Certificates in Persian or Slavic and Eurasian Languages


We offer two certificates for students who wish to study a Slavic or Eurasian language but may not have the time to dedicate to a major. The Slavic and Eurasian Language Certificate requires the first two years of any Slavic or Eurasian language. The Persian Language and Culture Certificate is for students who wish to specialize in Persian without partaking in any other Slavic requirements. More details and the requirements for certificates can be found below. For a complete listing of requirements, please visit the KU course catalog.

Please contact our director of undergraduate study with any questions you may have.


The language certificate, which consists of the equivalent of two years of language study, aims to give students basic intermediate level proficiency in any of the languages in the department, a training that can serve as a helpful professional credential to be paired with another degree.

Generally, completion of two elementary and two intermediate language courses in a single language offered in the department. The table below shows the courses that will be part of this certificate. The actual course list will be maintained on a website so that the courses counting toward the certificate can be updated routinely as the languages available at KU change, which could occur with changes in Title VI funding and with changes in departmental faculty. Any language taught by the department will be added to the website list of languages that satisfy the requirements of this certificate.

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Montenegrin sequence:

Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian sequence:

  • PERS 110 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I (5)
  • PERS 120 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II (5)
  • PERS 210 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I (3)
  • PERS 220 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II (3)

Polish sequence:

Turkish sequence:

Czech sequence:

Ukrainian sequence:

Russian sequence:

Note: that the courses in the Russian sequence are each 5 credits. We drop the first course (RUSS 104) from the certificate sequence to make the total number of credits similar to the other languages while ensuring that students complete the second intermediate course (i.e. last course in the 4-course sequence)

Note: The first two years of BCMS, Czech, Persian, Polish, and Turkish are all offered online. The first years of Russian and Ukrainian are offered online. Polish and Czech are not offered every year. Please check current course offerings and contact language coordinators with any questions. 

The certificate in Persian Language and Cultures provides students an avenue to exemplify their investment in knowledge and skills of this critical language and its cultures--Farsi, Tajik, and Dari. Students can pair this certification with overlapping courses in majors such as Global & International Studies, African & African American Studies, or the Middle East Studies minor. The certificate is also a convenient way to demonstrate language and culture credentials for students in the professional schools, like engineering, journalism, or business. Please contact the undergraduate advisor for Global & International Studies for more information.

Six credit hours in Persian language coursework in courses numbered PERS 220 or above is required.

This includes the following: PERS 110, PERS 120, PERS 210 or the equivalent. This certificate will provide undergraduate students with a designation of expertise in Persian language and related cultures. Currently, no such credentials exist for students at KU for this critical language. Students taking upper level language courses and courses related to Persian cultures, societies, and politics will be able to receive certification for their investment.

Language Perquisites

  • PERS 110 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I
  • PERS 120 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II
  • PERS 210 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I

Required Language Coursework

  • PERS 220 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II
  • PERS 593  Directed Study in Persian Culture and Literature: _____
  • PERS 310 - Advanced Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I
  • PERS 320 - Advanced Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II

Culture Electives: Students must take any two of the following

 

The language certificate, which consists of the equivalent of two years of language study, aims to give students basic intermediate level proficiency in any of the languages in the department, a training that can serve as a helpful professional credential to be paired with another degree.

Generally, completion of two elementary and two intermediate language courses in a single language offered in the department. The table below shows the courses that will be part of this certificate. The actual course list will be maintained on a website so that the courses counting toward the certificate can be updated routinely as the languages available at KU change, which could occur with changes in Title VI funding and with changes in departmental faculty. Any language taught by the department will be added to the website list of languages that satisfy the requirements of this certificate.

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Montenegrin sequence:

Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian sequence:

  • PERS 110 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I (5)
  • PERS 120 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II (5)
  • PERS 210 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I (3)
  • PERS 220 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II (3)

Polish sequence:

Turkish sequence:

Czech sequence:

Ukrainian sequence:

Russian sequence:

Note: that the courses in the Russian sequence are each 5 credits. We drop the first course (RUSS 104) from the certificate sequence to make the total number of credits similar to the other languages while ensuring that students complete the second intermediate course (i.e. last course in the 4-course sequence)

Note: The first two years of BCMS, Czech, Persian, Polish, and Turkish are all offered online. The first years of Russian and Ukrainian are offered online. Polish and Czech are not offered every year. Please check current course offerings and contact language coordinators with any questions. 

The certificate in Persian Language and Cultures provides students an avenue to exemplify their investment in knowledge and skills of this critical language and its cultures--Farsi, Tajik, and Dari. Students can pair this certification with overlapping courses in majors such as Global & International Studies, African & African American Studies, or the Middle East Studies minor. The certificate is also a convenient way to demonstrate language and culture credentials for students in the professional schools, like engineering, journalism, or business. Please contact the undergraduate advisor for Global & International Studies for more information.

Six credit hours in Persian language coursework in courses numbered PERS 220 or above is required.

This includes the following: PERS 110, PERS 120, PERS 210 or the equivalent. This certificate will provide undergraduate students with a designation of expertise in Persian language and related cultures. Currently, no such credentials exist for students at KU for this critical language. Students taking upper level language courses and courses related to Persian cultures, societies, and politics will be able to receive certification for their investment.

Language Perquisites

  • PERS 110 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I
  • PERS 120 - Elementary Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II
  • PERS 210 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I

Required Language Coursework

  • PERS 220 - Intermediate Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II
  • PERS 593  Directed Study in Persian Culture and Literature: _____
  • PERS 310 - Advanced Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian I
  • PERS 320 - Advanced Iranian/Dari/Tajik Persian II

Culture Electives: Students must take any two of the following