Language Requirements
General Language Information
Students with no previous background in a language should start with a beginning course. To satisfy the college language requirement, these students take typically either nine credits over a three-semester period or two semesters of an intensive language sequence (10-12 credits total).
Placement for students with some background in a language can be made only by language examinations:
- Through the Advanced Placement test
- Through the SAT II Subject test
- Through the International Baccalaureate Program
- Through the Notre Dame departmental placement examinations
A maximum of six credits of placement can be granted for previous study in a given language. Thus, typically, College of Science students who have completed the language requirement will count from six to ten credits in language toward the 124 credits required for graduation.
The Center for University Advising provides descriptions of the beginning courses in languages including a useful placement credit table.
Arabic
Arabic is taught by the Department of Classics.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
MEAR 10001, MEAR 10002, and MEAR 20003 (total of 9 credits). This sequence starts in the spring.
Students with some background in Arabic may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (304 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Chinese
Chinese is taught by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
EALC 10111 and EALC 10112 (total of 10 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
EALC 10101, EALC 10102, and EALC 10103 (total of 9 credits). This sequence starts in the spring.
Students with some background in Chinese may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (205 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
French
French is taught by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
ROFR 10101, 10102, and 20201 (total of 11 credits).
ROFR 10101, 10102, and 20215 (total of 14 credits).
ROFR 10115 and 20215 (total of 12 credits).
A student who has completed an upper-level French course for which one of these sequences is a prerequisite is also considered to have completed the college language requirement.
Note, there are two beginning French courses, ROFR 10101 and ROFR 10115, both of which typically start in the fall. Please consult with the department (343 O'Shaughnessy) regarding the differences between these sequences.
In order to register for Romance Languages courses 10102, 20201, or 20300, students must be in the language sequence and have taken pre-requisites. If you have previous language experience in French, you must taken a placement exam prior to enrolling in your first language course. Please contact the department office (343 O'Shaughnessy) for information. Be aware that placement examinations are typically only offered twice a year, once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester. Incoming first-year and transfer students also may take placement examinations during Orientation Weekend.
German
German is taught by the Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
GE 10101, GE 10102, and GE 20201 (total of 11 credits).
GE 10111 and GE 10112 (total of 12 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
Students with some background in German may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level, e.g., GE 20211. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (318 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Greek
Greek is taught by the Department of Classics.
The following sequence satisfies the College of Science language requirement:
CLGR 10001, CLGR 10002, and CLGR 20003 (total of 11 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
Students with some background in Greek may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (304 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Irish
Irish ("Gaelic") is taught in the Department of Irish Language and Literature.
The following sequence satisfies the College of Science language requirement:
IRST 10101, IRST 10102, and IRST 20103 (total of 9 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
Italian
Italian is taught by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
ROIT 10101, 10102, and 20201 (total of 11 credits).
ROIT 10105, 10106, and 20201 (total of 9 credits).
ROIT 10110 and 20215 (total of 12 credits).
ROIT 10110 and 20201 (total of 9 credits).
A student who has completed an upper-level Italian course for which one of these sequences is a prerequisite is also considered to have completed the college language requirement.
Please consult with the department (343 O'Shaughnessy) regarding the differences between these sequences.
Please contact the department office (343 O'Shaughnessy) for information regarding placement in Italian.
Japanese
Japanese is taught by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
EALJ 10101, EALJ 10102, and EALJ 10103 (total of 9 credits). This sequence starts in the spring.
EALJ 10111 and EALJ 10112 (total of 10 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
Students with some background in Japanese may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (631-8873) for more information.
Korean
Korean is taught by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
EALK 10111/11111 and EALK 10112 /11112 (total of 10 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
Students with some background in Korean may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (205 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Latin
Latin is taught by the Department of Classics.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
CLLA 10001, CLLA 10002, and CLLA 20003 (total of 11 credits). This sequence starts in the fall.
CLLA 10010 and CLLA 20003 (total of 8 credits). This sequence starts in the spring.
Students with some background in Latin may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (304 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Portuguese
Portuguese is taught by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
The following sequence satisfies the College of Science language requirement:
ROPO 10103, ROPO 10104 and ROPO 20201 (total of 11 credits)
ROPO 10105, ROPO 10106 and ROPO 20201 (total of 9 credits)
ROPO 10115 and ROPO 20201 (total of 9 credits)
Please contact the department office (343 O'Shaughnessy) regarding placement in Portuguese.
Russian
Russian is taught by the Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures.
The following sequence satisfies the College of Science language requirement:
RU 10101, RU 10102, and RU 20101 (total of 11 credits).
Students with some background in Russian may take an exam administered by the Department to place into courses beyond the beginning level. Students are strongly urged to take all placement exams during Orientation Weekend prior to the beginning of the fall semester each year. Please contact the department office (318 O'Shaughnessy) for more information.
Spanish
Spanish is taught by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.
The following sequences satisfy the College of Science language requirement:
ROSP 10101, 10102, and 20201 (total of 11 credits).
ROSP 10110 and 20201 (total of 9 credits).
ROSP 10110 and 20215 (total of 12 credits)
A student who has completed an upper-level Spanish course for which one of these sequences is a pre-requisite is also considered to have completed the college language requirement.
Please consult with the department (343 O'Shaughnessy) regarding the differences between these sequences.
In order to register for continuing Romance Languages courses such as 10102, students must be in the language sequence and have taken pre-requisites. If you have previous language experience in Spanish, you must taken a placement exam prior to enrolling in your first language course. Please contact the department office (343 O'Shaughnessy) for information. Be aware that placement examinations are typically only offered twice a year, once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester. Incoming first-year and transfer students also may take placement examinations during Orientation Weekend.