Humanities Core IMPACTS

To graduate, all Georgia Tech students must complete 6 credit hours of courses with the Arts, Humanities & Ethics (HUM) attribute as part of their Core IMPACTS requirements. The School of Modern Languages offers multiple pathways to fulfill this requirement, whether you’re continuing language study, starting a new language, or exploring global cultures.

How It Works

• Choose your path. You can fulfill your HUM requirement through language courses (taught in the target language) or culture and linguistics courses (taught in English). Some pathways also help you make progress toward a language minor.

• Follow the language sequence. Language courses follow a standard progression: 1001 → 1002 → 2001 → 2002 → 3000/4000-level courses.

• Take a placement test if needed. If you’ve studied a language before but didn’t earn AP/IB credit, you’ll need to take a placement test to determine the right starting level. Students can be placed at any level based on prior experience.

• Select the best option for you. The guide below outlines recommended pathways based on your language proficiency and academic goals.

Students Who Entered Georgia Tech Before Summer 2025

Check the Georgia Tech Catalog for details on your specific requirements.

Students Entering Summer & Fall 2025 (or Updating to 2024-25 Catalog Year)

Choose one of these four options:

Option 1: One Course from List A + One Course from List B or C

• Best for students at the elementary/intermediate level (1000/2000).

• Ideal for students with lower-level AP/IB credit or transfer credit.

Option 2: Two Courses from List B

• Designed for students who place at the 3000+ level.

• Recommended for heritage/native speakers.

• Advanced Standing: Earn retroactive credit for 2001/2002 after completing one or two courses at the 3000/4000 level with a grade of C or better.

Option 3: Two Courses from List C

• Best for students who do not have language skills but want to explore global cultures.

• Courses are taught in English.

Option 4: One Course from List B + One Course from List C

• Ideal for students interested in both advanced language study and culture-focused courses in English.

List A: Elementary & Intermediate Language Courses

Courses in this list are taught in the target language.

Note: Students can count a maximum of 3 credits from this list toward the 6-credit HUM requirement.

• 1002 Level: ARBC, CHIN, FREN, GRMN, JAPN, KOR, RUSS, SPAN

• 2001 Level: ARBC, CHIN, FREN, GRMN, JAPN, KOR, RUSS, SPAN

• 2002 Level: ARBC, CHIN, FREN, GRMN, JAPN, KOR, RUSS, SPAN

Exceptions to the 3-credit 1000/2000 level maximum toward the 6-credit credit HUM requirement include: CHIN 1501, CHIN 2501, FREN 2005, RUSS 1250, RUSS 1692, RUSS 2691, RUSS 2692.

List B: Advanced Language Courses (3000/4000 Level)

Courses in this list are taught in the target language.

• The catalog has a complete list of the 3000/4000 level courses taught in the target language that are approved for humanities credit. Course offerings vary each semester. Check OSCAR for the most up-to-date list.

• Sample Fall 2025 Courses:

  • Arabic: ARBC 3001

  • Chinese: CHIN 3003, CHIN 3021, CHIN 4031

  • French: FREN 3000, FREN 3017, FREN 3062, FREN 3120, FREN 3500 (GTE only), FREN 4200

  • German: GRMN 3010, GRMN 3024

  • Japanese: JAPN 3001, JAPN 4113, JAPN 4780

  • Korean: KOR 3001, KOR 4001

  • Russian: RUSS 3001

  • Spanish: SPAN 3064, SPAN 3101, SPAN 3260, SPAN 3500, SPAN 4170, SPAN 4220

List C: Linguistics & English-Taught Culture Courses

Courses in this list are taught in English.

• Course offerings vary each semester. Check OSCAR for the most up-to-date list.

• Sample courses:

  • Arabic: ARBC 1501, ARBC 2301, ARBC 3401, ARBC 3501

  • Chinese: CHIN 3400, CHIN 3401

  • Korean: KOR 3410, KOR 3415

  • Linguistics: LING 2100, LING 3100

  • Modern Languages: ML 2500

  • Russian: RUSS 1250, RUSS 3222