Students can gain an exemption from their College Foreign Language Requirement by demonstrating a "2020-level" of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one of the MESALC languages. See below for specific information on each language -- or contact the Language Program Coordinator directly.
Arabic
Placement / Foreign Language Requirement Exemption for Arabic:
Placement into Arabic language courses of various levels at the University of Virginia is done through an informal test administered in person by the teacher of the language classes. Both written and oral competence in Modern Standard Arabic will be evaluated.
Who should take the placement test:
1. Students who have studied Arabic previously, or who come from Arabic-medium schools, and
2. Students who wish to be exempted from the College’s Foreign Language requirement.
When to take the test:
The Arabic placement tests will be conducted in person on Monday, August 21st from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The tests will be in New Cabell Hall 127, and there is no need to sign up in advance.
When you will know the result:
We will discuss your placement at the end of the exam.
Who to contact:
Please contact the Arabic Language Program Coordinator (Bilal Humeidan bah7n@virginia.edu) directly if you have any questions about the procedures outlined above.
Hebrew (Modern)
Placement into Modern Hebrew language courses at the University of Virginia is done through a test administered in person by the teacher of the language classes. This test should take about 20-30 minutes. Both written and oral competence in Modern Hebrew will be evaluated.
1. Students who have studied Hebrew before at home or in some setting other than UVa and don't know exactly which class they should enroll to, should take the placement test before they register, and
2. Students who want to be exempted from the College’s Foreign Language requirement.
Placement meetings for the Modern Hebrew program are individual, and should be coordinated with the Modern Hebrew Language Coordinator.
Please contact Zvi Gilboa, the Modern Hebrew Language Program Coordinator, at zg7s@virginia.edu.
We will discuss your placement at the end of our meeting.
Hindi/Urdu
Placement / Foreign Language Requirement Exemption for Hindi / Urdu:
Placement into Hindu or Urdu language courses of various levels at the University of Virginia is done through an informal test administered in person by the teacher of the language classes. The tests typically consist of four parts: (1) an oral component, (2) a sight-reading component, (3) listening comprehension and (4) a written component.
Who should take the placement test:
1. Students who have some prior knowledge of the language(s) and who wish to be located in an appropriate Hindi or Urdu class, and
2. Students who wish to use Hindi or Urdu to gain exemption from the College’s Foreign Language requirement.
When to take the test:
The placement tests are given only during the first three weeks of each semester. You must make prior arrangements to take a placement examination by contacting the Hindu/Urdu Language Program Coordinator. For the Fall 2023 semester, the placement test will take place on Monday, August 21, 2023 from 9:00 am till 12:00 noon in the MESALC conference room. For more information, students may contact either Professor Griff Chaussée (gc4n@virginia.edu ) for Urdu or Abdul Nasir (an2rf@virginia.edu ) for Hindi. It will be an in-person test and interview, not over Zoom.
When you will know the result:
We will discuss your placement at the end of the exam.
Who to contact:
Please contact the Hindu/Urdu Language Program Coordinator directly if you have any questions about the procedures outlined above.
Persian
Placement into Perisan language courses at the University of Virginia is done through an online Persian placement exam followed by an interview which evaluates your oral competence.
1. If you have not previously studied Persian, you may enroll directly in PERS 1010: Elementary Persian.
2. If you have studied Persian previously, at home or in a setting other than UVA and don't know exactly which class you should enroll in, you need to take the online Persian placement exam prior to our summer orientation session. Contact the Persian Language Program Coordinator, Mahshad Mohit at mm3je@virginia.edu to receive instructions on taking it.
3. Students who want to be exempted from the College's Foreign Language Requirement need to take the online Persian placement exam and the following oral interview. The exemption will be determined by the program coordinator.
This test is for students who are either heritage learners of Persian (that is, you have experience regularly hearing or using Persian at home) or have previously studied Persian in a formal setting, and who wish to enroll in a Persian language course or to test out of the Persian language program at UVA.
Your placement will be determined by the results of this exam, and a required subsequent oral interview.
After you take the test, the program coordinator will contact you with your score and course placement. If you have not heard from the placement coordinator within 5 business days, please contact Prof. Mahshad Mohit (mm3je@virginia.edu)
Sanskrit
Placement / Foreign Language Requirement Exemption for Sanskrit:
Placement into Sanskrit language courses of various levels at the University of Virginia is done through an informal test administered in person by the teacher of the language classes. The exam will test you on your reading ability of Sanskrit and takes approximately 45 minutes.
Who should take the placement test:
1. Students who have previous experience learning Sanskrit, or
2. You are seeking exemption from the College’s Foreign Language Requirement.
When to take the test:
You must make prior arrangements to take a placement examination by contacting the Sanskrit Language Program Coordinator.
When you will know the result:
We will discuss your placement at the end of the exam.
Who to contact:
Please contact the Sanskrit Language Program Coordinator directly if you have any questions about the procedures outlined above.