The Welcome Pack: Languages and Cultures (Spring 2025)
Subject line: Expand your Cultural Competency
Send date: December 4, 2024
Learning a foreign language requires more than a mastery of conjugation—by immersing yourself in another culture, you can develop global skills that are indispensable in today’s modern workforce. The Department of Languages and Cultures can help you reach a level of competency in a foreign language that broadens your worldview and allows you to clearly and openly exchange ideas and opinions with people of other cultures.
Language Requirements
Language requirements vary depending on your chosen major. If you’re still exploring majors, we recommend that you take the language placement test in case you would like to continue studying that same language.
- French and Spanish: If you had French and/or Spanish in high school, then you'll need to take the Loyola language placement exam. If you would like to see if you can test out of a language requirement for future semesters, then please talk with your advisor about completing this test.
- Latin and Ancient Greek: Latin and Greek fulfill your language requirement and may help you prepare for law school or medical school in the future. If you took at least two years of either language, you should take the Latin or Greek placement exam available online. Questions? Contact Dr. Karen Rosenbecker at krosenbe@hwfj-art.com.
- German and Italian: Have you studied German or Italian? For these languages, we do not test, but you will interview with a professor on campus.
On the basis of these placement tests, you may be exempt from the language requirement or placed in an appropriate level course for continued study. No credit is awarded for performance on placement tests. No matter what your placement, you may always start studying a new language!
- A score of 4 or 5 on a CEEB Advanced Placement exam fulfills the requirement and gives credit for a 201 course (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish).
- Students who receive AP credit in French or Spanish and wish to continue studying that language may choose a 300 level course to take.
Study Abroad at Loyola
Do you want to study your foreign language where it is widely spoken as a first language? Loyola study abroad programs offer immersive language learning experiences—you can live and learn your language for a January term, summer, a semester, or longer! It's never too early to start planning for study abroad. Schedule an advising appointment online.
“I learned so much during my month in South Korea. I think this has been my favorite experience since my time in Loyola. The classes were a great time and the way they taught was exactly my learning style.” —Monica Basilio, Summer Program in South Korea