Our Languages

The following is a list of languages regularly offered through the Department of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures.

SPECIAL PERMISSION NUMBERS: Enrollment in all language courses in African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures is capped at 25. Only in extraordinary circumstances will a student be issued a Special Permission Number (SPN).

IMPORTANT NOTE: All SAS students must take a foreign language placement test in a language that they speak or have studied. Students are not eligible for graduation credit for the elementary level courses in languages in which they are native speakers or which they have studied in high school. To arrange to take a placement exam in the AMESALL department, please make an appointment by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ARABIC AND HINDI PLACEMENT EXAMS: Arabic and Hindi placement exams are now offered online through Sakai. Please review the table below to check if you are eligible to take the exam. Results will be posted on the Sakai page for each placement exam. We will not contact you individually with your results. Due to the high volume of requests, kindly allow at least 5 business days for your results to appear before contacting the Arabic Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Eligible to Take the Placement Test (Please Continue)	Not Eligible to Take the Placement Test (Please Stop)
a. You are not a heritage speaker AND you have experience studying the language.	a. You have no exposure or knowledge of the language (speaking, writing, or reading)
b. You are a heritage speaker AND you have not taken any courses nor transferred credits.	b. You took courses in this language at the college level and you have transferred credits to Rutgers.
c. You are a native speaker.