Modern language courses

Terms of enrolment

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures reserves the right to refuse enrolment in language courses if you attended a high school where the language of instruction is the same as the language taught in the course or if your proficiency in the language exceeds the level expected in the course in question. Furthermore, you are not permitted to enrol for two courses at different levels in the same language during the same term, or for a course at a lower level than any successfully completed courses in the same language.

Enrolment process

If you have no prior knowledge of the language you wish to study, enrol in the Elementary I level course from the list of electives without prerequisites. If you have prior knowledge of the language, you'll have to take a placement test to make sure you enrol in the right level.

Choose the language in which you wish to enrol

Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese or Russian:

Access the placement test form.
Enter your student number and the other information requested. Use your @uOttawa email account.
Choose the language you would like the test for and click on the Submit button.
Download the test (Word document).
Complete the exercises in the Word document.
Include your name, student number and the date in the Word document.
Save your answers and email the document to the email address on the test web page.
In the next two weeks, you'll receive an email with your test results as well as the code for the course in which you need to enrol.
Enrol online in uoZone. (Applications >> Enrol)

Arabic and Spanish:

Access the placement test form.
Enter your student number and the other information requested.
Choose the language you would like the test for and click on the Submit button.
Complete the test online. Once you're finished, click on the Submit button.
Within a few days, you’ll receive an email with your test results as well as the code for the course in which you need to enrol.
Enrol online in uoZone. (Applications >> Enrol)

Find out if and when a course is offered by using the course timetable tool. If it is offered, you can include this course in your timetable scenarios and register for it once the official enrolment period has begun.