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Graduate Foreign Language Requirement

M.A. and submat students are required to fulfill one language requirement before graduating.

Ph.D. students are required to fulfill two language requirements before the start of their fourth year in the program. Students who entered the program prior to 2022 are not subject to the time limit and may complete their language requirements at any point before scheduling their defense. Ph.D. students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one language requirement by the end of their first year.

Graduate students may fulfill a language requirement in one of three ways.

  • Passing a timed translation exam. These 2-hour exams are administered virtually twice per year, once in the fall semester and once in the spring, by the Department of English in consultation with faculty with the relevant language expertise. The exams consist of translating two passages of approximately one page each from a language of the student’s choosing into clear, readable English. The student will be informed of the outcome of their completed exam within a few weeks. Students may request an exam in any language besides English, including languages in which they already have fluency. Students may use dictionaries or online language searches to aid in their translations. Should a student fail the language exam, they should plan to take the next offered exam.

  • Enrolling in a Reading for Knowledge language course, offered each summer by the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences. These courses meet online three times per week and are typically offered in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Latin (contingent on student interest and availability of instructors). Once the Graduate Office receives confirmation that a student has successfully completed a course, the student will have fulfilled one of their language requirements. Note: Reading for Knowledge courses are available only to Ph.D. students.

  • Successfully completing at least 2 undergraduate- or graduate-level language courses at Penn or though the Penn-Rutgers or Ivy+ Exchange Programs.