Center for Academic Advising

General Education Core Requirements

LEVEL III – Competencies

12. Foreign Language Requirement (0-12 credits, depending on placement)

    Who needs to satisfy the Foreign Language Requirement?

    All students in Bachelor of Arts programs (except for B.A. Art Majors with concentrations in Art Education, Graphic Design, Interactive Multimedia, Painting, Photography, Printmaking or 3-D Studio and B.A. History Majors with a concentration in Applied History).

    What is the Foreign Language Requirement?

    This requirement consists of demonstrating an advanced intermediate level proficiency or higher in a foreign language or American Sign Language.

    How is the Foreign Language Requirement satisfied?

    1. Satisfaction by college-level language courses

       This required language proficiency is typically demonstrated by successfully completing the advanced intermediate level course (4th semester, 202 or equivalent). Thus, students take a maximum of four language courses (two elementary and two intermediate) in order to complete the requirement-but often take fewer if they have studied the language previously. The actual number of courses that needs to be taken depends on the level at which a student places (see the Foreign Languages Department for information on language placement). Two or more years of high-school language courses, for example, may allow a student to place higher than 101 or 102 course in the sequence. The Department's faculty can advise students on appropriate placement. There is a placement test for Spanish currently available. Students may also show the required proficiency by passing a 300 or 400 level language course conducted in the target language. Students may also transfer these foreign language or American Sign Language courses from other accredited institutions of higher learning.

    2. Satisfaction of the requirement by examination

       The requirement may also be satisfied fully or partially by examination, according to the guidelines below. For information on taking these tests, inquire at the Foreign Languages Department.

       1. By achieving a sufficiently high score on the CLEP Testfor a foreign language (currently available for French,German and Spanish). These scores are recommended by the College Board and carry 6 credits (for 201 and 202).

          • French: 62
          • German: 63
          • Spanish: 66

          A minimum score of 50 in either one of these languages exempts a student from the elementary level (101-102)and carries 3 college credits (for 102).

       2. By achieving a sufficiently high score on the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Test for a foreign language (currently available for French, German and Spanish):

          • A score of 5 results in automatic satisfaction of the language requirement; and carries 9 credits (for 201, 202 and the Advanced Grammar course of the particular language)
          • A score of 4 results in automatic satisfaction of the language requirement; and carries 6 credits (for 201 and 202)
          • A score of 3 will exempt students from the 201 level and carries 3 credits (for 201). The student still needs to take the advanced intermediate course (202 or equivalent)

       3. By achieving a sufficiently high score on the College Board's SAT subject test:

          • A score of 700 or above results in automatic satisfaction of the language requirement (it carries no credits)
          • Students with scores between 400 and 699 may skip the 101, 102 and 201 levels (no credits are awarded).

       4. In the case of American Sign Language, in order to satisfy the foreign language requirement students have to either:

          • Complete a four-semester college sequence in a certified ASL program
          • Pass the Intermediate level of a nationally recognized ASL proficiency test, such as the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI).
    3. Exceptional satisfaction through foreign culture course substitution

       Students who have demonstrated extreme difficulty learning a foreign language at the elementary (101-102) level, whether or not they have a documented language-based learning disability, may petition in writing to the Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Department to satisfy the Foreign Language Requirement by successfully completing the foreign culture two course sequence (203-204), taught in English, in the same language area (Spanish or French, the only available sequences), instead of taking the 201-202 intermediate language sequence.

       For students beginning as Freshmen in a Bachelor of Arts degree program, substitution petitions must be submitted by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year. For students transferring from a non-Bachelor of Arts curriculum into a Bachelor of Arts degree program, substitution petitions must be submitted by the end of the second full semester in the new program.

       For students transferring to SSC from another college, substitution petitions must be submitted by the end of the first full semester at SSC (or by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year, whichever is later).

       The following procedures for administering such petitions are in effect:

       1. The student must have an interview with, and obtain written recommendations for the course substitution from, the following individuals or offices:

          • The elementary language instructor, who must attest to the existence of a serious attempt to learn that language and succeed in the class
          • The student's academic advisor
          • The Academic Advising Center
          • The Office for Students with Disabilities, if the student knows that he/she has, or suspects that he/she might have, a language-based learning disability.
       2. The student must submit a request for substitution in writing to the Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Dept., accompanied by a copy of the student's complete college transcript (and high school transcript if appropriate), and the above-mentioned recommendations.
       3. The petition transcripts, examination results, and written recommendations will be evaluated by a Review Committee consisting of the Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Dept. (or delegate), as a nonvoting member, and three faculty members appointed by the MSCA/MTA/NEA (Salem Chapter). The recommendations of this Review Committee will be forwarded to the VP, Academic Affairs, for final action.
       4. 1. Students who have a documented language-based learning disability must have registered for at least one semester of a foreign language at SSC. If their substitution petition is approved while they are enrolled in an elementary language course they do not need to complete that course. These students will be subject to the standard College policies regarding course withdrawal (e.g., a grade of "W" can be granted only up to the withdrawal deadline of a semester). Previous grades for foreign language courses will not be included in the student's cumulative average. However, the granting of a substitution will not result in the elimination or modification of any grades on the student's transcript, nor will it reduce the total number of credit hours required for graduation.
          2. Students who do not have a documented languagebased learning disability, but whose petition is accepted by the Review Committee, must complete the elementary level sequence before starting the substitution of the intermediate sequence (201-202) with the culture sequence (203-204).

       Foreign Language Requirement and International Students

       Any student whose native language is not English may satisfy the Bachelor of Arts Foreign Language Requirement by both:

       1. demonstrating proficiency in English either through satisfactory performance on a proficiency examination administered by the English Department or by the completion of six semester hours in courses offered by the English Department, with grades of C or better, AND
       2. one of the following two options:
          1. Demonstrating proficiency in the native language either by graduation from a secondary school where instruction was commonly in the native language, OR
          2. By the attainment of a score equivalent to advanced intermediate level (202) on the CLEP exam (see above), or other criteria acceptable to the Foreign Languages Department.

       Upon completion of (A)and (B) the student will be exempted from the Foreign Language requirement. This exemption carries 6 credits.

       Waiver of the Foreign Language Requirement

       A waiver of the foreign language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree is possible only by demonstrating a foreign language learning disability.

       For students beginning as Freshmen in a Bachelor of Arts degree program, waiver petitions must be submitted by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year. For students transferring from a non-Bachelor of Arts curriculum into a Bachelor of Arts degree program, waiver petitions must be submitted by the end of the first full semester in the new program. For students transferring to SSC from another college, waiver petitions must be submitted by the end of the first full semester at Salem (or by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year, whichever is later).

       The following procedures for administering such petitions are in effect:

       1. Except in rare cases where the applicant can demonstrate a previous history of foreign language learning disability, the applicant must have registered for at least one semester of a foreign language at SSC and must present evidence of a serious attempt to learn that language. After consultation with the student's foreign language instructor and the student's academic advisor, the student may petition for a waiver.
       2. The request for a waiver must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Department, accompanied by a copy of the student's complete college transcript (and high school transcript if appropriate).
       3. The student will be required to have an interview with a member of the SSC Academic Advising Center, and an interview with the chairperson of the Foreign Languages Department.
       4. The student must take an appropriate examination administered or approved by the Foreign Languages Department.
       5. The Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Department will request written recommendations from the Academic Advising Center, the student's language instructors at SSC, the student's academic advisor, and the Chairperson of the student's major department.
       6. All students petitioning for a waiver shall be required to be diagnosed in the entire language arts area (reading, writing, and speaking English), and shall be required to undergo remediation if this is recommended.
       7. The petition, transcripts, examination results, and written recommendations will be evaluated by a Review Committee consisting of the Chairperson of the Foreign Languages Department (or delegate), as a nonvoting member, and three faculty members appointed by the MSCA/MTA/NEA (Salem Chapter). The recommendations of this Review Committee will be forwarded to the Vice President, Academic Affairs, for final action. If the waiver is granted, the student must complete one year of the Foreign Culture course sequence, taught in English.
       8. A student who petitions for a waiver while enrolled in a foreign language course will be subject to the standard College policies regarding course withdrawal (e.g., a grade of "W" can be granted only up to the withdrawal deadline of a semester). If the student is granted a waiver, previous grades for foreign language courses will not be included in the student's cumulative average. However, the granting of a waiver will not result in the elimination or modification of any grades on the student's transcript, nor will it reduce the total number of credits hours required for graduation.