Luke: The language requirement is essential to Harvard. In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the importance of effective communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries cannot be overstated. As the global landscape continues to evolve, the ability to understand, speak, and interact in multiple languages is a powerful asset. By requiring students to take a language, Harvard is steering the future leaders of the world in the right direction.
Jonah: Harvard should remove the language requirement immediately. Students are forced to spend two of their limited course slots on a language that they will probably forget. The argument that students will gain competency in a culture through studying its language isn’t strong—students can develop expanded cultural competency through other offerings, such as History, Ethnicity, Migration, and Rights, Romance Language and Literatures, or General Education courses. Instead of leaving students with lasting language fluency, the language requirement bars students from dedicating their Harvard experience to taking courses they are interested in.
Luke: The language requirement is essential to Harvard students’ understanding of the world around them. I am the only non-international student in my blocking group, and my blockmates constantly complain about American students’ lack of knowledge about their home countries. Having only 15.4% international students in the 2027 class, Harvard is responsible for combating the stereotype that American high schools pay an overwhelming amount of attention to American and English studies, with the two most popular high school AP classes being AP English Language and AP US History. While it’s certainly important for American students to learn the history of our country, it is also important to feel comfortable and informed in discussions of global issues.
Jonah: If culture and communication are the primary concerns, students can easily immerse themselves in other classes that do so, such as the Global Japanese Cinema General Education course. This would still allow students to learn about other cultures, but in a way that does not confine them to a two-semester class that meets four times a week. Students who really want to learn a language or explore other cultures will do so regardless of a requirement; students who find little value in it will likely fulfill the requirement by taking the easiest language course possible. Many language courses on campus such as Zulu, West African Pidgin or Sign Language that are known for having very minimal work often fill up with students who want to avoid a serious time commitment. Not only do they get little out of their language requirements, but they can also harm the experience of students who truly care about learning the language.
Luke: What I believe is more important than learning the language is the exposure you can get to other cultures. A possible alternative to a language requirement could be specific classes on other cultures. I’m currently enrolled in Chinese 120A, a course that has allowed me to understand Chinese culture by learning the nuances of daily Chinese conversation. Chinese 120A gives me more than the ability to talk to someone in another language—it makes me solve problems differently. While I think taking a language class is extremely important, a class centered around culture could be a suitable alternative.
Jonah: If communicating ideas precisely is the goal of the language requirement, students should be able to do so with English courses that enhance their ability to communicate. For instance, English workshops help students become stronger writers, helping them to express their ideas just as learning another language would. Moreover, this mastery of a foreign language is unlikely to occur in one or two semesters of courses. I would support Harvard altering the language requirement to one that could be satisfied with different courses on other cultures. This would provide the benefit of exposing students to other cultures without forcing students to take courses they have little to no interest in and allow them to focus on topics that intrigue them.
Luke Wagner ’26 (lukewagner@college.harvard.edu) encourages everyone to get a language citation at Harvard.
Jonah Karafiol ’26 (jonahkarafiol@college.harvard.edu) still has not fulfilled his language requirement.