Watson Institute for International StudiesBrown University

Language Requirement

IR concentrators must pursue the study of a foreign language through the equivalent of three full years of university study. This covers advanced understanding, speaking, reading, and writing capabilities. This level of competence is necessary for students to make effective use of the language in communications required for conducting research in the language or for studying abroad in a country where that language is spoken.

Students may fulfill the language requirement in one of the following three ways:

1. By applying work done in high school, at other US colleges and universities, or in study abroad toward the IR requirement. In all cases, the appropriate language department at Brown must certify by placement tests, or whatever means it chooses, that the student has achieved the required level of competence and that it would permit the student to take more advanced language and literature courses for which this level of competence is a prerequisite.

2. Successful completion of the language sequence (beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels) stipulated by each language department through the courses listed below. After being placed at the appropriate level, students must complete all courses in the sequence. For example, students placed in HISP400 must complete HISP400, 500, and 600 to fulfill the IR language requirement. Students are not permitted to skip levels--i.e., to take HISP400 and then take the Brown placement exam and use a higher score to place in HISP600.

Students may receive credit for one course per semester in the language sequence for study abroad with the approval of the language department and the IR advisor.

  • Arabic 600
  • Chinese 600
  • Czech 610 (2 sem.)
  • French 600
  • German 600
  • Hebrew, JUDS 300
  • Hindi-Úrdu 1080
  • Italian 600
  • Japanese 600
  • Korean 910/920
  • Portuguese 610/620
  • Russian 600
  • Spanish 600

Note: Some language departments offer intensive courses and/or allow topics courses to repeated for credit. The IR requirement is two semesters beyond the intermediate (typically 400) level.

3. Native speakers of a language other than English who have a full range of oral, written, and conversational skills appropriate for academic work are not required to pursue additional language study. Many foreign students, however, elect to study another language and use this third language (after the native language and English) to fulfill the IR requirement. Native speakers not enrolling in language study at Brown must present to the IR concentration advisor one of the following:

  • a high school transcript indicating the language of instruction for all classes was a language other than English. Speaking the language at home with family is not sufficient to meet the IR language requirement.
  • an email from a Brown professor stating, based on whatever means the faculty member should choose, that the student has the equivalent of three years of advanced university language instruction covering all three areas of competency.
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