The Department of World Languages & Literatures offers instruction in Comparative and in European (German, Russian), Asian (Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese, Korean) and Middle Eastern (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian (Farsi), Turkish) languages and literatures. Courses develop sophistication in oral and written expression and in literary and cultural analysis. WLL courses also fulfill many areas of the BU Hub, click here for specific course and hub area info.

Questions about language placement and/or advising should be directed to the relevant language program coordinator or convener. Visit our Department Administration page for contact info.

The full list of courses below are available to view using the CAS Bulletin.

Courses offered in English Translation

See also our list of Comparative Literature courses for additional offerings

  • LC 250 Masterpieces of Classical Chinese Literature (in English translation)
  • LC 251 Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Literature (in English translation)
  • LC 280 Chinese Classics in Today’s World (in English translation)
  • LC 285 Topics in Chinese Literature (in English translation)
  • LC 287 Screening Modern China (in English translation)
  • LG 250 Masterpieces of German Literature (In English translation)
  • LH 283 Israeli Culture through film (in English translation)
  • LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
  • LJ 251 Modern Japanese Literature (in English translation)
  • LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
  • LJ 480 Japanese Women Writers (in English translation)
  • LK 250 Introduction to Korean Literature (in English translation)
  • LK 251: Classics of Korean Literature (in English Translation)
  • LK 383 Korean Cinema (in English translation)
  • LZ 380 Persian Epic and Romance (in English translation)
  • LZ 381 Rumi and Persian Sufi Poetry (in English translation)
  • LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose (in English translation)
  • LR 280 Dostoevsky (in English translation)
  • LR 281 Tolstoy (in English translation)
  • LR 282 Russian Prose Classics of the Twentieth Century (in English translation)
  • LR 327 Immigrant Women in Literature: Found in Translation? (in English Translation)
  • LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories and Plays (in English translation)

Courses in Translation Studies

  • TL 500 History & Theory of Translation
  • TL 505 Literary Style Workshop
  • TL 540 Translation Seminar
  • TL 550 Topics in Literary Criticism
  • TL 541 Translation Today
  • TL 551 Topics in Translation
  • LC 486 Work on Translating and Interpreting Chinese
  • LJ 386 Japanese Translation/Interpretation Workshop
  • LK 460 Korean Translation
  • LY 572 Arabic Translation and Interpreting
  • LZ 311 Persian Translation

Comparative Literature

  • XL 100 Leaving Home: Explorations in World Literature
  • XL 222 Introduction to Western Literatures
  • XL 223 Introduction to Middle Eastern Literatures
  • XL 224 Introduction to East Asian Literatures
  • XL 225 Introduction to South Asian Literatures
  • XL 230 Topics in Big Fat Books
  • XL 244 Greek Drama in Translation
  • XL 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures
  • XL 270 Topics in Comparative Literature
  • XL 281 Representations of the Holocaust in Literature and Film
  • XL 315 Film and Identity in the Islamic World
  • XL 325 Global Modernist Fiction
  • XL 342 Travel Writing and the Muslim World
  • XL 343 Alexander the Great in the East
  • XL 351 The Faust Tradition
  • XL 370 Topics in Comparative Literature
  • XL 380 Gender and Identity in Contemporary Middle Eastern Film
  • XL 381 Topics in Gender and Literature (in English translation)
  • XL 382 Topics in Gender and Film (in English translation)
  • XL 387 The Holocaust Through Film
  • XL 420 Queer Theory
  • XL 441 1001 Nights in the World Literary Imagination
  • XL 470 Topics in Comparative Literature
  • XL 479 WLL Senior Seminar
  • XL 491 Directed Study: Comparative Literature
  • XL 530 Marxist Cultural Criticism
  • XL 560 Topics in Religion and Literature
  • XL 396 World Cities: Berlin (also offered as XL 396)
  • XL 397 World Cities: Istanbul (also offered as XL 397)
  • XL 398 World Cities Tokyo (also offered as XL 398)
  • TL 500 History and Theory of Translation
  • TL 505 Literary Style Workshop
  • TL 540 Theory and Practice of Literary Translation
  • TL 550 Topics in Literary Criticism

Arabic

  • LY 111 Elementary Modern Arabic 1
  • LY 112 Elementary Modern Arabic 2
  • LY 211 Second Year Modern Arabic 1
  • LY 212 Second Year Modern Arabic 2
  • LY 214 Levantine Arabic 1
  • LY 215 Levantine Arabic 2
  • LY 303 Third Year Modern Arabic 1
  • LY 304 Third Year Modern Arabic 2
  • LY 350 Introduction to Arabic Literature
  • LY 411 Arab Society Through Hip Hop and Cartoons
  • LY 420 Media Arabic
  • LY 441 1001 Nights in the World Literary Imagination
  • LY 471 Topics in Arab Culture and Arabic Language
  • LY 491 Directed Study: Arabic
  • LY 492 Directed Study: Arabic
  • LY 572 Arabic Translation and Interpreting

Chinese

  • LC 111 First-Semester Chinese
  • LC 112 Second-Semester Chinese
  • LC 116 Chinese Reading & Writing 1
  • LC 211 Third-Semester Chinese
  • LC 212 Fourth-Semester Chinese
  • LC 216  Chinese Reading & Writing 2
  • LC 250 Masterpieces of Classical Chinese Literature (in English translation)
  • LC 251 Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Literature (in English translation)
  • LC 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures
  • LC 280 Chinese Classics in Today’s World (in English translation)
  • LC 283 Chinese Civilization (in English translation)
  • LC 285 Topics in Chinese Literature (in English Translation)
  • LC 286 Topics in Chinese Culture (in English Translation)
  • LC 287 Screening Modern China (in English Translation)
  • LC 311 Third Year Modern Chinese 1
  • LC 312 Third Year Modern Chinese 2
  • LC 313 Chinese through Theater and Performance
  • LC 314 Classical Chinese 1 for Students of East Asia
  • LC 315 Classical Chinese
  • LC 317 Chinese in Modern Society
  • LC 319 Practical Chinese: Chinese in Intercultural Communication
  • LC 320 Advanced Classical Chinese
  • LC 322 Chinese for Professional Purposes
  • LC 411 Fourth Year Modern Chinese 1
  • LC 412 Fourth Year Modern Chinese 2
  • LC 416 Chinese through Literary Masterpieces
  • LC 420 Topics in Chinese through Media
  • LC 480 Modern Chinese Literature & Film
  • LC 486 Work on Translating and Interpreting Chinese
  • LC 491 Directed Study: Chinese
  • LC 492 Directed Study: Chinese
  • LC 511 Teaching Chinese as a Second Language

German

  • LG 111 First Semester German
  • LG 112 Second Semester German
  • LG 113 Intensive Beginning German
  • LG 211 Third Semester German
  • LG 212 Fourth Semester German
  • LG 220 Intro to German Linguistics
  • LG 250 Masterpieces of German Literature (in English translation)
  • LG 260 Intercultural Communication
  • LG 305 Science and Culture
  • LG 307 Modern Society and Culture
  • LG 308 Food Culture in German-Speaking Countries
  • LG 309 German for the Professions
  • LG 310 Translation Workshops
  • LG 325 Modern German History and Culture through Film
  • LG 335 Music, Art, and History in the German-Speaking World
  • LG 350 Introduction to German Literature
  • LG 388 World Cities: Berlin
  • LG 402 Senior Independent Work
  • LG 450 Origins of German Culture
  • LG 453 Romanticism
  • LG 456 Twentieth Century Culture: Since 1945
  • LG 491 Directed Study: German
  • LG 492 Directed Study: German

Hebrew

  • LH 111 Fundamentals of Modern Hebrew 1
  • LH 112 Fundamentals of Modern Hebrew 2
  • LH 139 Intensive First Year Hebrew
  • LH 211 Intermediate Modern Hebrew 1
  • LH 212 Intermediate Modern Hebrew 2
  • LH 250 Masterpieces of Modern Hebrew Literature (in English translation)
  • LH 283 Israeli Culture through Film (in English translation)
  • LH 311 Advanced Modern Hebrew: Voices in Israeli Society
  • LH 312 Sixth Semester Hebrew
  • LH 330 Israeli Popular Music
  • LH 340 Israeli Culture Through Media
  • LH 453 Israeli Culture Through Film
  • LH 491 Directed Study: Hebrew
  • LH 492 Directed Study: Hebrew

Hindi-Urdu

  • LN 111 First Semester Hindi-Urdu
  • LN 112 Second Semester Hindi-Urdu
  • LN 211 Third Semester Hindi-Urdu
  • LN 212 Fourth Semester Hindi-Urdu
  • LN 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures
  • LN 380 Modern India through Bollywood
  • LN 381: Language and Identity in India: Exploring the Phenomenon of Hinglish
  • LN 491 Directed Study: Hindi-Urdu
  • LN 492 Directed Study in Hindi-Urdu

Japanese

  • LJ 111 First Semester Japanese
  • LJ 112 Second Semester Japanese
  • LJ 211 Third Semester Japanese
  • LJ 212 Fourth Semester Japanese
  • LJ 250 Masterpieces of Japanese Literature (in English translation)
  • LJ 251 Modern Japanese Literature (in English translation)
  • LJ 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures
  • LJ 283 Modern Japanese Culture in Cinema (in English translation)
  • LJ 303 Third Year Modern Japanese 1
  • LJ 304 Third Year Modern Japanese 2
  • LJ 314 Classical Chinese 1 for Students of East Asia
  • LJ 316 Classical Japanese
  • LJ 320 Conversational Japanese
  • LJ 322 Japanese for the Professions
  • LJ 350 Readings in Modern Japanese Fiction
  • LJ 385 Intensive Kanji
  • LJ 386 Japanese Translation/Interpretation Workshop
  • LJ 388 World Cities: Tokyo
  • LJ 410 The History of the Japanese Language
  • LJ 441 Japanese Through Media
  • LJ 450 Topics in Advanced Japanese
  • LJ 451 Topics in Japanese Literature
  • LJ 460 Haruki Murakami and His Sources
  • LJ 480 Japanese Women Writers (in English translation)
  • LJ 481 Topics in Japanese Literature (in English translation)
  • LJ 491 Directed Study: Japanese
  • LJ 492 Directed Study: Japanese

Korean

  • LK 111 First Semester Korean
  • LK 112 Second Semester Korean
  • LK 116 First Year Korean for Heritage Speakers
  • LK 211 Third Semester Korean
  • LK 212 Fourth Semester Korean
  • LK 216 Second Year Korean for Heritage Speakers
  • LK 250 Introduction to Korean Literature (in English translation)
  • LK 251: Classics of Korean Literature (in English Translation)
  • LK 260 Gateway to Asian Cultures
  • LK 300 Topics in Korean Language and Literature
  • LK 311 Fifth Semester Korean
  • LK 313 Korean through TV Drama
  • LK 314 Classical Chinese 1 for Students of East Asia
  • LK 319 Korean Language through Popular Music
  • LK 322 Korean for the Professions
  • LK 375 Growing Up in Korea
  • LK 383 Korean Cinema (in English translation)
  • LK 440 Korean Conversation and Composition through Media
  • LK 450 Topics in Advanced Korean
  • LK 460 Korean Translation
  • LK 470 Topics in Korean Literature and Culture
  • LK 480 Readings in Korean Literature
  • LK 491 Directed Study: Korean
  • LK 492 Directed Study: Korean

Persian

  • LZ 111 First Semester Modern Persian (Farsi)
  • LZ 112 Second Semester Modern Persian (Farsi)
  • LZ 211 Third Semester Modern Persian (Farsi)
  • LZ 212 Fourth Semester Modern Persian (Farsi)
  • LZ 311 Persian Translation
  • LZ 380 Persian Epic and Romance (in English translation)
  • LZ 381 Rumi and Persian Sufi Poetry (in English translation)
  • LZ 491 Directed Study: Persian (Farsi)
  • LZ 492 Directed Study: Persian (Farsi)

Russian

  • LR 111 First Year Russian 1
  • LR 112 First Year Russian 2
  • LR 211 Second Year Russian 1
  • LR 212 Second Year Russian 2
  • LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose (in English translation)
  • LR 280 Dostoevsky (in English translation)
  • LR 281 Tolstoy (in English translation)
  • LR 282 Russian Prose Classics of the Twentieth Century (in English translation)
  • LR 283 Topics in Russian Literature (in English translation)
  • LR 288 Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov
  • LR 311 Russian Youth Culture
  • LR 312 Russia on Screen
  • LR 327 Immigrant Women in Literature: Found in Translation? (in English Translation
  • LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories and Plays (in English translation)
  • LR 401 Senior Independent Work
  • LR 402 Senior Independent Work
  • LR 442 Russian Media
  • LR 445 Russian in Boston: Advanced Experiential Russian
  • LR 456 Topics in Twentieth Century Russian
  • LR 457 Advanced Russian Language and Literature
  • LR 491 Directed Study: Russian
  • LR 492 Directed Study: Russian

Turkish

  • LT 111 First Semester Turkish
  • LT 112 Second Semester Turkish
  • LT 211 Third Semester Turkish
  • LT 212 Fourth Semester Turkish
  • LT 303 Advanced Turkish 1
  • LT 304 Turkey in the Middle East: A Content-Based Language Course
  • LT 388 World Cities: Istanbul
  • LT 491 Directed Study: Turkish
  • LT 492 Directed Study: Turkish