Advanced training in a foreign language is a valuable component of a liberal arts education; it allows students to employ another language in cultural exchange, research, and work. To foster such training, many of the "language and literature" and "language and civilization" departments offer programs in which undergraduates may earn a citation in a modern or ancient language. Those languages in which citations are offered and the specific requirements for each are listed below. The award of a foreign language citation will be noted on the transcript at the time degrees are voted, and will be included in the commencement program. Students will also receive printed citations along with their diplomas.

Each language citation program consists of four half-courses of language instruction beyond the first-year level and/or half-courses taught primarily in the foreign language. At least two of these half-courses must be at the third-year level or beyond. Appropriate courses taken in approved programs of study out of residence for which the student receives Harvard degree credit may be counted toward a citation. Courses that satisfy the requirements for a citation may also be counted toward Core and/or concentration requirements, as appropriate. Also, some students who complete the requirements for the Citation in Foreign Language are able to satisfy the Foreign Cultures requirement of the Core Program by completing one additional half-course on a culture which uses the language for which a citation is earned; students who wish to pursue this option must file a petition with the Core Office.

Students must complete all courses to count toward the citation with letter grades of B- or better. Regardless of the level at which a student enters a language program at Harvard, all citations require the completion of four half-courses taken at Harvard or counted for Harvard degree credit. Language courses that meet these criteria but are bracketed on the transcript may be counted toward a language citation.

Students who plan to satisfy the requirements for a foreign language citation must complete a Foreign Language Citation Study Plan with the Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies of the relevant department and file this form with the Office of the Registrar no later than the deadline for degree applications in their final term in the College. Students are encouraged to file their intentions to satisfy the requirements for a foreign language citation as early as the declaration of a concentration so that they may benefit from advising by the department that will provide the recognition. Students will benefit from planning ahead and taking courses in consecutive semesters, so as not to lose ground between language courses; this is especially important at the early stages of language study. Students may also wish to plan their courses around a study-abroad or work-abroad experience. Those students who later decide not to complete the requirements for a citation in foreign language are asked to complete a new Study Plan indicating this fact in order to inform the relevant department and the Registrar's Office.

Concentrators in the Classics, East Asian Studies, Germanic Languages and Literatures, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Romance Languages and Literatures, Sanskrit and Indian Studies, or Slavic Languages and Literatures whose concentration work is built on a particular language or set of languages are not also eligible for citations in those languages.

Citations in Foreign Language offered through the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

Classical Arabic

Four of the following half-courses: Arabic 120a, 120b, 130a, 130b, 140, 141, 160r, 240r, 245r, 248r.

Other courses taught primarily in Arabic or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for the above courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Modern Standard Arabic

Four of the following half-courses, including at least two from the list labeled third-year or beyond:

Second-year level: Arabic 110, 121a, 121b.

Third-year or beyond: Arabic 131a, 131b, 241a, 241b.

Other courses taught primarily in Arabic or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for the above courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Classical Hebrew

Four of the following half-courses:

Classical Hebrew 120a, 120b, 130ar, 130br; Hebrew 150a, 150b, 153, 165, 168, 171, 174, 176.

More advanced courses or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for these courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Modern Hebrew

Four of the following half-courses: Modern Hebrew 120a, 120b, 130r, 131r, or Near Eastern Civilizations 91r if focused on contemporary Israeli literature and culture and conducted in modern Hebrew at the third-year level or beyond.

Courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for two of these four courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Persian

Persian 120a, 120b, 140ar, 140br.

More advanced courses or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for these courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Turkish

Four of the following half-courses:

Turkish 120a, 120b, 130a, 130b, 149.

More advanced courses or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for these courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Yiddish

The equivalent of four terms selected from among the following:

Yiddish B, Ca, Cb, 102r, 103r, 105, 200r, 202r, 204.

Other courses taught primarily in Yiddish or courses taken out of residence for Harvard degree credit may be substituted for the above courses with the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations concentration.

Applying for a Foreign Language Citation

In order to apply for a foreign language citation in one of the respective languages offered at NELC, please complete the Foreign Language Citation Study Plan, which can be picked up at the NELC office. This form must then be signed by NELC's Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor William Granara, taken to your Allston Burr Senior Tutor, or Freshman Adviser to be approved, and then sent to the Registrar. To be awarded a Foreign Language Citation, this form must be filed with the Registrar no later than the day study cards are due for your final term in the College.