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Foreign Language Requirements

The foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. varies according to the student's major area of interest.

The foreign language examinations are administered by the Foreign Language Examination Board (FLEB) which is made up of history faculty who administer the foreign language examinations together with the graduate advisor. FLEB will designate times during the academic year at which examinations normally will be administered.

In the case of Chinese, the satisfactory completion of course work, as described below, will constitute evidence of language proficiency.

The examination consists of written and oral translations from the foreign language into English. A dictionary may be used in the written portion of the examination. Only after students have passed the written portion of the examination will they be permitted to take the oral portion. The oral translation consists of sight translation from the foreign language into English, not oral use of the language.

The first examination in each language will be administered and graded by an individual faculty member. If the student fails the examination, this faculty member will schedule a second examination for the student. This second examination, however, must be read and graded by at least two faculty members of FLEB. In those cases where there are not two faculty members in the Department to read the language exam, FLEB can call on the expertise of other members of the Brown faculty. If a second failure occurs, a third and any additional exams for that student must be agreed upon by FLEB. After a second failure the student is expected to take a course in the language or to do other remedial work as FLEB may direct. All examinations by a particular student after the initial one must be read and graded by at least two faculty members of FLEB.

No student will be permitted to take the Preliminary Examination until the language requirements appropriate to his or her major field have been met. A student who has not completed the requirement may petition the Department to postpone taking the Preliminary Examination for one semester. After one such postponement, continued failure to meet the language requirements will be sufficient grounds to bar a student from continuing in the Ph.D. program.

American History

The language requirement will be set by each director of the student's major field.

English and British History

A reading knowledge of either French or German. With the consent of the major field advisor another language may be substituted. The director of the student's major field may require additional languages as well. The examination will be taken during the registration week in September. In case of failure, the exam may be retaken and must in any case be passed prior to the Preliminary Examination.

Continental European History

A reading knowledge of at least two languages, including either French or German. The Director of the student's major field may require additional languages as well.

Proficiency in at least one of the languages must be satisfactorily demonstrated in September of the first year, so that students will be able to take related research seminars during the first year. Students who fail to pass one examination at that time must retake and pass it before being allowed to register for a second year. Major field advisers may require such students to take a seminar in that field during the second or third year. The second language examination must be passed before the student is allowed to take the preliminary examination.

Latin American History

A reading knowledge of at least two languages, including either Spanish or Portuguese. The Director of the student's major field may require additional languages as well.

Proficiency in at least one of the languages must be satisfactorily demonstrated in September of the first year, so that students will be able to take related research seminars during the first year. Students who fail to pass one examination at that time must retake and pass it before being allowed to register for a second year. Major field advisers may require such students to take a seminar in that field during the second or third year. The second language examination must be passed before the student is allowed to take the preliminary examination.

East Asian History

  1. Proficiency in Japanese language; or in Chinese, equivalent to the completion of Chinese 70-80, plus Chinese 104 and/or Chinese 109 or their equivalents.
  2. Proficiency in a second foreign language. Before taking the Preliminary Examination the student must have passed the examination in the second language, and have demonstrated satisfactory progress towards completing the Chinese or Japanese requirement.

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