Foreign Language Placement - Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures - Christopher Newport University

Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures

Foreign Language Placement

All students must complete the second language literacy requirement. These guidelines will help you select the course that is best for you. The guidelines also apply to language majors and minors.

Second language literacy requirement: Any course in a modern or classical language at the 200 level or higher, or the equivalent.

Based on Years of Language in High School with an average of C or higher

  • 0-1 years
    Complete CNU language courses: 101, 102, and either 200 or 201 in sequential order.
  • 2 years
    Complete 102 and either 200 or 201 in sequential order.
  • 3 years
    Complete a CNU language course at the 200-level. Students who intend to continue their studies beyond the fulfillment of the Second Language Literacy requirement are strongly encouraged to take a 201 language class.
  • 4 or more years
    Complete a 200-level course or higher. Students are strongly encouraged to take a 300-level course.

Advanced Placement Exams (AP)

  • Students in languages (except Latin) who earned a 3 on the Advanced Placement Exam will receive credit for 101–102 (6 credits) and must complete one 200-level language course in order to fulfill the Second Language Literacy requirement.
  • Students in languages (except Latin) who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam have fulfilled the Second Language Literacy requirement. They will receive 12 university credits on their transcripts, and may take language courses at the 300-level or above for elective credit.
  • Students who have received a score of 5 on the Latin Advanced Placement Exam will receive credit for LATN 101–102 (6 credits) and must complete one 200-level language course in order to fulfill the Second Language Literacy requirement.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students who have received 12 International Baccalaureate credits have fulfilled the Second Language Literacy requirement. Students may complete a 300-level course as an elective.

Cambridge Advanced Standing credit

Students who have received an A or AS on the Cambridge Advanced Standing Exams have fulfilled the Second Language Literacy requirement. No credit will be awarded. Students may complete a 300-level course as an elective.

Transfer Credit

Students who have transfer credit from another college or university for a 200-level (intermediate) language course have fulfilled the Second Language Literacy requirement. If a student transfers in with foreign language at the 200 level, he or she may not take 101 or 102 for credit.

  • Native Speakers may fulfill the Second Language Literacy requirement by successfully completing a waiver examination prepared by MCLL. No credits will be awarded.
  • Students whose native language is not currently offered at CNU follow the procedure for waiver examinations outlined under “Language Not Offered at CNU.”
  • Native speakers of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, or Spanish may not receive credit for the 101–102 level courses in that language, either by taking those classes or by examination.
  • The appropriate MCLL faculty will have the sole discretion to determine whether or not a student is considered to be a native speaker based on the student’s background, experience and level of linguistic competency.
  • Native speakers of French, German and Spanish who choose to major in their native language may not register for 300 or 400 level conversation courses but may substitute any other upper level elective course to complete the required number of hours for the modern language degree.

Students who took a foreign language not currently offered at CNU for 3 or more years may fulfill the Second Language Literacy requirement by successfully completing a 200-level waiver examination in their target language. No credits will be awarded. Students who wish to take a wavier examination should contact the department.

Students whose secondary program of instruction was in a language other than English are exempt from the Secondary Language Literacy requirement. Documentation of the secondary program must be on file in the Registrar’s Office.

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