Polish FAQs
Here are some common questions or concerns we hear from students who are considering studying Polish at UIC. Click on each question or statement for our answer!
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If you speak Polish at home, or if you used to speak Polish at home, you still need to take the Placement Test in Polish (please note that as of 2023, students are required to take additional written and/or oral part of the test that is administered in person). After this assessment, you will be placed in a class that best meets your needs.
If you place out of the Basic Language Program requirement (POL 101-104), we encourage you to take advanced Polish courses (POL 201 – Advanced Polish through Media and Film; POL 202 – Advanced Polish through Contemporary Culture; POL 203 – Advanced Polish through Short Stories; or POL 204 – Advanced Polish in Healthcare Settings (first offered in the fall of 2024)).
Students who place out of POL 101-104 can receive retroactive credit for POL 103 and 104 after they take one of our advanced classes, and receive at least a B.
After taking 3 advanced classes in Polish you will meet the requirements to receive the Certificate in Polish Language.
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You can read more about retroactive credits here.
UIC offers retroactive credits for POL 103 & 104 to students who place out of POL 101-104, and who received at least a B in one of our advanced language classes.
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The Certificate in Polish Language is design to expand your skills in Polish so that they meet the demands of academic and/or professional settings in which the language might be used. If you are interested in using your foreign language skills in a future career in law, cyber security and/or technology, healthcare, or local and state agencies situated around the Chicago Metropolitan area, you should consider taking advanced courses to build up on the existing knowledge of the language.
After taking 3 advanced classes in Polish you will meet the requirements to receive the Certificate in Polish Language.
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If you received the Seal of Biliteracy in Polish, your Basic Language Program requirement will be satisfied. However, you may still take advanced courses in Polish if you are interested in strengthening your skills.
The Seal certifies that you know Polish at Intermediate High level (according to the ACTFL guidelines), whereas our 200-level courses are designed to help students attain a higher level of Polish that is spoken and used in academic or professional settings.
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If you have attended a Polish Saturday School, you still need to take the Placement Test in Polish (please note that as of 2023, students are required to take additional written and/or oral part of the test that is administered in person). After this assessment, you will be placed in a class that best meets your needs.
If you place out of the Basic Language Program requirement (POL 101-104), we encourage you to take advanced Polish courses (POL 201 – Advanced Polish through Media and Film; POL 202 – Advanced Polish through Contemporary Culture; POL 203 – Advanced Polish through Short Stories; or POL 204 – Advanced Polish in Healthcare Settings (first offered in the fall of 2024)).
Students who place out of POL 101-104 can receive retroactive credit for POL 103 and 104 after they take one of our advanced classes, and receive at least a B.
After taking 3 advanced classes in Polish you will meet the requirements to receive the Certificate in Polish Language.
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Each fall, we offer POL 101, a course with no prerequisites, which is open to anyone wants to start learning the Polish language at the very beginning stages. The classes teach not only grammar and vocabulary, but also focus on speaking the Polish language from the very first class session.
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The Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies offers students the ability to apply for Mazur grant if they pursue the Polish major and/or minor. If you interested in summer language courses, these also can be funded (after successful application) via the Kosciuszko Foundation summer language program, or Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange Summer Language Program stipends.
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Contact Dr. Izolda Wolski-Moskoff at izoldaw@uic.edu