Languages Taught at Berkeley
This list links to a related course page or to the list below.
Finding Languages
Many languages taught at Berkeley are housed under larger departments and can be hard to find, so we created this list below.
Akkadian
| CUNEIF 100A | Elementary Akkadian | 5 |
| CUNEIF 100B | Elementary Akkadian | 5 |
| CUNEIF 101A | Selected Readings in Akkadian | 4 |
| CUNEIF 101B | Selected Readings in Akkadian | 4 |
| CUNEIF 200A | Advanced Akkadian | 3 |
| CUNEIF 200B | Advanced Akkadian | 3 |
American Indian
| LINGUIS 175 | American Indian Languages | 3 |
American Sign Language
| LINGUIS 1A | American Sign Language I | 5 |
| LINGUIS 1B | American Sign Language II | 5 |
| LINGUIS 2A | American Sign Language 3 | 5 |
| LINGUIS 159 | The Deaf Community and American Sign Language | 3 |
| LINGUIS 159L | American Sign Language Laboratory | 2 |
Aramaic
| SEMITIC 100A | Aramaic | 3 |
| SEMITIC 100B | Aramaic | 3 |
Avestan
| IRANIAN 201A | Iranian Philology | 3 |
| IRANIAN 201B | Iranian Philology | 3 |
Breton
| CELTIC 102A | Elementary Breton | 4 |
| CELTIC 102B | Advanced Breton | 4 |
Chichewa
| AFRICAM 30A | Elementary Chichewa | 4 |
| AFRICAM 30B | Elementary Chichewa | 4 |
| AFRICAM 31A | Intermediate Chichewa | 4 |
| AFRICAM 31B | Intermediate Chichewa | 4 |
Creole
| LINGUIS S55 | The American Languages | 3 |
| LINGUIS S55X | The American Languages | 3 |
| LINGUIS 152 | Pidgin and Creole Languages | 3 |
Danish
| DANISH 1A | Beginning Danish | 4 |
| DANISH 1B | Beginning Danish | 4 |
English (Old)
| ENGLISH 104 | Introduction to Old English | 4 |
| ENGLISH 105 | Anglo-Saxon England | 4 |
| ENGLISH 205A | Old English | 4 |
| ENGLISH 205B | Old English | 4 |
Greek (Ancient)
| CLASSIC 28 | The Classic Myths | 4 |
| CLASSIC N28 | The Classic Myths | 4 |
| CLASSIC 130 | Topics in Ancient Greek and Roman Culture | 4 |
| CLASSIC 218 | Greek Philosophers | 2-4 |
| CLASSIC 239 | Topics in Greek or Roman Literature, History, and Culture | 2-4 |
| CLASSIC 270 | Seminar in Classical Archaeology | 2-4 |
Hebrew (Biblical)
| HEBREW 106A | Elementary Biblical Hebrew | 3 |
| HEBREW 106B | Elementary Biblical Hebrew | 3 |
| HEBREW N106 | Elementary Biblical Hebrew | 6 |
| HEBREW 107A | Biblical Hebrew Texts | 3 |
| HEBREW 107B | Biblical Hebrew Texts | 3 |
| HEBREW 111 | Intermediate Biblical Texts | 3 |
| HEBREW 201A | Advanced Biblical Hebrew Texts | 3 |
| HEBREW 206 | Ancient and Modern Hebrew Literary Texts | 3 |
Hittite
| CUNEIF 106A | Elementary Hittite | 4 |
| CUNEIF 106B | Elementary Hittite | 4 |
Indic
| SANSKR 206 | Middle Indic | 4 |
Irish (Modern)
| CELTIC 15 | Elementary Modern Irish | 4 |
| CELTIC 85 | Intermediate Modern Irish | 4 |
| CELTIC 145A | Intermediate Irish Language | 4 |
| CELTIC 145B | Modern Irish Level Four | 4 |
Irish (Old & Middle)
| CELTIC 105A | Old and Middle Irish | 4 |
Kanji
| JAPAN 1AS | Supplementary Work in Kanji | 1 |
| JAPAN 1BS | Supplementary Work in Kanji | 1 |
| JAPAN 10AS | Supplementary Work in Kanji - Intermediate | 1 |
| JAPAN 10BS | Supplementary Work in Kanji-Intermediate | 1 |
Mandarin
| CHINESE 1A | Elementary Chinese | 5 |
| CHINESE 1X | Elementary Chinese for Mandarin Speakers | 4 |
| CHINESE 1Y | Elementary Chinese for Dialect Speakers | 5 |
| CHINESE 10X | Intermediate Chinese for Mandarin Speakers | 4 |
| CHINESE 10Y | Intermediate Chinese for Dialect Speakers | 5 |
| CHINESE 100XA | Advanced Chinese for Mandarin Speakers | 4 |
| CHINESE 100XB | Advanced Chinese for Mandarin Speakers | 4 |
| CHINESE 161 | Structure of the Chinese Language | 4 |
Nahuatl
| ILA 180 | Advanced Studies in Indigenous Languages of the Americas | 3 |
Norse (Old)
| SCANDIN 101A | Introduction to Old Norse I | 4 |
| SCANDIN 101B | Introduction to Old Norse II | 4 |
| SCANDIN 125 | Old Norse Literature | 4 |
| SCANDIN 201A | Old Norse | 4 |
| SCANDIN 201B | Norse Literature | 4 |
Norwegian
| NORWEGN 1A | Beginning Norwegian | 4 |
| NORWEGN 1B | Beginning Norwegian | 4 |
Pahlavi
| IRANIAN 110A | Middle Persian | 3 |
| IRANIAN 110B | Middle Persian | 3 |
Persian (Middle)
| IRANIAN 110A | Middle Persian | 3 |
| IRANIAN 110B | Middle Persian | 3 |
Pidgin
| LINGUIS S55 | The American Languages | 3 |
| LINGUIS S55X | The American Languages | 3 |
| LINGUIS 152 | Pidgin and Creole Languages | 3 |
Sahitya
| SANSKR 101C | Intermediate Sanskrit: Sahitya (Literary Sanskrit) | 5 |
Sastraic
| SANSKR 101B | Intermediate Sanskrit: Sastraic (Scientific) Sanskrit | 5 |
Slavic (Old Church)
| SLAVIC 210 | Old Church Slavic | 4 |
Sogdian
| IRANIAN 201A | Iranian Philology | 3 |
| IRANIAN 201B | Iranian Philology | 3 |
Spanish (Chicano Studies)
| SPANISH 1 | Elementary Spanish | 5 |
| SPANISH 2 | Elementary Spanish | 5 |
| SPANISH 3 | Intermediate Spanish | 5 |
| SPANISH 4 | Intermediate Spanish | 5 |
| SPANISH 21 | Spanish for Bilingual Students, First Course | 3 |
| SPANISH 22 | Spanish for Bilingual Students, Second Course | 3 |
| SPANISH 25 | Reading and Analysis of Literary Texts | 3 |
Sumerian
| CUNEIF 102A | Elementary Sumerian | 4 |
| CUNEIF 102B | Elementary Sumerian | 4 |
| CUNEIF 103A | Selected Readings in Sumerian | 3 |
| CUNEIF 103B | Selected Readings in Sumerian | 3 |
Swahili
| AFRICAM 10A | Intermediate Swahili | 4 |
| AFRICAM 10B | Intermediate Swahili | 4 |
| AFRICAM 11A | Elementary Swahili | 4 |
| AFRICAM 11B | Elementary Swahili | 4 |
| AFRICAM 12 | Intensive Elementary Swahili | 8 |
| AFRICAM 15A | Advanced Swahili | 4 |
| AFRICAM 15B | Advanced Swahili | 4 |
Swedish
| SWEDISH 1A | Beginning Swedish | 4 |
| SWEDISH 1B | Beginning Swedish | 4 |
Ugaritic
| SEMITIC 205A | Ugaritic | 3 |
| SEMITIC 205B | Ugaritic | 3 |
Vedic
| SANSKR 203 | Vedic Sanskrit | 4 |
Welsh (Middle)
| CELTIC 146A | Medieval Welsh Language and Literature | 4 |
| CELTIC 146B | Medieval Welsh Language and Literature | 4 |
Welsh (Modern)
| CELTIC 16 | Introduction to Modern Welsh | 4 |
| CELTIC 86 | Intermediate Modern Welsh | 4 |
| CELTIC 144A | Modern Welsh Level 3 | 4 |
| CELTIC 144B | Modern Welsh Level 4 | 4 |
Welsh (Old)
| CELTIC 119A | Welsh and Arthurian Literature of the Middle Ages | 4 |
| CELTIC 119B | Welsh and Arthurian Literature of the Middle Ages | 4 |
Wolof
| AFRICAM 7A | Elementary Wolof | 4 |
| AFRICAM 7B | Elementary Wolof | 4 |
| AFRICAM 8A | Intermediate Wolof | 4 |
| AFRICAM 8B | Intermediate Wolof | 4 |
| AFRICAM 9A | Advanced Wolof | 4 |
| AFRICAM 9B | Advanced Wolof | 4 |
Zulu
| AFRICAM 13A | Elementary Zulu | 4 |
| AFRICAM 13B | Elementary Zulu | 4 |
| AFRICAM 14A | Intermediate Zulu | 4 |
| AFRICAM 14B | Intermediate Zulu | 4 |
| AFRICAM 19A | Advanced Zulu | 4 |
| AFRICAM 19B | Advanced Zulu | 4 |
Academic Opportunities
Berkeley Language Center
The Berkeley Language Center (BLC) is a department in the Division of Arts and Humanities of the College of Letters and Science. The BLC’s mission is to support the learning and teaching of heritage and foreign languages on the Berkeley campus. Students have access to Weekly Film Clips offered in 15 languages, Online Language Lessons, and Lecture Series.
Study Abroad
The Berkeley Study Abroad Program offers opportunities to study in over 45 countries for one semester, for one year or for the summer.
Given the increasing globalization of the world, living abroad helps expand students' understanding of diverse, culturally rooted attitudes and behaviors. Studying abroad enhances cross-cultural awareness, competency, and adaptability. Students find that living and studying abroad expands their perspective, improves critical thinking, increases independence and better prepares them for a career in an increasingly competitive world.
Interested students should obtain the relevant information early in the semester preceding the one in which they plan to go abroad from the Berkeley Study Abroad office, located in 160 Stephens Hall, 510-642-1356, studyabroad@berkeley.edu .
Students should consult with their Undergraduate Adviser before going abroad (whether through Berkeley Study Abroad or through non-UC sponsored programs) in order to determine whether their program of study will count toward their degree program(s).
Contact Information
Departments and the Languages They Teach
African American Studies Department
Chichewa, Swahili, Wolof, Zulu
Celtic Studies Department
Breton, Irish (Modern), Irish (Old and Middle), Welsh (Middle), Welsh (Modern), Welsh (Old)
East Asian Languages and Cultures Department
Chinese, Japanese, Kanji, Korean, Mandarin, Tibetan
Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Teaching and Resource Center
English as a Second Language
Linguistics Department
American Indian, American Sign Language, Creole, Pidgin
Near Eastern Studies Department
Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Avestan, Egyptian, Hebrew (Biblical), Hebrew (Modern), Hittite, Iranian, Pahlavi, Persian, Persian (Middle), Sogdian, Sumerian, Turkish, Ugaritic
Scandinavian Department
Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norse (Old), Swedish
Slavic Languages and Literature Department
Armenian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slavic (Old Church)
South and Southeast Asian Studies Department
Bengali, Filipino, Hindi, Indic, Khmer, Malay/Indonesian, Punjabi, Sahitya, Sanskrit, Sastraic, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Urdu, Vedic, Vietnamese
Spanish and Portuguese Department
Catalan, Czech, Nahuatl, Portuguese, Spanish, Spanish (Chicano Studies)