Vietnamese

Smiling person writes Vietnamese text and English translation on a whiteboard.

Multiple Pathways

Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam, and is spoken by over 85 million people. It is also an important language in the state of Minnesota, which is home to the highest percentage of Vietnamese foreign population in the Midwest, and a thriving student population of Vietnamese heritage students on campus. To meet demand for this language of global and local importance, there are now two curricular tracks for students:

Vietnamese for Heritage Learners taught locally

This course sequence is designed to meet the needs of heritage students at multiple levels of proficiency: 

What to expect from the new local course sequence

  • An online experience
  • Free open educational resource (OER) learning materials
  • Accommodation of various proficiency levels
  • Prioritization of conversational skills
  • Inclusion of multiple varieties of Vietnamese
  • Integration of cultural elements throughout
  • VIET 1016 can be used to complete the CLA second language requiremen

Language Teaching Faculty

Vietnamese is taught by Ky Win Nguyen. Please contact her at [email protected] for questions about the course sequence, and contact the Language Center at [email protected] for general questions. 

Other Vietnamese courses received through CourseShare

This CourseShare course sequence is open to all degree-seeking students at the University of Minnesota. There are usually four courses in the standard sequence, but all four levels may not be available every year. 

  • LANG 1121 Beginning Vietnamese I
  • LANG 1122 Beginning Vietnamese II
  • LANG 2121 Intermediate Vietnamese I
  • LANG 2122 Intermediate Vietnamese II

Advanced-level courses are often available as well. If one is currently not scheduled, you can submit the course request form. 

Placement Assistance

If you are a beginner, with no experience with Vietnamese, please enroll in LANG 1121 Beginning Vietnamese I. For all other students, see the course placement page for Vietnamese to help guide you to the right course. If you feel you need more assistance after taking this self-placement, please email [email protected].