General information

• Placement guide.
• Foreign language requirement

Advising

• Arabic - Olivia Monem (omonem@vt.edu)
  
• Chinese - Owen Guo (oweng@vt.edu)
  
• Classics (Latin and ancient Greek) - Dr. Andrew Becker (andrew.becker@vt.edu)
  
• French - Dr. Janell Watson (rjwatson@vt.edu)
  
• German - Dr. Debra Stoudt (dstoudt@vt.edu)
  
• Modern Greek - Dr. Maria Hatzios (mhatzios@vt.edu)
  
• Hebrew - Ester Hallerman (esterh56@vt.edu)
  
• Italian - Dr. Melissa Coburn (mcoburn8@vt.edu)
  
• Japanese - Yasuko Kumazawa (kumazawa@vt.edu)
  
• Russian - Dr. Nuysua Milman-Miller (nmilman@vt.edu) or Dr. Robert Efird (refird@vt.edu)
  
• Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We accept the change of major or minor form any time other than the first week of fall and spring semesters. Fill out this form and bring it to 331 Major Williams Hall.

What languages can I major in?

Classics (Latin and ancient Greek), French, German or Spanish.

What languages can I minor in?

Classics, Latin, French, business French, German, Russian, or Spanish.

Can I major or minor in Arabic / Chinese / Japanese / Italian?

No. We hope to have a minor in these languages in a few years. For us to be able to offer a major or a minor in a course, we need to have the faculty to teach the courses and to have the courses officially approved. This process takes several years.

Can I major in Russian?

No, but we hope to have a major in a few years. This depends on our ability to hire more faculty.

I've already studied a language. What level should I sign up for?

See the Placement guide. It is best to also consult with an advisor. If you are in Spanish, there is a diagnostic placement test you must take before being admitted into Spanish 2105 or 3105. This test will be offered on August 19-20 and during the first week of classes. Specific information about the Spanish diagnostic placement tests can be found here and on the Spanish program web page: http://www.fll.vt.edu/Spanish.

I would like to study a higher level of Arabic / Chinese / Japanese / Italian than what is offered. Can I do an independent study?

In some cases instructors will consent to do an independent study, but this is the exception. Independent studies are very time intensive for faculty. You can check with the faculty member to see but please do not be disappointed if she or he says no. Some instructors receive many such requests.

I am interested in study abroad.

Our department offers a variety of programs. You should also consult the Education Abroad office.

The course I want to take is full. What do I do?

If you wish to get into a full first-year class, you should attend the class and continue to go to Hokie SPA to see if a seat opens up. Instructors will not be signing force ads. We automatically drop students who are absent either the first or second day of classes. This makes room for other students wishing to add the class. Students will add classes on a first-come, first-serve basis as students are dropped from class. Many seats open up through this process. We urge students to be persistent online about getting into classes. The Spanish program has a slightly different policy.

I do not have the prerequisite(s) for a course. Should I sign up anyway?

No. Prerequisites are there to help the student. Our curricula are structured so that each level builds upon the preceding one. If you do not have the prerequisites(s), then you do not have the skills you need to succeed in the course you would like to take. If you are unsure, you should check with an instructor.

I do not have the prerequisite but Hokie SPA let me add the class.

Hokie SPA does not prevent students from signing up for a course because of the lack of prerequisites in all cases. If prerequisite checking is not in place for a given course, anyone can sign up for it.

I want to take Spanish 2105 or 3105 in the fall

You need to take the Spanish placement test before the beginning of the semester on August 19 or 20. Information on times and locations of the test are posted here and on the Spanish program website. If you miss this test, you can make arrangements with the instructor. However, those who take the test before classes have a much better chance of getting in.

Are the language courses taught in English?

By the 2000 level, all of our courses are taught exclusively in the target language. Much of what is taught in first-year courses is in the language too. This can vary according to language as some languages such as Arabic, Chinese and Japanese are significantly harder than others.

I have already studied a language. Can I get credit for it by examination?

The Department of Foreign Language and Literatures does not offer tests for credit. It is possible to take a CLEP test to get credit in French, German or Spanish. You will need to make arrangements directly with CLEP to take the test. It is not administered by our department.

What about activities outside of the classroom?

The department offers a variety of extracurricular activities. Consult the webpage of the language program that interests you.

Important information about our classes

• Try to take a language course each semester of your studies.
• With very few exceptions, courses ending with the number "5" are only offered in the fall. Those with "6" can only be taken in spring. This is important if you want to start a language. This has to be done in the fall.
• Although 1105 and 1106 are both labeled "elementary," you must take 1105 before 1106 if you have not studied the language.
• If you have already studied a language in high school (or elsewhere), you cannot start over again in an elementary course and receive credit.
• If you received credit for a 2000-level course you cannot take a 1000-level course for credit. Likewise if you have done work on the 3000 level, you cannot take for credit a 2000-level language course. (2000-level culture courses taught in English are the exception.)