Competence in languages other than those of your major field of study is of particular importance for the scholarly work in which you will engage both as a graduate student and as a researcher/scholar in your academic career. A working knowledge of at least one other modern language is essential. Which languages are relevant to you depends on your particular areas of interest. (For example, much scholarship on German topics is produced in French and Italian.) You should start thinking about which language(s) you will use to fulfill the requirement and when you will study them. In no case may English be submitted. You should fulfill this requirement before taking the preliminary examination.

Ph.D. Language Requirement

Reading competence in two languages or a high degree of proficiency in one language other than English or German.

Paperwork

Each language department sets its own criteria for certifying its languages, so it is important to contact the department offering the language in which you are interested. Frequently, a department will certify your language if you have taken a certain number of college-level language courses (here or at a different institution; this must have been within 5 years of the date of certification), or by successful completion of the graduate-level reading course.

The language needs to be certified by that language's department. If you wish to add the language to your transcript, a form is needed, "Language Department Certification of Foreign Language Proficiency". After the appropriate form is signed, email or take it to the GSSP Office (333 Bruininks).

• To add the language to your transcript, use the Language Department Certification of Foreign Language Proficiency form (OTR 192). After the signed form is turned in, a note will be posted to your transcript that you have fulfilled this requirement with that language. If you want the high degree of proficiency in one language, the department will need to mark “The student has demonstrated a higher proficiency” on the form. (An example of a “high degree of proficiency” would be successful completion of a 3xxx-level or higher literature course in the language with readings in the target language.)