So I placed into L5 - Now What?

How you got here:

What you need to do to fulfill the requirement:

Deadline:

If you are taking an L5 course, you need to do this by the end of your sophomore year. Don't jeopardize your promotion to junior year by putting this off!

(If you are starting a new language, you have to take the L1 semester by the end of your sophomore year, and you tehnically have until the end of your junior year to complete the requirement. In reality, though, it'd be a bad idea to separate the two semesters.)

Your options:

1. Advanced (third-year) language courses. These courses, which are offered in most languages taught at Yale, are designed to be the next step in the standard course sequence for most students. They typically focus on advanced conversational practice, and they usually incorporate some introduction to literature and composition, while still allowing for plenty of practice in grammar and vocabulary. They are open to any student at the L5 level, and in larger-enrollment languages, multiple sections are offered, so scheduling is less likely to be an issue. Examples include:
   
   CHNS 150, Advanced Modern Chinese
   FREN 138, Advanced Language Practice
   GMAN 138, Advanced German
   ITAL 146, Advanced Composition and Conversation
   RUSS 130, Third-Year Russian
   SPAN 138, Advanced Conversational Spanish
   SWAH 150, Advanced Kiswahili I
   
   A note about options 2 through 6 (below):
   
   Some of the courses below require only that you have completed the equivalent of the L4 level, while others may have L5-level (or equivalent) prerequisites. Generally, the courses described in Options 2 through 6 are more challenging than the ones described in Option 1. If you have reached the L5 level and are unsure as to whether your degree of proficiency is sufficient to take one of these courses, you should speak with the course instructor.
   
   
2. Bridge courses. In bridge courses, students study language in the context of another academic or professional discipline. While the primary emphasis of these courses is on language acquisition and practicing speaking, reading, and writing skills, they are also excellent opportunities to explore specific content areas in addition to the language itself. Instructors of these courses offer expertise in language teaching and the complementary area of study. Examples include:
   
   CHNS 155, Chinese through Film
   ITAL 202, Italian through Opera and Film
   SPAN 221, Spanish and the Press
   SPAN 222, Legal Spanish
   SPAN 224, Spanish in Politics, International Relations, and the Media
   
   
3. Language Across the Curriculum (LxC). LxC courses are taught in English and offer an additional discussion section in a foreign language that pertains to the topic of the course. The discussion group may read original versions of course materials otherwise studied in translation, read or watch other materials that complement the course topic, and discuss these from a variety of cultural perspectives. Special attention is given during the discussion section to the practice of language skills, especially speaking and reading. Since LxC courses may vary in the amount and level of language practice they incorporate, not all LxC courses carry the L5 designation. (Be sure to check on this ahead of time, since only L5-designated courses may be used to fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement.) For students taking the L5-designated section of an LxC course, excellent attendance and participation in the foreign language discussion section is essential for meeting the L5 requirement. LxC courses are currently being developed in several areas of study, including sociology, engineering, and history. Some language departments offer upper-level courses on literature in translation that are taught in English, and these too may occasionally have an LxC section.
   
   
4. Literature and culture courses. Developing a true depth of understanding for a culture requires building familiarity with that culture's classical and contemporary literature. The literature and culture courses offered by language and literature departments, required for students majoring in foreign language and literature, offer the opportunity to gain such familiarity. Note that only lit and culture courses conducted entirely in the foreign language carry the L5 designation; courses in which some or all readings or discussions are in English cannot be used to fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement. Examples of L5-designated literature and culture courses include:
   
   CHNS 157, Readings in Modern Chinese Short Stories
   FREN 165, Literary Analysis and Theory
   FREN 230, Francophone African and Caribbean Literature
   FREN 390, Modernism and the Avant-Garde
   SPAN 261, Studies in Spanish Literature I
   
   
5. Translation courses. These courses introduce the practice and theory of literary translation. They stress careful reading and analysis of grammar and style. Students study and conduct translation between the foreign language and English. (Be careful not to confuse courses that teach the discipline of translation with courses that say they are conducted "in translation." When a course is taught "in translation" it means readings and/or class discussions are carried out in English. Courses conducted in English do not count toward the Foreign Language Requirement.) Examples of Translation courses that bear L5 designations:
   
   FREN 185, Translation
   RUSS 134, Russian Reading and Translation
   
   
6. L5 courses in non-language departments. Courses offered in non-language departments may also carry L5 designations. Keep this in mind when you are looking through the course listings for L5 courses. L5 courses offered in non-language departments might include LxC courses (desribed above) or courses conducted entirely in the foreign language. In many cases, these will be cross-listed courses and bear a course number from the corresponding language department. (For example, "Introduction to Judeo-Arabic" is a cross-listed course: JDST 420 and ARBC 114.)
   

Other L5 options:

1. Summer Courses. You could fulfill the requirement by enrolling in Yale Summer Session or another approved summer study program. Some things to consider about this:
   
   a. The Yale Summer Session course will likely be an intensive course that covers one semester of material in just a few weeks.
   
   b. If you participate in a non-Yale program, you will have to pass an additional exam when you return to campus before your experience will count as an L5.
   
   
2. Study abroad. You can fulfill your L5 requirement by participating in an approved study abroad program, either during the academic year or during the summer. (You would have to take an exam upon return to campus before your experience would count as L5.)
   

A few tips:

1. When searching the Online Course Information (OCI) system for L5 courses, remember that (a) you have to click the "New" distributional requirements button, and (b) L5 courses in your language may be offered by a variety of departments and programs, so set "Program/Subject" to "All."
   
   
2. Once you've taken one L5 course, a world of opportunities is open to you. Read Eight Reasons the Foreign Language Requirement Isn't Enough to find out why you should keep taking language courses!
   
   
3. Explore the richness and diversity of the options available to you. Be creative about choosing your path to language proficiency.