Harvard vs. Georgetown for Foreign Language Study: Which School Is Stronger?

For the broadest and deepest range of advanced foreign-language study, Harvard has the edge. Its language instruction is embedded in numerous dedicated academic departments, including East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Romance Languages and Literatures, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and South Asian Studies. That structure makes it easier to pair high-level language work with literature, history, linguistics, area studies, or a related concentration.

Harvard also offers unusually extensive research resources for independent or advanced study, especially through its library collections and regionally focused centers.

Georgetown is particularly compelling when language study is closely tied to diplomacy, policy, and international affairs. The School of Foreign Service includes a language proficiency expectation, so students in that program are surrounded by peers who take language acquisition seriously, and Washington, D.C. provides relevant access to embassies, international organizations, and policy-oriented internships.

Georgetown’s language offerings and faculty can be excellent, especially for a student whose priorities center on global careers and practical use of a language in international settings.