English is expected to dominate as proficiency in a foreign language is made compulsory for graduates in Catalonia irrespective of their degree subject.
Some Spanish universities already require some language proficiency from their graduates, but this is the first initiative to be coordinated regionally, across 11 universities. It coincides with a threat to close the French degree at Catalonia's Lerida University.
The proposal - known as the third-language project because Catalonia is already bilingual - was put forward by the regional government. University leaders have given it a cautious welcome. "It is essential to improve graduates' job prospects and to be up to date with the modern world," said Marisa Florensa, head of the Catalan university council.
Universities may slot new course units into their curriculum, adapt existing courses or convalidate language studies undertaken outside the course at universities or private language schools.
Although French, German and Italian will also be on offer, 96 per cent of students taking the university entrance exam last year chose English for their foreign-language option. Job advertisements routinely ask for a good command of the language, and private language schools offering English are big business in Spain.
Several Catalan universities have already placed English on their syllabus. Engineers at the Technical University of Catalonia follow courses on technological English and economics students at Barcelona's Pompeu Fabre University regularly attend lectures in English given by visiting professors.
The popularity of English contrasts with the gradual eclipse of French despite close cross-border links. The first degree in French at Lérida University is under threat because of poor recruitment - only two students enrolled last October.
Ángels Santa, professor of French at the university, attributed the decline in numbers to regional government policy of promoting only one compulsory foreign language in secondary and primary schools in recent years. "If there is to be just one language, logically it should be English. But if we wish to be really competitive, we have to make room for other languages as well," she said.
Antoni Giró, director general of universities in Catalonia's regional government, said that French would still be on offer at two regional universities and that the staff at Lerida could be redeployed to teach French on new courses with an element of language training.
"Given the small number of students, it is logical to rationalise," he said.