Foreign Language Requirement
Any of the languages offered by the department may be used to complete the university-wide foreign language requirement that most Bachelor of Arts students have. The language requirement entails passing a 4th semester (202-level) language course, or any higher level language course. If you have no prior study of a language, this means taking 12 credits, or four courses (101, 102, 201, 202) in one language. If you have studied a language in high school or if you speak the language due to life experience, you should begin at a higher level, and you may only need to take 3 or 6 credits in the language to complete your requirement.
Students wishing to study Spanish can take the free online Spanish Placement Test to find out which level is right for them. Students who have previous experience in French, Italian, Arabic, or German, should follow the department's placement guidelines or consult a faculty member in the department of Foreign Languages.
In addition to passing a 202 or higher level language course, there are other ways students may satisfy the foreign language requirement, including: transfering a 202 or higher level language course from another college or university or study abroad program, testing out of the language requirement (with tests such as the AP test, SAT subject tests, CLEP test), or completion of a high school diploma in a foreign country where the language of instruction was not English (this applies to most international students). For more on these options, consult the university catalogue or the chairperson of the department.
In special circumstances, if a student has severe difficulty in learning a foreign language, a student may petition for a foreign language substitution, which is a two-semester culture course taught in English, to satisfy the language requirement. This is a serious and lengthy process and should not be undertaken unless the student can prove a severe difficulty in language learning. The process for this petition is outlined in the university catalogue.
