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Foreign Language Requirement for Older Students


rtrgwnd

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I'm wondering how older students are handling the foreign language requirements in their PhD programs. I'm going into an English PhD program and have to show reading competence in two languages or high proficiency in one by the end of the second year. I took three semesters of French as an undergraduate and did well (As), but it's been over 15 years and I've had no practice with the language since then. I'm thinking that I'll have to start from scratch -- first year French-- and hoping that I'll progress rapidly since I do have some former knowledge of the language. I just can't really imagine going into a higher class having done nothing with the language in 15 years.

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I'm wondering how older students are handling the foreign language requirements in their PhD programs. I'm going into an English PhD program and have to show reading competence in two languages or high proficiency in one by the end of the second year. I took three semesters of French as an undergraduate and did well (As), but it's been over 15 years and I've had no practice with the language since then. I'm thinking that I'll have to start from scratch -- first year French-- and hoping that I'll progress rapidly since I do have some former knowledge of the language. I just can't really imagine going into a higher class having done nothing with the language in 15 years.

Have you consider a language placement exam? That way, you can gauge where your strengths and weaknesses are in French. Community organizations and schools may offer intensive language courses over the summer. You can base the results from the test and then take the appropriate courses. Hopefully, this option will fit with your schedule.

Good luck with your endeavors!

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I'm starting a PhD program in anthro soon and we have the same two language requirements with an exam at the end of the second year. Thankfully we can swap statistics (or another science/math-heavy specialization for one), but it's been years since I took Spanish. I'm thinking about going with Chinese anyway since it will be much more useful for my dissertation, but that might be problematic since the program highly encourages you to take a language with a large body of existing anthro-type literature and Chinese doesn't fall on that list. I'll have to appeal that, then hope I can manage to a respectable level in the language in two years - yippee! I'm planning on taking at least two language courses over the summer to help with that, and I'd suggest looking into that on your end. If you could somehow swing a summer FLAS fellowship that could help out with money.

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lots of students end up in this situation. "reading proficiency" can be achieved by the end of 4 semesters of college-level coursework. so if you start over with french, you'll just take classes in your first and second year and write the exam at the end of the second year.

also, a lot of schools offer "for reading" language classes. they're taught entirely in english, and all you do is learn to translate from the chosen language into english. they're designed for graduate students to meet their language requirements for the degree. you may be able to get through the proficiency exam after just one year of "for reading" courses. check to see if your university offers these, it's the easiest and fastest way to get through the exams.

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