Vietnamese

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:

Beginning through Intermediate received through CourseShare

This CourseShare course sequence is open to all degree-seeking students at the University of Minnesota. There are four courses in the standard sequence: 

• 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. 

New: Vietnamese for Heritage Learners to launch locally

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

• VIET 1015 Vietnamese for Heritage Learners I (to launch Fall 2025)
• VIET 1016 Vietnamese for Heritage Learners II (to launch Spring 2026)

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