Vietnamese Courses

Vietnamese Courses Fall 2026

Vietnamese Language Program at Harvard

The Vietnamese Language Program at Harvard is a four-year, proficiency-based curriculum designed to develop students’ communicative competence while deepening their understanding of Vietnam’s language, culture, and society. The program employs a task-based, interactive approach, integrating real-world tasks, multimodal materials, and authentic cultural content at every level. Whenever possible, students apply their language skills beyond the classroom through field trips to museums, Vietnamese-speaking communities, and local bilingual schools.A
Starting in Fall 2025, the program is excited to introduce a dedicated track for heritage language learners—students who grew up speaking Vietnamese but need structured instruction to develop their reading, writing, and grammar skills.

  1. Elementary Vietnamese (Vietnamese BA & BB): Designed for non-heritage learners, this sequence builds foundational skills in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and basic communication. Interactive and task-based activities help students develop confidence in using Vietnamese in everyday situations.
  2. Heritage Vietnamese (BX & 123XB) – New in Fall 2025: A specialized, accelerated track for heritage learners. Vietnamese Bx covers essential grammar and writing skills while strengthening existing speaking and listening abilities. Students who continue into Vietnamese 120xb will cover the equivalent of Intermediate Vietnamese (Vietnamese 120A & 120B), preparing them for advanced coursework. The heritage track allows students to fast-track into Pre-Advanced Vietnamese (Vietnamese 130A & 130B) if they choose to continue.
  3. Intermediate Vietnamese (Vietnamese 120A & 120B) iThis sequence enhances fluency through engaging, personally relevant topics, while also introducing broader cultural and social themes. Students participate in discussions, problem-solving tasks, and opinion exchanges using authentic and multimodal materials.
  4. Pre-Advanced Vietnamese (Vietnamese 130A & 130B): At this stage, students refine their language skills through in-depth engagement with a variety of cultural, historical, and contemporary topics, including society, history, economy, and the arts, among others. The course includes guest speakers, providing authentic interaction and deeper discussion of course materials.

  5. Advanced Vietnamese (Vietnamese 140A & 140B): Designed for students aiming for near-native proficiency, this level challenges them with complex materials, including news media, podcasts, feature films, and contemporary Vietnamese discourse. Modern and classical literature are available for students interested in exploring them.

    Students enrolled in Vietnamese 120A and beyond can work toward a Vietnamese Citation, a great way to showcase their language skills. Courses at the 130A level and beyond also count toward Divisional Distribution requirements.


    The program emphasizes full immersion, encouraging students to use only Vietnamese in class. By engaging with real-world content and meaningful communicative tasks, students develop the linguistic and cultural competence necessary for academic research, professional communication, and real-world interactions in Vietnamese.