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The placement test does not award credit or provide an exemption from language study. The proficiency exam can award credit.
There are multiple ways to demonstrate foreign language proficiency depending on your previous familiarity with foreign languages and cultures. To determine your path to demonstrating proficiency, review the description below that best reflects your experience with foreign language or languages.
A solid foundation in world languages and cultures is a necessary component of a liberal arts education and a must in today’s globalized economy. The study of foreign languages improves your cognitive and communication skills, helps you better understand your own language and culture, and enables you to navigate the complexities of today’s multicultural world.
All COLA B.A. students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at a level that is equivalent to two years of college-level language instruction.
Foreign language proficiency is the ability to understand, speak, read, and write in a foreign language, understand and appreciate cultures of the communities in which the language is spoken, and function in culturally appropriate ways in a foreign language.
Your AVANT Placement Level | Course |
---|---|
Level 1 | ARA, CHI, FR, GER, SPN 1010 |
Level 2 | ARA, CHI, FR, GER, SPN 1020 |
Level 3 | ARA, CHI, FR, GER, SPN 2010 |
Level 4 | ARA, CHI, FR, GER, SPN 2020 |
Level 5 | Contact a Faculty Advisor for Placement: Arabic: Dr. Joshua Mabra, Dr. Ksenia Bonch Reeves French: Dr. Kirsten Halling, Dr. Pascale Abadie German: Dr. Elfe Dona, Dr. Renate Sturdevant Spanish: Dr. Melissa Doran, Dr. Ksenia Bonch Reeves |
If you have any questions or concerns about your placement, please call or drop by the Department of Modern Languages and speak to the Administrative Support Coordinator.
Test Information
Portal Links
If you are fluent in a language, this exam with a language professor is for you.
A "B" grade or better gives you the option to have course equivalencies added to your transcript.
Native speakers of English who have never studied or spoken a foreign language demonstrate proficiency in a modern language by taking a sequence of four progressive courses: 1010, 1020, 2010, and 2020 in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, or Spanish.
Please note: students who begin their language study at a level above 1010 may NOT go back and take lower-level courses for credit without permission from the Chair.
Placement testing is available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. If you have studied these languages, you can take an online test administered via Avant Assessment to see what level course (beginning, intermediate, advanced) you should take. Note: There is a $10 fee per test.
To access Avant’s testing portal, a unique testing code and password are required. These codes are provided after purchasing the placement test.
You have studied a foreign language either formally (e.g. in high school or at another college or university), informally (e.g. by living or traveling extensively in a foreign country) or through some combination of formal and informal study (e.g. by taking language classes while living abroad).
As soon as you enroll at Wright State, you should either:
Once you begin language study at a certain level, you may not skip courses in the sequence without permission from the Chair.
Placement testing is available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. If you have studied these languages, you can take an online test administered via Avant Assessment to see what level course (beginning, intermediate, advanced) you should take. Note: There is a $10 fee per test.
To access Avant’s testing portal, a unique testing code and password are required. These codes are provided after purchasing the placement test.
You grew up speaking one or more of those languages or you currently use them at home and consider yourself to be fluent.
If you learned a foreign language from relatives or parents, but have had little formal study of grammar or writing, or if you scored Level 5 and above on the Avant Placement test, you are eligible to take the oral and/or written Proficiency Exam to receive up to 6 hours of graded credits. Each exam requires a $150 registration fee.
Students who claim their native language as English but would like to take a proficiency exam in Arabic or Chinese may do so by arrangement with the department. Students can take one of these exams to exempt themselves from the COLA foreign language requirement, but cannot receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit unless they take an upper-level course and receive a "C" or better in that course.
The language proficiency exam is a three-step process.
If you are fluent in a less commonly taught language, such as Hindi, Tagalog, Turkish, Swahili, etc., please contact the Administrative Support Coordinator for help with arranging a proctored test in the school office. Students who demonstrate proficiency can be declared exempt from the College of Liberal Arts language requirement, but cannot receive Prior Learning Assessment credits.
Students who claim as their native language a language not offered at Wright State can be tested by a qualified professor at another local college or university who speaks that language and officially verify to the Chair that they are proficient. In this case, the student can be declared exempt from the College of Liberal Arts language requirement, but cannot receive Prior Learning Assessment credits. Please see the Administrative Support Coordinator for assistance.
Students who claim a language other than English as their native language may complete their COLA foreign language requirement by passing ENG 1100 and 2100 with a grade of C or better.
Please contact the English Program for further information.
Wright State University follows the Ohio Board of Regents Advanced Placement (AP) policy governing the application of transfer credit for a score of 3 on AP examinations. Course equivalencies for this score have been identified by individual academic departments in accordance with the guidelines in the statewide policy.
Individual academic departments have determined the equivalent courses for which credit will be granted for scores of 4 and 5. Learn more about AP Credit and Credit by Examination.
You may fulfill the language requirement by taking four semesters of ASL or Latin or Greek. For class availability, consult the schedule of classes or contact the professor.
Please contact the Office of Disability Services.
The Modern Languages Program believes that students that have learned a second language in high school, through living abroad, or by any other means have the right to earn prior learning credit in that language.
Those students who place into language classes between the 1010 and 2020 levels, and attain a grade of C or better may earn “Pass” credits for sequenced courses below that level.
In order to qualify for these credits, students must fill out a “Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Registration Form” (available in the School of Social Sciences and International Studies in 325 Millett). By the 9th week of the semester, 1020, 2010 or 2020 students should submit their PLA form to one of the school's Administrative Assistants to obtain the Chair’s signature. Once approval has been obtained, students will take the PLA Registration form to the Bursar, along with a check for $150. As long as the student passes the class with a C or better, this payment will ensure the receipt of PLA credits, which will be added to the student’s transcript and will count toward graduation. See the following chart for details:
Student takes: | Student passes with a C or better | Student submits PLA form to ML Dept. | Student takes form & $150 to Bursar | Student earns ____# credits on transcript | Courses Earned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1010 | √ | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
1020 | √ | √ | √ | 3 credits | 1010 |
2010* | √ | √ | √ | 6 credits | 1010, 1020 |
2020** | √ | √ | √ | 9 credits | 1010, 1020, 2010 |
Any 3000/4000-level course | √ | √ | √ | 12 credits | 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 |
*For PLA purposes, Intermediate SPN 2110 or 2210 are equivalent to SPN 2010
**For PLA purposes, Intermediate SPN 2120 or 2220 are equivalent to SPN 2020
Some students may have already earned credit for AP or CLEP. This credit will not be duplicated.
If students have any questions about which level is appropriate for them, they should speak with their instructor for guidance.
Transfer students wishing to have PLA credits transcripted will do so in their first semester at WSU. If this is missed, the student may start the process later.
Students who qualified for credit under the pre-PLA policy may apply for credit under the current PLA policy.
Proficiency Testing:
Native and near-native speakers of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish* may take the Language Proficiency Test in two areas (Conversation and/or Composition) and receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) “Pass” credits for 3110 and/or 3210 without physically sitting in the classes. If the 3210 course carries IW designation, that designation will be maintained. See the following chart for details:
Student Type | PLA Form Submission | Oral Proficiency Exam | Rating | Payment | Credits | Course Earned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Student has native or near-native oral proficiency | Student submits PLA form to ML Dept. | Student takes Oral Proficiency Exam with designated evaluator | Student is rated as Proficient | Student takes form & $150 to Bursar | Student earns 3 “Pass” credits on transcript | 3110 |
Student has native or near-native writtenproficiency | Student submitsPLA form to ML Dept. | Student takes Written Proficiency Exam with designated evaluator | Student is rated as Proficient | Student takes form & $150 to Bursar | Student earns 3 “Pass” credits on transcript | 3210 |
*Native and near-native speakers of Italian or Russian may take the 2020 final exam to earn PLA “Pass” credit for 1010, 1020, 2010 and 2020. See the following chart for details:
Student Type | PLA Form Submission | Oral Proficiency Exam | Rating | Payment | Credits | Courses Earned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Student has native or near-native proficiency in Italian or Russian | Student submits PLA form to ML Dept. | Student takes 2020 Final Exam with designated evaluator | Student is rated as Proficient | Student takes form & $150 to Bursar | Student earns 12 “Pass”credits on transcript | 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 |
Finding the right college means finding the right fit. See all that the College of Liberal Arts has to offer by visiting campus.