Placement & Credit

The course description and placement guidelines that follow should help you choose the proper gateway course given your background. Kreyòl courses do fulfill the general education foreign language (FL) requirements. There are no AP, IB or SAT placement tests for Kreyòl.

If you have this background or experience:

You should take this course:

Elementary Creole - 100 level courses

  • No prior contact with Haitian Creole
Creole 101: Elementary Creole I - This class is designed to provide linguistic skills and cultural sensitization for potential participants who would like to make a difference in the rebuilding of Haiti. The class is geared toward learning the language for work in the following areas: health care, Haitian women’s rights issues, environment, and children’s rights. Students will be exposed to different aspects of Haitian culture through movies, proverbs, music (rasin), and games.
  • You have taken Creole 101
  • DukeEngage Experience in Haiti
Creole 102: Elementary Creole II - This class is designed to help students develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills at the intermediate level. The linguistic aspect of Haiti will be explored through texts written by Haitian authors in Creole. Also the history of Haiti (1492-1804) will be explored. Students will be able to fully understand the linguistic and historical themes covered in the class through movies, proverbs, music (konpa), lectures, and films.

Intermediate Creole - 200 level courses

  • You have taken Elementary Creole II
  • You have familial background in Creole
Creole 203: Intermediate Creole - This course will help students achieve advanced intermediate fluency in Creole with a focus on improving their listening ability. Students will be exposed to contemporary events by using internet resources in Creole to get a deep insight into Haitian culture, literature, society, and religion. Students will also translate texts from English into Haitian Creole and vice-versa.
  • You have taken Creole 102 and 203.
  • You have taken either 102 or 203 plus completed a two month immersive stay in Haiti. 

Creole 204: Advanced Intermediate Creole - This course further sharpens students reading and communication skills. They will master Haitian Creole grammar at an advanced level, gaining a deeper understanding of the different components of Haitian culture while becoming familiar with the works of several Haitians artists (art, literature, poetry, and music) that play a significant role in promoting Haitian Culture.