Requirements:

Southern students are required to complete a second semester or 101-level foreign language to fulfill the general education Multilingual Communication requirement. You will start in either 100 or 101 based on your placement level or you may pursue one of the alternate completion pathways.

Many seniors discover that they are unable to graduate because they postponed their World Language classes till the last semester and do not have time to take the required courses. Only those who have completed the required courses or who can demonstrate relatively high proficiency in the target language through written and oral proficiency exams meet the requirement for graduation.

Why is there a World Language Requirement?

Do you still wonder why the University has a World Language requirement? Just think of the world around us: a world, where 52% of population is bilingual; a world whose citizens speak 6000 different languages; a world that entices us with travel, news, books, films, museums, foods, people; a world that makes us face stiff competition for jobs, sales, advertising, research, and diplomacy. To be among the 20% of Americans who speak more than one language and among even fewer of those who understand a different culture gives you an invaluable advantage in this competitive world.

Classes:

All World language classes at 100 and 200 levels are sequential, which means that you need to take one following the other. Therefore, you should reserve sufficient time to meet the Multilingual Communication requirement. You might want to know that once you have met your University requirement for World languages, you are just 3 courses away from getting a World Language minor. So an early start in a World Language course gives you many opportunities and reduces potential stress before graduation.

Transfer Credits:

Please, be aware that if you choose to take classes at a community college or another university, they need to be approved by the Department of World Languages and Literatures prior to your enrollment.

Placement Assessment:

If you choose to continue studying the language that you started in high school or under other circumstances, you are required to take an electronic placement assessment in that language. Please visit Academic Placement for New First-Year Students for more information.

Taking a New World Language:

If you decide to take a brand new language that you have never studied, you do not have to take the self-placement assessment and can enroll in 100-level of that language.

If you are fluent in a language other than English:

Students may be granted a waiver of world language requirement with credit based on the following:

In order to waive the language requirement, students who are proficient in the language will take the STAMP test. For languages that are not offered by STAMP, students will be required to take ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview and Written Production test and pass it at the required proficiency levels for that language. Advanced Placement (AP) exam (a score of 4 grants a 3 credit waiver; a score of 5 grants a 6 credit waiver). the university also grants up to 9 credits for CLEP exam.

Students who are native speakers of a language other than English may be granted a waiver of world language requirement with credit based on one of the following documents:

High school diploma or it's equivalent to the student's native language country, not an American high school. ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Written Production Test (WPT) passed at Intermediate low-level. To register for these tests, you may contact www.languagetesting.com Please, realize that this exam costs additional money. STAMP test scoring at Intermediate Low Level in all skills.

Register to take the STAMP test →

For more information, visit Academic Placement or contact Dr Miaowei Weng.

Seal of Biliteracy: Students who are awarded the Seal of Biliteracy will transfer in 6 credits for 101-level and 200-level foreign language, which satisfies both the Multilingual Communication and Cultural Expression requirement for the general education program.