Ukrainian
Welcome to the Ukrainian Language Program at Columbia University—the leading center for Ukrainian language instruction and research in the United States.
The program draws inspiration from the intellectual legacy of Professor Yuri Shevelov, the foremost authority on the Ukrainian language in the second half of the twentieth century, who taught at Columbia from 1954 to 1977. His vision of language as a gateway to culture, history, and independent thought continues to guide our teaching today.
The program offers courses at the elementary, intermediate, advanced, and superior levels, all taught by Dr. Yuri Shevchuk. Whether your goal is academic research, professional development, travel, heritage language learning, or simply the joy of discovering one of Europe's richest linguistic traditions, our courses provide the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to achieve fluency.
Since 2004, the Columbia Ukrainian Language Program has been at the forefront of developing innovative teaching methods and learning resources. Its publications have transformed the study of Ukrainian by presenting the language as an integrated system of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Among these resources is Beginner's Ukrainian with Interactive Online Workbook, one of the world's most widely used textbooks for university students and independent learners. First published in New York in 2011, it has gone through multiple expanded editions and has become a trusted guide for thousands of learners around the globe.
The program also produced the pioneering Ukrainian-English Collocation Dictionary—the first dictionary of its kind not only in Ukrainian but also Slavic and Germanic lexicography. Rather than simply defining words, it teaches learners how words naturally combine to express ideas. By mastering these patterns, students acquire one of the most important skills in language learning: the ability to speak and write with confidence, precision, and authenticity. The dictionary gives English-speaking learners direct access to the expressive power of modern Ukrainian and helps them develop a genuine sense of ownership of the language.
In 2026, the program introduced another groundbreaking resource: Say It in Ukrainian: A Practical Course in Ukrainian Phonetics. The first comprehensive pronunciation course designed specifically for learners of Ukrainian, it combines a practical handbook with an interactive online workbook featuring 412 professionally recorded audio exercises. Students practice every Ukrainian sound in carefully structured exercises while listening to native speakers from different regions and generations of Ukraine. The course features recordings by some of Ukraine's most celebrated contemporary writers and poets—including Yuri Andrukhovych, Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, Taras Prokhasko, and Lyuba Yakimchuk—creating a unique connection between language learning and Ukraine's living culture.
Through the Shared Course Initiative, students at Yale University and Cornell University can enroll in Columbia's Ukrainian language courses. Through the Inter-University Consortium, students from New York University, The New School, and the City University of New York also have access to the program.
For Columbia students, Ukrainian courses satisfy the University's foreign language requirement while opening the door to a deeper understanding of one of Europe's most dynamic cultures.
Today, graduates of the Columbia University Ukrainian Language Program are scholars, diplomats, journalists, policy analysts, lawyers, business leaders, government officials, translators, and cultural professionals. They work across the worlds of academia, international affairs, finance, public service, media, and the arts, using their knowledge of Ukrainian to engage with a country whose language, history, and culture have become central to understanding contemporary Europe.
Learning Ukrainian is far more than acquiring another language. It is a gateway to a remarkable culture, an invitation to discover a resilient nation, and an opportunity to join a vibrant international community of scholars, professionals, and lifelong learners. We invite you to begin that journey with us at Columbia University.
Taking courses in Ukrainian will allow you to fulfill your language requirement at Columbia.
Please check Vergil for the latest information on class times and locations.