The Core Curriculum - Foreign
Language
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.
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 SAT scores do not have to take a Columbia
placement test.
All language instruction courses must be taken for a letter grade.
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 the secondary school requirement
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 advisor.
-
Equivalent language courses offered at Barnard
College and in the School
of General Studies may be used to satisfy
the requirement.
-
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: Marc Van De Mieroop
603 Kent Hall, 212-854-4702
mv1@columbia.edu
Arabic:
Contact: George El-Hage
608A Kent Hall, 212-854-1185
ge103@columbia.edu
Aramaic:
Contact: Marc Van De Mieroop
603 Kent Hall, 212-854-4702
mv1@columbia.edu
Armenian:
Contact: Marc Nichanian
500B Kent Hall, 212-854-2556
mn1194@columbia.edu
Bengali:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Cantonese:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Catalan:
Contact: Xavier Vila
405 Casa Hispanica, 212-854-3764
xpv1@columbia.edu
Chinese:
Contact: Lening Liu
407 Kent Hall, 212-854-3604
ll172@columbia.edu
Czech:
Contact: Christopher Harwood
706 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-3941
cwh4@columbia.edu
Dutch:
Contact: Wijnie de Groot
319 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-1856
wed23@columbia.edu
Finnish:
Contact: Aili Flint
412 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-7859
af15@columbia.edu
French:
Contact: Pascale Hubert-Leibler
519 Philosophy Hall, 212-854-4819
ph2028@columbia.edu
The French Department recognizes SAT II Subject
Tests and AP 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
requirement
|
Advanced 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 Alan Korb
311 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-2070
rak23@columbia.edu
The German Department recognizes SAT II Subject
Tests and AP 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 requirement
|
Advanced 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: Elizabeth Irwin
617 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-5684
sc758@columbia.edu
Greek (Modern):
Evangelos Calotychos
606 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-6988
ec2268@columbia.edu
Hebrew:
Contact: Ruth Raphaeli-Slivko
611 Kent Hall, 212-854-6519
rr9@columbia.edu
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 East Languages and Cultures, 602 Kent
Hall. 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.
Ruth Raphaeli-Slivko.
Hindi-Urdu:
Contact: Susham Bedi
609 Kent Hall, 212-854-2893
sb12@columbia.edu
Hungarian:
Contact: Carol Rounds
502B Hamilton Hall, 212-854-0746
chr2@columbia.edu
Indonesian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Irish:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Italian:
Contact: Barbara Spinelli
501 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-2308
bs2165@columbia.edu
Japanese:
Contact: Fumiko Nazikian
407 Kent Hall, 212-854-5027
fn2108@columbia.edu
Korean:
Contact: Carol Schulz
402 Kent Hall, 212-854-5037
chs3@columbia.edu
Latin:
Contact: Elizabeth Irwin
617 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-5684
ei42@columbia.edu
Students with a score of 5 on either AP Latin exam have satisfied the
language requirement and may receive 3 points of credit (6 points for
both exams). 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
sc758@columbia.edu
Persian:
Contact: Manduchehr Kasheff
622 Kent Hall, 212-854-5037
mk12@columbia.edu
Polish:
Contact: Anna Frajlich-Zajac
706 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-4850
af38@columbia.edu
Portuguese:
Contact: Angelina Craig
302 Casa Hispánica, 212-854-3764
ac68@columbia.edu
Pulaar:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Punjabi:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Romanian:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Russian:
Contact: Alla Smyslova
701 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-8155
as2157@columbia.edu
Sanskrit:
Contact: Gary Tubb
80 Claremont Ave, Room 306,
212-851-4145
gat4@columbia.edu
Serbian/Croatian:
Contact: Radmila Gorup
708 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-3941
rjg26@columbia.edu
Spanish:
Contact: Angelina Craig
302 Casa Hispánica, 212-854-3764
ac68@columbia.edu
The Spanish Department recognizes SAT II Subject
Tests and AP 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 requirement
|
Advanced 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
sc758@columbia.edu
Swedish:
Contact: Verne Moberg
412 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-7859
vam1@columbia.edu
Tagalog:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Tamil:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Telegu:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Tibetan:
Contact: Tenzin Norbu
905 IAB, 212-854-2591
tn218@columbia.edu
Turkish, Modern and Ottoman:
Contact: Etem Erol
616 Kent Hall, 212-854-0473
ee2105@columbia.edu
Ukrainian:
Contact: Yuri Shevchuk
704 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-5339
sy2165@columbia.edu
Uzbek:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Vietnamese:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Wolof:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu
Yiddish:
Contact: Miriam Hoffman
409 Hamilton Hall, 212-854-8026
mh60@columbia.edu
Zulu:
Contact: Stephane Charitos
353 IAB, 212-854-6341
sc758@columbia.edu |
