• To raise the visibility of languages that are vibrant in every corner of campus
• To provide excellent support of language teaching and learning in the classroom, including weekly tutoring sessions
• To help students explore their linguistic acumen through practice in unstructured exchanges—Language Tables in campus dining halls, conversation groups in our facilities, and ongoing student events on campus
• To foster spaces for interdisciplinary collaboration for both faculty and students
• To create bridges through languages with our neighbors in Nashville and around the globe
• To promote global citizenship and to help prepare our students for living in a linguistically diverse society

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

Please contact the Director of Arabic Studies, Professor Issam Eido for instruction (issam.m.eido@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses:

• CTLN 1103 - Intensive Elementary Catalan

Placement Test: 
No placement test required. Prior study of another Romance language through the intermediate level is recommended but not required. All interested are welcome.
For questions, please reach out to Professor Philip D. Rasico (philip.d.rasico@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses:
These courses are online only. Taught synchronously via Zoom, the class combines students from all three of our partnership schools: Duke, UVA, and Vanderbilt University.

CHRK 1101 - Cherokee Language I (Duke - Fall)
Subsequent levels are offered alternating each Fall and Spring semester.

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact Professor Gilliam Jackson (gilliam.jackson@duke.edu).
For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

The Chinese placement test consists of a 20-min interview with each student to assess their language skills. Students should reach out to Professor Pengfei Li (pengfei.li@vanderbilt.edu) for assistance and coordination of the placement test.

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

Take the French online placement test by signing in with your VU credentials.
After taking the exam, use the scoring system here to determine which level of French you should take.

For questions please reach out to the French Language Program Director, Professor Alexis Finet (alexis.finet@vanderbilt.edu)

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

Take the German online placement test by signing in with your VU credentials.
After taking the exam, use the scoring system here to determine which level of German you should take.

For questions, please reach out to the Director of Undergraduate Studies: German Studies, Professor Silke Schade (silke.schade@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

Questions about placement and courses should be directed to Director of Undergraduate Studies: Classical and Mediterranean Studies Professor Daniel Solomon (daniel.p.solomon@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

These courses are online only. Taught synchronously via Zoom, the class combines students from all three of our partnership schools: Duke, UVA, and Vanderbilt University.

CREO 1101 - Elementary Creole I (Duke - Fall)
CREO 1102 - Elementary Creole II (Duke - Spring)
CREO 2201 - Intermediate Creole I (Duke - Fall)
CREO 2202 - Intermediate Creole II (Duke - Spring)
CREO 3301 - Advanced Creole I (Duke - Fall)
CREO 3302 - Advanced Creole II (Duke - Spring)

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact Professor Jaques Pierre (jaque.pierre@duke.edu).
For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

The Hebrew language proficiency exam is offered before the Fall or Spring semester. To evaluate the student's preparedness and to register for the exam, students should contact Professor Mazalit Haim (mazalit.haim@vanderbilt.edu) to schedule a meeting.

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

If you have any experience understanding or speaking Hindi or Urdu, please contact the instructor to schedule a placement conversation. Note that prior exposure to Hindi/Urdu or lack of formal study may not accurately reflect your appropriate course level. For placement and questions please contact Professor Divya Chaudhry (divya.chaudhry@vanderbilt.edu).

Minor in South Asian Language and Culture

Glimpse of the Elementary Hindi-Urdu Classroom

Courses Offered

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies: Italian, Professor Elsa Filosa (elsa.filosa@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered

Placement Test:

For placement and questions please contact Professor Hideko Shimizu (hideko.shimizu@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

These courses are online only. Taught synchronously via Zoom, the class combines students from all three of our partnership schools: Duke, UVA, and Vanderbilt University.

KICH 1101 - Elementary K'iche' I (Vanderbilt - Fall)
KICH 1102 - Elementary K'iche' II (Vanderbilt - Spring)
KICH 2201 - Intermediate K'iche' I (Vanderbilt - Fall)
KICH 2202 - Intermediate K'iche' II (Vanderbilt - Spring)

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact Professor Mareike Sattler (mareike.sattler@vanderbilt.edu).
For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.

Courses Offered:

Placement Test:

Students with prior knowledge of Korean may take a placement test to enroll in a higher-level Korean course, regardless of prerequisites. The placement test comprises a 20-minute oral interview and a 45- to 60-minute written examination, designed to assess each student’s language proficiency.

For assistance or to schedule the placement test, students should contact the Korean Language Program Coordinator, Professor Seok Bae Jang (seok.jang@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

Placement Test:

For placement and questions please contact Director of Undergraduate Studies: Classical and Mediterranean Studies Professor Daniel Solomon (daniel.p.solomon@vanderbilt.edu).

Malagasy will not be offered for academic year Fall 2025 - Spring 2026.

Please check back next year!

For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.

Courses Offered:

PERS 1101 - Elementary Persian I (Fall)
PERS 1102 - Elementary Persian II (Spring)
PERS 2201 - Intermediate Persian I (Fall)
PERS 2202 - Intermediate Persian II (Spring)

Placement Test:

For placement and questions please contact Professor Azadeh Najafian (azadeh.najafian@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

Students with a strong background in Spanish or another Romance language may take Portuguese 1103 (Intensive Elementary Portuguese), which covers two semesters in one semester.

See other Portuguese Language Courses here.

Placement Test:

For placement and questions please contact Professor Ben Legg (benjamin.legg@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

Placement Test:

For placement and questions please contact the Director of the Russian Language Program, Professor Albina Khabibulina (albina.khabibulina@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

Placement Test:

Take the Spanish online placement test by signing in with your VU credentials.
After taking the exam, use the scoring system here to determine which level of Spanish you should take.

For questions please reach out to the Director of Undergraduate Studies: Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Professor Maria Paz Pintane (maria.p.pintane@vanderbilt.edu).

Courses Offered:

These courses are online only. Taught synchronously via Zoom, the class combines students from all three of our partnership schools: Duke, UVA, and Vanderbilt University.

SWAH 1101 - Elementary Swahili I (UVA - Fall)
SWAH 1102 - Elementary Swahili II (UVA - Spring)
SWAH 2201 - Intermediate Swahili I (UVA - Fall)
SWAH 2202 - Intermediate Swahili II (UVA - Spring)

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact Professor Anne Rotich (ajr6y@virginia.edu).
For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.

Courses Offered:

These courses are online only. Taught synchronously via Zoom, the class combines students from all three of our partnership schools: Duke, UVA, and Vanderbilt University.

TURK 1101 - Elementary Turkish I (Duke - Fall)
TURK 1102 - Elementary Turkish II (Duke - Spring)
TURK 2201 - Intermediate Turkish I (Duke - Fall)
TURK 2202 - Intermediate Turkish II (Duke - Spring)
TURK 3850 - Further Study in Turkish Language and Culture (Duke)

Placement Test:
For placement and questions please contact Professor Didem Havlioglu (didem.havli@duke.edu).
For more info on our other Less Commonly Taught Languages partnership click here.