The Core Curriculum - Foreign Language
The key to every Columbia student’s liberal arts experience is a solid knowledge of at least one foreign language and culture. You may choose to acquire a new language or continue studying a language with which you already have some familiarity. Whether you plan simply to fulfill the Core foreign language requirement or to pursue a major in languages and literature, language acquisition opens new worlds of knowledge and new ways of thinking.
If you wish to continue studying a language you began learning in secondary school, then you must take a placement exam offered by the respective foreign language department in order to determine your appropriate course level at Columbia. Times and locations for departmental placement exams are announced during New Student Orientation. Students who can place themselves in an appropriate level based on AP or SAT scores do not have to take a Columbia placement test.
All language instruction courses must be taken for a letter grade.
What is required?
Proficiency at the intermediate level of a foreign language, typically Intermediate Level II. You can find a list of languages below.
When?
Recommended in the first year if you are beginning or continuing a language.
Can I test out?
Yes. Exemption or placement level can be determined by AP scores, SAT II scores, or departmental placement tests. See below.
Foreign Language Requirement
The requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:
Satisfactory completion of the second term of an intermediate language sequence.
Demonstration of an equivalent competence through the appropriate score on an SAT II Subject Test or Advanced Placement test.
Demonstration of an equivalent competence through the College’s own placement tests. See below for departmental contact information.
Successful completion of an advanced-level foreign language or literature course that requires 1202 or the equivalent as a prerequisite. This course must be taken for a letter grade.
Students whose native language is not English are not required to take an additional foreign language or an achievement test if they have completed secondary school in their native language.
Also consider:
All terms of a language sequence offered in satisfaction of the language requirement must be taken for a letter grade and in order.
Students wishing to satisfy the requirement in a language not listed below should consult with their adviser.
Equivalent language courses offered at Barnard College and in the School of General Studies may be used to satisfy the requirement, with a few important exceptions. Ask your adviser.
Any student who wishes to submit a language course taken at another institution in fulfillment of the language requirement must pass a departmental placement examination.
Language Program Directors and Placement Policies
Akkadian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Arabic:
Contact: Taoufik Ben-Amor
302 Knox, 212-854-2895
e-mail
Aramaic:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Armenian:
Contact: Charry Karamanoukian
311 Knox, 212-854-7083
e-mail
Bengali:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Cantonese:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Catalan:
Contact: Elsa Úbeda
Casa Hispánica B04, 212-854-4530
e-mail
Chinese:
Contact: Lening Liu
407 Kent Hall, 212-854-3604
e-mail
Czech:
Contact: Christopher Harwood
706 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-3941
e-mail
Dutch:
Contact: Wijnie de Groot
319 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-1856
e-mail
Finnish:
Contact: Lasse Suominen
412 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-7859
e-mail
French:
Contact: Pascale Hubert-Leibler
519 Philosophy Hall, 212-854-4819
e-mail
The French Department recognizes SAT II Subject Tests and AP scores as outlined below. All other students not submitting those scores but continuing French must take a departmental placement exam to be given during Orientation.
SAT II: Subject Test in French
Score
Course Placement
below 420
1101
420–499
1102
500–639
1201
640–779
1202
780+ satisfies language requirementAdvanced Placement Exam in French
A score of 5 on a French language or literature exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. Upon successful completion of a 3 point 3000-level (or above) course in French at Columbia, the French department will award 3 points of Advanced Placement credit, provided the grade in the course is a B or better. A score of 4 on a French language or literature exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. No points are awarded.
German:
Contact: Richard Korb
311 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-2070
e-mail
The German Department recognizes SAT II Subject Tests and AP scores as outlined below but strongly encourages students with high school German to take the Columbia placement exam. All students continuing German without SAT II or AP results must take a departmental placement exam during Orientation.
SAT II: Subject Test in German
Score
Course Placement
below 400
1101
400–499
1102
500–569
1120
570–679
1201
680–779
1202
780+ satisfies language requirementAdvanced Placement Exam in German
A score of 5 on the German language exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. Upon successful completion of a 3 point 3000-level (or above) course in German at Columbia, the German department will award 3 points of Advanced Placement credit, provided the grade in the course is a B or better. A score of 4 on a German language exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. No points are awarded.
Greek (Ancient):
Contact: Marcus Folch
617 Hamilton Hall,212-854-3902
e-mail
Greek (Modern):
Contact: Karen Van Dyck
515 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-2189
e-mail
Hebrew:
Contact: Nehama R. Bersohn
410 Knox, 212-854-6668
e-mail
Students who have achieved a score of 700+ on the SAT II Subject Test in Hebrew and/or students who have passed the Jerusalem Examination have, upon receipt of official documentation, satisfied the foreign language requirement. Depending on their scores, students who passed the Jerusalem Examination may also receive credit for it. All students enrolling in Hebrew language courses must take a placement test prior to registration. Tests are available at the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures, 401 Knox. Beginners who are not familiar with the Hebrew alphabet need not take a test but must sign up by sending an e-mail to Dr. Bersohn.
Hindi-Urdu:
Contact: Rakesh Ranjan
411 Knox, 212-854-4107
e-mail
Hungarian:
Contact: Carol Rounds
502B Hamilton Hall, 212-854-0746
e-mail
Indonesian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Irish:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Italian:
Contact: Barbara Spinelli
501 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-2308
e-mail
A score of 5 on the AP Italian language exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. Upon successful completion of a 3-point 3000-level (or above) course in Italian at Columbia, the Italian Department will award 3 points of AP credit, provided the grade in the course is a B or better. A score of 4 on a Italian language exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. No points are awarded. The Italian Department recognizes the SAT II subject test, and a score of 780 satisfies the foreign language requirement. All students who are continuing their study of Italian must take a departmental placement exam during Orientation.
Japanese:
Contact: Fumiko Nazikian
407 Kent Hall, 212-854-8345
e-mail
Korean:
Contact: Carol Schulz
402 Kent Hall, 212-854-5037
e-mail
Latin:
Contact: Marcus Folch
617 Hamilton Hall,212-854-3902
e-mail
Students with a score of 5 on either AP Latin exam have satisfied the language requirement and may receive 3 points of credit. Students with a score of 4 on either AP Latin exam have satisfied the language requirement. No credit or placement is given for the SAT II test. All students wishing to continue Latin in the College should take the departmental placement test and/or see the program director prior to registration.
Lithuanian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Persian:
Contact: Ghazzai Dabiri
313 Knox, 212-854-5037
e-mail
Polish:
Contact: Anna Frajlich-Zajac
706 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-4850
e-mail
Portuguese:
Contact: José Antonio Castellanos Pazos
Casa Hispánica 501, 212-854-0277
e-mail
Pulaar:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Punjabi:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Romanian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Russian:
Contact: Alla Smyslova
704 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-8155
e-mail
Sanskrit:
Contact: Sheldon Pollock
418 Knox, 212-854-6781
e-mail
Serbian/Croatian:
Contact: Radmila Gorup
708 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-3941
e-mail
Spanish:
Contact: Diana Romero
Casa Hispánica 506, 212-854-8075
e-mail
The Spanish Department recognizes SAT II Subject Tests and AP scores as outlined below. All other students continuing Spanish must take a departmental placement exam during Orientation.
SAT II: Subject Test in Spanish
Score
Course Placement
below 420
1101
420–509
1102
510–569
1120
570–689
1201
690–779
1202
780+ satisfies language requirementAdvanced Placement in Spanish
A score of 5 on a Spanish language or literature exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. Upon successful completion of a 3 point 3200-level (or above) course in Spanish at Columbia, the Spanish department will award 3 points of Advanced Placement credit, provided the grade in the course is a B or better. A score of 4 on a Spanish language or literature exam satisfies the foreign language requirement. No points are awarded.
Swahili:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Swedish:
Contact: Verne Moberg
319 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-4015
e-mail
Tagalog:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Tamil:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Telegu:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Tibetan:
Contact: Tenzin Norbu
304 Kent, 212-854-9875
e-mail
Turkish, Modern and Ottoman:
Contact: Etem Erol
313 Knox, 212-854-0473
e-mail
Ukrainian:
Contact: Yuri Shevchuk
704 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-5339
e-mail
Uzbek:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Vietnamese:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Wolof:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Yiddish:
Contact: Miriam Hoffman
409 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-8026
e-mail
Zulu:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
e-mail
Contact Us
Visit
403 Lerner Hall
2920 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
Call: (212) 854-6378
Fax: (212) 854-2562
E-mail: csa@columbia.edu
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 9am - 7pm
Friday: 9am - 5pm
Walk-In Hours
Mon - Thurs: 2:30pm - 4pm
