Language Requirement
LSA Language Requirement
LSA's language requirement helps you develop a valuable set of skills that prepares you for a world that has been profoundly transformed by the forces of globalization. All Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees require fourth-semester proficiency in a language other than English.
There are several paths to completion of the language requirement after you transfer.
If you do not have any previous experience in a language you most likely will have to take four semesters of language coursework after transferring.
If you have taken language coursework prior to transfer either in high school or your previous college and plan to continue in the same language, you will take a placement exam as part of your orientation.
If you are fluent in a language other than English but did not complete schooling in the language you will need to take a placement exam to demonstrate your fluency.
A student whose first language is not English and who attended a high school or college where English was not the language of instruction is considered to have met the requirement. Your general academic advisor will enter an exception for this when you meet with them at Orientation.
Language Major and Minors and Transfer Credit
If you are interested in a language major or minor, you might be able to use courses that you took at your previous institution toward the program requirements. If you have transfer credits that are posted as Departmental credit (e.g. French 201X, Spanish 301X) they might count toward credit for the majors but you will have to get them evaluated by an advisor in the department. If you at all think you might want to major or minor in a language reach out to the departments to see what it would take to do it.
Language Resource Center
Did you know? Fluency in a second language and the skills that you acquire in learning a second language can be an important part of your toolbox in the fields of medicine, law, business, and technology? To learn how, make an appointment to talk with an advisor in the language department of your choice. Not sure which language you want to study? Check out the list of languages offered at the Language Resource Center and while you are there explore all the resources they offer.
The Departments Below Teach Language Courses
Click the department to see what languages they offer and how to learn more.
Afroamerican and African Studies
Afroamerican and African Studies offers Swahili. For information about placements and taking Swahili contact Professor Marko Mwipopo at mmwipopo@umich.edu.
American Culture
American Culture offers Ojibwe language courses and the Native American Studies minor.
American Sign Language
For information on placement and the ASL program contact Professor Paula Berwanger at pberwang@umich.edu
Asian Languages and Cultures
Asian Languages and Cultures teaches the following languages.
Bengali
Chinese
Filipino
Hindi
Indonesian
Japanese
Korean
Punjabi
Thai
Urdu
Vietnamese
For information on placement exams visit the department's placement exam page.
If you are interested in an Asian Language major of minor contact the department's advisors at alc-studentservicesassistant@umich.edu.
Classical Languages and Literature
Classical Languages and Literatures offers the following languages.
Ancient Greek: For information on placement exams and majors contact Professor Netta Berlin at berlin@umich.edu
Modern Greek: For information on placement exams and majors contact Professor Artemis Leontis at aleontis@umich.edu
Latin: For information on placement exams and majors contact Professor Shonda Tohm at stohm@umich.edu
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature does not teach language courses but it offers an interdisciplinary, multilingual field of study for students interested in the Humanities and foreign languages that cultivates the study of foreign languages and cultures into a field of Global Humanities: language, literature, and culture understood together and in mutually-illuminating contrast. In addition to the major, Comparative Literature offers the Minor in Translation Studies.
Germanic Languages and Literature
Germanic Languages and Literatures offers the following languages.
Dutch: For information on placement exams and Dutch and Flemish Studies contact Annemarie Toebosch at toebosch@umich.edu.
German: For information on placement exams and the German major or minor contact Kalli Federhofer at kallimz@umich.edu.
Swedish: For information on placement exams and Scandinavian contact Johanna Eriksson at johannae@umich.edu.
Yiddish: For information on placement exams and Yiddish Studies contact Elena Luchina eluchina@umich.edu.
Middle East Studies
Middle East Studies offers the following languages.
Arabic
Armenian
Hebrew
Persian
Turkish
For information on placement exams visit the department's placement exam page.
If you are interested in an Asian Language major of minor contact the department's advsiors at mes-studentservicesassistant@umich.edu.
Romance Languages and Literature
Romance Languages and Literatures offers the following languages.
French and Francophone Studies
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish
For information on placement exams visit the department's placement exam page. If you have questions about the placement exam email rll.placement@umich.edu.
For course evaluations and advising for majors and minors contact Carrie Berger at rll.undergrad@umich.edu.