The following should be completed well before the preliminary examination, as the primary purpose of additional languages is to serve as research tools. Consult with your advisor about which language would be most appropriate.
a. Proficiency in one language other than French and English suitable as a research tool must be demonstrated in one of several ways depending on each certifying department’s requirements; please contact the GPC to discuss the different possibilities that may meet this requirement. Students are encouraged to consider Italian as an option. Graduate students taking undergraduate level language courses should enroll at the 4xxx level; contact the language department if this option is not available at registration. Languages not offered at UMN may be available through CourseShare.
b. Latin: Students specializing in the Medieval or Early Modern periods (to roughly 1600) must demonstrate a knowledge of Latin, and may use Latin for their language requirement. This can be done by passing an examination (set on request of the student by the Classical and Near Eastern Studies Department) or by taking one course beyond Latin 3001, or by following the sequence LAT 3111/3112. Graduate students should check with the Classical and Near Eastern Studies Department for information concerning Latin 8120, a registration device allowing them to enroll in undergraduate literature courses for graduate credit, but at a reduced number of credits.
For more information on the Latin program.
c. Old French, Occitan, and History of the French Language: Students specializing in the Medieval Period must demonstrate knowledge of Old French through coursework, by receiving a grade of B or better in FREN 8111 (Old French) or FREN 8190 (Old French Workshop) or by passing an examination that demonstrates knowledge equivalent to that obtained by taking either of these courses. These students are also encouraged to study Old Occitan (FREN 8114) and/or the History of the French Language (FREN 8521).
d. Less common languages may be used to satisfy the requirement with the advisor’s approval. Contact the DGS for more details.
Paperwork
Each language department sets its own criteria for certifying its languages, so it is important to contact the department offering the language in which you are interested. Frequently, a department will certify your language if you have taken a certain number of college-level language courses (here or at a different institution; this must have been within 5 years of the date of certification), or by successful completion of the graduate-level reading course.
The language needs to be certified by that language's department. Complete the Language Department Certification of Foreign Language Proficiency form and email it to the certifying department's GPC. This form must be submitted regardless of how a student demonstrates proficiency, including course credit. Once the correct signatures have been obtained, the GPC will submit the form to GSSP via email. The student’s language proficiency will show as a line on their transcript after GSSP has processed the form. If there is no form on file with GSSP, the student will not be cleared by GSSP for your final oral exam.
Please reach out to the FRIT GPC with questions about this process and various registration options.