Korean

In order to respond to the diverse needs of its students and to equip them with the practical language skills, the Korean Language and Culture Program offers courses on Korean language, linguistics, culture, literature, and film. Korean language is offered at four proficiency levels (first through fourth) emphasizing all the four language modalities of speaking, reading, writing, and listening.

The East Asian Languages and Literatures Department offers a minor degree in Korean. The Korean minor is designed to recognize a serious commitment to the study of Korean language and culture. It is especially suited for undergraduate students who wish to augment their major program with a knowledge of the Korean language.

Korean is a language spoken natively by the 74 million Korean people living in the Korean peninsula, including 26 million North Koreans and 48 million South Koreans. It is spoken as a heritage language by 5.3 million people in the United States, 0.7 million in Japan, and 0.5 million in the former Soviet Union. A large number of people study Korean as a foreign language worldwide because of Korea's continuing economic success since the 1970s. In terms of the number of speakers, Korean ranks eleventh among over 6,000 languages that exist on the globe.

Courses

The Korean language curriculum operates on a four-year sequence of courses (first through fourth year). Each level is offered as a sequence of two courses in the fall and spring semesters.

Minor

Learn about the two options to obtain a minor in Korean.

Advising

If you'd like to minor in Korean (there are several options) or have any questions about the Korean language and culture program, contact Mi-Hyun Kim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn about the Korean language program further by exploring the frequently asked questions.

Scholarship for Korean Studies

Both undergraduate and graduate students can apply for scholarship during their Korean language study. Scholarship and funding information can be obtained from the Asian Studies Center.

Study Abroad Program

The University of Pittsburgh honors an undergraduate exchange program with Korea University. Students can study at Korea University either one or two semesters and transfer their credits upon their return. In addition, Pitt has a number of other study abroad programs in Korea. For more information about program and how to apply, contact the Study Abroad Office.