisfactory grades in relevant coursework; applicants with A-levels, IB or comparable qualifications are considered according to university policy.
• Language preparation: two or more years of secondary school study in a Romance language is advantageous. Students without prior study may be placed into appropriate introductory classes or language-intensive tracks.
• International applicants: should meet the university's English language proficiency requirements (evidence via recognised tests or institutional waivers) and provide any required supporting documentation.
• Placement: incoming students may take language placement tests to determine the correct level of study; transfer credit for language courses may be granted following evaluation of prior transcripts and placement results.

Career prospects

Graduates with a degree in Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics leave with linguistic skills, intercultural competence and critical thinking that are valued across sectors. Common career directions include:

• Teaching and education at K–12, private language schools, or with additional certification, public schools.
• Translation, interpretation and localisation for public agencies, healthcare, legal services and businesses.
• International business, sales, marketing and customer relations roles that require language skills and cultural knowledge.
• Public sector and non-profit work, including diplomacy, international development, community outreach and immigrant services.
• Publishing, journalism, content creation and cultural programming.
• Further study in applied linguistics, literature, language teaching (TESOL) or graduate work in linguistics and related humanities and social science fields.

Why study at University of North Florida

The University of North Florida offers a student-focused environment with small class sizes and accessible faculty who specialise in Romance languages, literature and linguistics. The programme emphasises practical language development alongside theoretical study, with clear pathways to study abroad programmes and local internships that connect students to Jacksonville's diverse communities and regional employers.

Faculty mentorship: students benefit from faculty who supervise undergraduate research, capstone projects and independent study.

Community and professional links: the university’s partnerships with local schools, cultural institutions and international exchange programmes provide avenues for experiential learning and career development.

Flexible study options: the curriculum supports single-language majors and interdisciplinary study across modern languages, providing flexibility to combine coursework with minors or certificates in areas such as education, international studies or business.