![An HDS student facing the camera engages in discussion with another in the HDS Library](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-05/10062025-StudentPhotoshoot-0616.jpg?h=5682aa11&itok=OXx8L3Lp) # Understanding the Language Requirement at HDS Harvard Divinity School offers a wealth of resources for learning new languages to enhance your area of study. How do these options work with the language requirement for degree programs, including the Master of Theological Studies (MTS) and Master of Divinity (MDiv)? In this blog post, Elinor Bate, MTS ’27, details her experience with language study. April 29, 2026 ![HDS Admissions Blog](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/2025-09/Admisisons-Blog-Logo-200px_0.png) If you’re coming to Harvard Divinity School, one of the first requirements you’ll encounter is language study. It can look complicated, at first, because it involves different options, exams, and timelines, but the logic behind it is consistent: HDS expects students to develop the ability to read primary and scholarly texts in at least one relevant language, usually at an intermediate level, and to begin planning for that early in their degree. In my view, the language you choose should connect directly to your field of study. For example, students working in Biblical studies often take Greek or Hebrew; those in Buddhist Studies might choose Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, or Japanese; Islamic Studies students often work with Arabic; and many students focusing on theology or history lean toward German or French. The guiding principle is simple: the language should support the kind of scholarship you want to do! There is no single path through the language requirement. HDS offers instruction (coursework and classes) and qualifying exams in several core languages that are especially central to theological and religious studies scholarship. Many students take additional or unique languages through Harvard’s [Faculty of Arts and Sciences](https://www.fas.harvard.edu/), especially when their research requires something beyond HDS offerings. For instance, one of my peers is taking two years of Arabic in FAS, another is studying three languages (Greek, Latin, and Coptic!) at HDS this semester. Because the requirement can take time to complete, students are expected to think about it early and integrate it into their broader academic planning (with your advisor’s help, if needed). Some want to take full advantage of the offerings; others are happy to test out through a language qualifying exam (offered twice a year). The key is not to treat this as something to “get out of the way,” but something to plan into your degree from the beginning. For many students, language study is one of the most intellectually useful parts of their time at HDS! ## The Summer Language Program (SLP) at HDS This summer, I am taking French in the [Summer Language Program](https://www.hds.harvard.edu/academics/summer-language-program) to meet my language requirement. For me, the opportunity to earn credits equivalent to two courses and immerse myself in reading, writing, and learning feels more beneficial than testing out. The program runs for eight weeks each summer and is held entirely online through live instruction. I will meet for three-hour classes several times per week, and the pace is such that one day of instruction is often equivalent to an entire week in the regular academic year. The workload is heavy; it’s like a full-time commitment. By the end of the program, I will complete what amounts to a full year’s worth of language study. This program provides substantial preparation for future academic work or PhD-level language exams. Many students take the program the summer before starting at HDS. Despite its intensity, the SLP is also often where students begin to settle into the rhythms, expectations, and community of Graduate school.