Language Selection

Students will discuss the appropriate languages and options available to them for satisfying the language requirements with their advisor at their initial advising session in the first semester of their course work.  Although some of the required languages are common to a degree program, the exact requirements for each student may be modified to ensure competency in languages that will be used in research.  General information on language requirements, subject to modification for individual students based on academic advisement, can be found under each Academic Area in the Graduate Announcements or on the STRS website.

Requesting the Exam

Requests to schedule a language exam are initiated via email to the student’s Academic Area Director indicating that the student is ready to take a language exam. The e-mail must contain the following information:

• the Language Exam Scheduling Request Form
• the degree being sought (M.A., S.T.B., S.T.L., S..TD., Ph.D.)
• the concentration (patristics, medieval, modern, ecclesiology, spirituality, etc.)
• the desired timeframe (see dates set by STRS) for taking the exam; requests must be at least two weeks in advance, since each exam is student-specific (i.e., the texts are selected in relation to a student's concentration such that the exam is appropriate to the degree being sought and expected competency in the target language needed to conduct research in their field).

The Academic Area Director will, as appropriate, coordinate the preparation of the exam and then forward the request to the Exam Coordinator. Ordinarily students will receive a response within five working days about the place and time of your exam. While most requests for a specific date can be accommodated, sometimes this is impossible. In particular, the need to prepare an exam appropriate to each student requires time.