Center for Language Studies

For Undergraduates

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What course should I take?

Take a placement exam to find out!

Certificate in Intercultural Competence

Check out the CIC - perfect for students who love languages!

Undergraduate Essays about Language Learning

Articles about translation, AI, the arts and more

For Undergraduates

Undergraduate students get involved with languages and cultures at Brown in a variety of ways.

From enrolling in one of our amazing languages courses with small-sized classes where the professor gets to know you really well and where you learn, collaborate and become friends with fellow students from a variety of concentrations to the CLS Departmental Undergraduate Group (DUG) and weekly Open Hours for language practice and community-building, the CLS has something for all interests.

Wondering where to start? Take a placement exam.

Languages at Brown

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Certificate in Intercultural Competence

Intercultural Competence defines the ability to apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired through the study of languages and cultures in order to challenge prejudices, build alliances and create a just and peaceful world.

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First Year Seminars

The CLS is excited to announce that we are offering two new First Year Seminars for Fall 2023: Identity and Languages in Contemporary Africa (LANG 0750) and Protest and Dissidence in Iran (LANG 0710).

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Open Hours

Join us every Monday on the 6th floor of the SciLi at 6pm for a peer-facilitated language hour. Meet people who speak the language you are learning.

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The CLS DUG

The mission of the CLS DUG (departmental undergraduate group) is to bring undergraduate language enthusiasts together and to demonstrate the value of language learning to the Brown community.

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Polyglot@Brown - a multilingual journal

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Language Learning and the World - Essays

Check out essays written by undegraduate Language Ambassadors here at Language Learning and the World

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Placement Exams

Students hoping to study a language with which they have some familiarity - whether through formal classroom study, significant exposure to the language through extended stay abroad or use in your family - are invited to take a language placement test.

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Study and Intern Abroad

Students are encouraged to deepen their cultural knowledge and awareness and improve their proficiency in modern languages through study and internship in the countries where the languages are spoken.

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Independent Study for Credit

Students who wish to study a language not offered on campus may petition to create an Independent Study Project or Group Independent Study Project.

In the past, students have studied the following languages independently: Danish, Dutch, Armenian, Romanian, Tagalog, Esperanto, Georgian, Hungarian, Thai, Vietnamese.

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