Foreign Languages
Whitman College offers courses in Chinese, French, German, Classical Greek, Japanese, Latin and Spanish, with majors in Chinese, Classics and Classical Studies, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies, Hispanic Studies, and South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, as well as minors in each of these areas.
Students who have studied French, German, Japanese or Spanish must take a placement test before enrolling in a course in that language. It is not necessary to take the placement test if you are beginning a foreign language you have not previously studied.
You must activate your Whitman account before you can access the placement tests. The Registrar's Office will automatically receive your placement information and this will be used to allow you to register in the correct language level.
Students who need to take the Japanese placement exam should contact Associate Professor Yuki Shigeto atshigety@whitman.edu.
Students interested in studying Chinese or Classics (Greek or Latin) can review language requirements for these courses below. There is no separate evaluation.
If you have questions or need assistance selecting the correct language course, contact:
- Chinese: Associate Professor Donghui He, hed@whitman.edu, 509-527-5891
- Japanese: Associate Professor Yuki Shigeto, shigety@whitman.edu, 509-527-5785
- Latin or Greek: Associate Professor Kate Shea,sheakj@whitman.edu, 509-527-5894
- French: Professor Jack Iverson, iversojr@whitman.edu, 509-526-4750
- German: Associate Professor Emily Jones, jonesee@whitman.edu, 509-527-5756
- Hispanic Studies: Associate Professor Carlos Vargas-Salgado, vargasca@whitman.edu