College Language Requirement

All students in the College must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language (ancient or modern) through the intermediate level. During New Student Orientation, proctored placement exams are offered in most languages. Students who place above the intermediate level on a language placement exam have fulfilled the foreign language requirement. Students who do not place above the intermediate level on a language placement exam must complete language coursework through the intermediate level in order to fulfill the requirement.

There are two language tracks, intensive and non-intensive. Some languages are offered only on the intensive track: Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, modern Greek, and Russian. Others (French, German, Spanish) are taught on both the intensive and non-intensive tracks. Languages taught on the intensive track require differing lengths of study to achieve intermediate mastery: students beginning French, German, Italian, modern Greek, Russian, or Spanish at Georgetown require one year of intensive study to complete the language requirement, whereas Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean  require two years of intensive study to complete the language requirement. Most languages taught on the non-intensive track require four semesters of study to reach the intermediate level and fulfill the language requirement.

The following courses are considered “exit courses” and complete the language requirement:

  • Arabic ARAB-112
  • Chinese CHIN-112 or 114
  • French FREN-022 or 032
  • German GERM-022 or 032
  • Greek (Ancient) CLSG-101
  • Greek (Modern) GREE-111
  • Modern Hebrew HEBR-022
  • Italian ITAL-032
  • Japanese JAPN-112
  • Korean KREN-112
  • Latin CLSL-101
  • Persian PERS-012
  • Polish PLSH-102
  • Portuguese PORT-032
  • Russian RUSS-012
  • Spanish SPAN-022 or 032
  • Turkish TURK-022

Students are strongly encouraged to begin language coursework as early as possible and to complete the language requirement no later than the end of their sophomore year.

Please note that the Undergraduate Bulletin for the academic year in which the student matriculated is the ultimate authority on all degree requirements.

The bulletin for the current academic year.

Archived bulletins for previous academic years.

Please see below for the list of the contact person for each department or program:

Arabic/Islamic Studies: Elliott Colla
Classics: Josiah Osgood
Chinese: Fei Ren
French: Erin Twohig
German: Peter Pfeiffer
Greek (Modern): Ismini Lamb
Hebrew: Meital Orr
Italian: Anna De Fina
Japanese: Yoshiko Mori
Korean: Min Koo Choi
Persian: Farima Mostowfi
Polish: Iwona Sadowska
Portuguese: Vivaldo Santos
Russian: Svetlana Grenier
Spanish: Elena Herburger
Turkish: Sylvia Önder
Ukranian: George Mihaychuk