The undergraduate curriculum in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences at Boston College is built on a foundation in the liberal arts. In wide-ranging courses in humanities and sciences, students learn to think critically and independently while developing communication and analysis skills.
To graduate from the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, you must take at least 120 credits over eight semesters. Included in the program are at least 45 credits in the Core Curriculum, usually 30 to 36 credits in a major department, and elective courses in other departments. You also are expected to demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate level in a modern foreign language or in a classical language. Ninety-six of the total 120 credits must be from departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Our undergraduate Core is a set of 15 required courses that give students exposure to a wide range of possible majors. Core courses are generally three-credit courses, so they account for somewhat more than one-third of the courses and credits needed for graduation. The Core Curriculum consists of one course in writing, one in literature, one in some form of art, one in mathematics, two in natural science, two in social science, two in history, two in philosophy, two in theology, and one in Cultural Diversity.
All students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in a modern or classical language in order to graduate. You can demonstrate proficiency in any of the following three ways:
*ASL, Portuguese, and Yiddish are offered at nearby universities through the Boston Consortium Cross-Registration Language Program. Please see your Academic Dean for more information.
Heritage students are those who are fluent in their family/home languages and will need to demonstrate proficiency at the academic intermediate level in those languages. They must test successfully in all language skills (reading, speaking, writing, listening comprehension, and grammar). If after an assessment, students do not demonstrate academic proficiency at the intermediate level, or if an assessment is not available for a particular language, then, in order to fulfill the language requirement, students may need to take the appropriate, or an alternative, language course(s) for a letter grade.
Students who attended a school where all courses were primarily instructed in a non-English language until they were at least 14 years old may satisfy the language proficiency requirement. Please contact your Associate Dean during the first year of study for more information. The Associate Deans may determine additional steps are necessary to fulfill the MCAS requirement, and it is important to allow adequate time for completion.
Students who need to enroll in a language course to either further their language studies or to fulfill the MCAS language proficiency requirement may need to take a placement exam. Each language/department has their own process and can assist you with proper placement.
Open All Close AllDepartment: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
Placement Exam: To schedule a placement exam, contact Dr. Atef Ghobrial, ghobrial@bc.edu
If you are not required to take a placement exam, please register for Elementary Arabic I (3 credits) and its co-requisite Elementary Arabic I Practicum (3 credits).
Due to the Practicum requirement for Arabic, students only need to complete Elementary Arabic I (Lecture + Practium, 6 credits) and Elementary Arabic II (Lecture + Practicum, 6 credits) to fulfill the MCAS language proficiency requirement.
Department: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
Placement Exam: Online; Contac t Prof. Fang Lu, luf@bc.edu
If you are not required to take the placement exam, please enroll in EALC1121 Elementary Chinese I (Lecture + Practicum, 6 credits).
Due to the Practicum requirement for Chinese, students only need to complete Elementary Chinese I (Lecture + Practium, 6 credits) and Elementary Chinese II (Lecture + Practicum, 6 credits) to fulfill the language proficiency requirement.
Students who scored a 4 or 5 on the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam have fulfilled the MCAS language proficiency requirement. Please contact the Academic Advising Center (aac@bc.edu) for assistance in applying for an exemption based on your score.
The Chinese Placement Test consists of three parts: A. Listening Comprehension; B. Grammar & Reading Comprehension + Writing; C. Oral Interview.
Students who missed the test prior to the beginning of the fall semester and need to take it during the regular semester OR students who seek to satisfy the language requirement by proof of native proficiency, please contact Prof. Fang Lu at luf@bc.edu.
Department: Romance Languages and Literatures
Placement Exam: Online *see instructions below
The French Placement Test is offered online and can be taken at any time from anywhere. It has two parts, a reading test and a listening test. Both must be completed in order to receive a course placement recommendation. Students can sign up for the test by clicking the link below.
Once students are signed up, they will receive an email with information on how to access the reading and the listening placement tests online. It is not necessary to access Canvas, Boston College's Learning Management System, to take the tests. Students will receive their results via the email address they included on the sign-up form. The test can be taken more than once, with department permission.
Students who have taken the AP French Language exam should determine their placement based on the following recommendations.
ACTFL’s (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) online Proficiency Placement test (APPT) is designed to help you determine the most appropriate course level for your ongoing studies in French. A demo test is available online. Students will receive their results at the end of the test.
*For any combinations not listed below, email Prof. Andréa Javel at javel@bc.edu.
| Rating on Reading Test (RPT) | Rating on Listening Test (LPT) | Recommended Course |
| Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Novice High (NH) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice High (NH) | Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice High (NH) | Novice High (NH) | Elementary French II, FREN1010 (offered only in the spring) |
| Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate Low (NL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate Low (NL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate French II, FREN1110 (offered in the fall and spring) |
| Intermediate High (IH) - Advanced Low (AL) | Intermediate High (IH) Advanced Low (AL) | CCR I, French Conversation, Composition, and Reading FREN2209 |
| Advanced Low (AL) and above | Advanced Low (AL) and above | You may be ready for French courses at the 3000 level, especially if you had more than 4 years of a solid high school program in French and have had some experience studying abroad in France or a Francophone country. |
For further help in determining your placement, see the list of French language advisors below:
If you scored a 4 or 5 on the AP French Language exam, please visit the Foreign Languages resource table during course registration on Tuesday of your Orientation Session this summer OR email Prof. Kevin Newmark (kevin.newmark@bc.edu).
Department: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
Placement Exam: Take the placement test by enrolling here with your Boston College log-in credentials: https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/enroll/FHNXDG
Students who have learned any German prior to enrolling at Boston College (e.g. in elementary, middle, or high school, at a foreign institution, during a stay abroad, or informally with your family) MUST take the German Placement Test.
Language: Classical Greek
Department: Classical Studies
Placement Exam: Contact Prof. Christopher Polt, christopher.polt@bc.edu
For students wishing to begin language study, the department provides elementary and intermediate courses in Ancient Greek. These courses aim at preparing a student for more advanced study of ancient literature in the original languages. Elementary and intermediate courses in Modern Greek are also available. All these courses may be counted towards satisfying the University's undergraduate language requirement.
Language: Modern Greek
Department: Classical Studies
Placement Exam: Contact Prof. Christopher Polt, christopher.polt@bc.edu
For students wishing to begin language study, the department provides elementary and intermediate courses in Modern Greek. These courses may be counted towards satisfying the University's undergraduate language requirement.
Department: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
For questions about Hebrew and other Near and Middle Eastern languages, please contact Prof. Franck Salameh, salameh@bc.edu.
Program: Irish Studies Program
Placement Exam: Contact Prof. Joseph Nugent, nugentjf@bc.edu
Course placement recommendations from the Irish Program:
Department: Romance Languages and Literatures
Placement Exam: Contact Prof. Carmen Merolla, carmen.merolla@bc.edu.
Course placement recommendations from the department:
Department: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
Placement Exam: Online Test (see link below) and Interview
Contact: Prof. Ritsuko Sullivan, sulliadq@bc.edu
If you are not required to take a placement exam, you can enroll in EALC1221 Elementary Japanese I.
Students who scored a 4 or 5 on the AP Japanese Language and Culture exam have fulfilled the MCAS language requirement. Please contact the Academic Advising Center at aac@bc.edu for assistance in applying for an exemption based on your score.
To find out about your appropriate placement in the Japanese language curriculum at BC, follow the Three-step process described below:
The preliminary self-sorting can be helpful as a first step towards working out the entire Fall schedule for yourself.
The Japanese Language Placement Test at BC consists of a standardized test (Grammar, Reading and Writing) followed by an interview (Listening and Speaking). You will be able to change to a different course later after your placement has been finalized and during the add-and-drop period.
The Grammar and Reading section will be given in a standard multiple-choice format. You do not need to do any special preparatory study for the test. Depending on the level you are aiming at placing yourself into, the test can last anytime from half an hour to two hours. To take the test, please click on this link: https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/enroll/HD7P64
Your online test score will preliminarily place you into a likely level of Japanese course. Attend the first class of the recommended course on Monday, August 29, where the instructor will finalize your placement based on both the test score and an interview that week.
Department: Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies
Placement Exam: Online Test and Interview; Contact Prof. Jaehee Ju, jujf@bc.edu
To find your appropriate placement in the Korean language curriculum at BC, follow this three-step process:
NB: Please note that you may be required to take the placement test during the add-and-drop period and be redirected to another course.
Students have the option to take the online placement test beginning the week of August 19. For the most part, the test has a standard multiple-choice format. You do not need to do any preparatory studying for the test. Depending on the level you’re aiming at placing into, the test can last anywhere from a half-hour to two hours.
Students who have NOT taken a Korean course at Boston College, the AP Language Exam, or the SAT Subject Test in Korean, but believe they have proficiency above the intermediate level, should take an in-person proficiency test. The dates for this exam in the fall are as follows: October 2 (W) and November 15 (F). The exam time for each day will be determined after students contact Professor Rhee.
All students who have taken the placement test will have a brief interview with an instructor via Zoom at a time mutually arranged on before the first week, after which the instructor will guide them to their final placement, based on the test score and Zoom interview. Alternatively, students can attend the first class on Monday, August 26, where the instructor will guide final placement, based on an interview and, if necessary, a placement test.