College of Arts & Sciences Foreign Language Requirement

The College of Arts and Sciences requires that all degree candidates demonstrate proficiency at an advanced level in a foreign language. The Departments of (1) Romance Studies and (2) Modern Languages Comparative Literatures (formerly both constituting the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures) offer courses in many languages for fulfillment of this requirement. Students are encouraged to choose a language that will complement their current interests, fields of study, and future career plans. Languages that have been offered include the following:

African Languages (Hausa, Mandinka, Sesotho, Swahili, Yoruba, Zulu), Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish

In some languages, there is a choice between a four-skills approach and a reading sequence. The sequence emphasizing all four skills--reading, writing, listening and speaking--is taught in the language being studied. The reading sequence courses are taught in English using a traditional grammar and translation approach enhanced by the study of texts from a wide variety of authentic sources: literature, advertising, the press, and cinema. Both sequences contain civilization and culture components. Because of the intrinsic differences between the two sequences, students are allowed to transfer from one sequence to the other only after either the first or second semester. Students are encouraged to read the complete descriptions of the courses in the bulletin. Students who would like to do this should contact the Deaf Studies Program for further information.

Students who have previously studied a language outside of Boston University must take a placement exam, so that they can be placed at an appropriate level. Please contact the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures for more information at (617) 353-2642.

The CAS Bulletin provides additional information on the Foreign Language Requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Foreign Language Requirement may also be satisfied by courses in Latin or Ancient or Modern Greek; these courses are offered through the Department of Classical Studies.

Courses in American Sign Language (ASL) are also offered at Boston University, through the Deaf Studies Program. Students may now also use ASL to fulfill the CAS Foreign Language Requirement. Students who would like to do this should contact the Deaf Studies Program for further information.