The University’s American Sign Language Program offers a five-semester sequence in ASL, from the beginning through the conversational level.  Students who successfully complete the fourth semester class, ASL 2020, can use it to satisfy the College’s foreign language requirement.  We teach our language classes with a “voice-off” immersion philosophy; signs and gestures are used to communicate.  With weekly signing lunches, monthly Charlottesville sign suppers, and a nationally known lecture series that brings scholars, activists, and performers from around the country to U.Va., students have

Studying Chinese is fun and challenging! The UVA program in Chinese offers two tracks of courses: one for heritage learners and one for non-heritage learners. The heritage learners with prior experiences in listening and speaking are able to fulfill UVa’s foreign language requirement in two semesters. For non-heritage learners, all four language skills are equally emphasized in the four-semester sequence of courses, running from Elementary Chinese (CHIN1010) through Intermediate Chinese (CHIN2020).

Persian is spoken by more than 120 million people who live in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, etc. The richness of Persian language, culture, and civilization is due to its geographical position, being situated amongst some of the greatest cultures and civilizations that have graced the region for thousands of years, not to mention Persia was at one point the greatest and the most expansive empire in the East.

In an increasingly globalized world, studying German will give students access to the language, culture, and economy of three leading European nations: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. As a language, German shares close relations with English. The study of German can prepare interested students for summer courses abroad or internships to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland in international banking or the automobile industry.

Elementary and Intermediate Creole classes build proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and provide an introduction to Creole studies. These classes also explore the following issues: health care, Haitian women's rights, and unpaid children servants.  Through these topics people will acquire enough vocabulary to interact with native Haitian Creole speakers. Moreover, students will develop an appreciation for Haitian and Creole cultures and have a better understanding of "vodou", the religion practiced by a large Haitian population.

Studying Italian at UVA is a rewarding and fun experience for learners at all levels, from beginner to advanced. The Italian program offers three kinds of specialization: a major in Italian Studies leading to the BA, or BA with distinction, a minor in Italian Studies, and a graduate course of studies leading to the MA in Italian language and literature. Undergraduates can take classes in Italian language, literature, theater, gender studies, cinema, history, and politics.

The four-part sequence in Maya K'iche' (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) is is designed to introduce students to three core content areas: K’iche’ language, Maya linguistics, and Maya culture.

The Department of Classics offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate level Latin courses, from beginning Latin to Ph.D. level seminars. Elementary Latin (LATI 1010 and 1020) prepares students to read prose and poetry: Caesar and Ovid in LATI 2010, and Cicero and Catullus in LATI 2020. Students may then continue at the 3000 and 4000 levels, reading in specific authors (e.g., Vergil, Horace, Cicero) or in genres (e.g., Roman satire, Roman historians). A Distinguished Major Program is available to advanced students.

This course will introduce you to the Merina dialect (spoken in the central high plateau), which is the Standard and official dialect of Madagascar, and thus used on the national TV and radio stations, official documents, and schools.

Studying Portuguese at UVa offers students a unique chance to learn about Brazilian and other Portuguese-speaking cultures across the world. The program is designed as an accelerated language-learning experience for students who are already proficient in French, Italian, or Spanish. Using a communicative approach, students are encouraged to build on their knowledge of other languages, and as a result, can reach intermediate-level proficiency in Portuguese in just two semesters.

Sanskrit is a beautiful language that has been artistically and thoughtfully used for millenia. As Chinese is the major source language for East Asian cultures, as Greek, Latin and Hebrew are major source languages for Western cultures, so Sanskrit, and to some extent Tamil, is the major source language for South and Southeast Asian cultures. Learning to read Sanskrit will open up a world of thought-provoking philosophy, breath-taking poetry, and fascinating texts on every conceivable topic, from mathematics and divination to veterinary texts on the care of elephants and horses.

1. An opportunity for you to learn a language and culture different from your own and engage positively with people from the Swahili region.
2. Makes you competitive in the job market and looks good on your CV.
3. Gives you many opportunities to work in Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa and diplomatic missions, embassies and consulates.
4. Opportunities to participate in many study abroad programs in Swahili speaking countries in Africa.
5. Civic and community engagement opportunities with/in Swahili immigrant communities.

Speaking Turkish will allow you to travel to Türkiye, a secular Muslim country with a vibrant economy and thousands of years of history. The earliest human settlements we know today, such as Göbeklitepe are in Southeast Türkiye. The ongoing excavations and research show the foundations of human civilizations, including the first appearance of domesticated cats. No wonder cats are still in the heart of Turkish culture.