| Foreign Language Placement
Guidelines
Frequently Asked Questions
My Catalog year is any year between 2002 and 2006-07 (included)
You must successfully complete the 130 level (or above) of a language offered on campus. Alternatively, you can demonstrate equivalent proficiency in a non-CCU language—contact the Chair of FLANG for details.
My Catalog year is before 2007-08, I placed into 130 (or
210), and I know this does not exempt me from the foreign language requirement.
What are my options?
Take the course you placed into OR take the CLEP exam and obtain a result sufficient to give you credit for 130 or 210. Information about the CLEP exam, including fee, can be obtained by calling 843-349-4004.
My Catalog year is 2007-08 or beyond
| Level you start at ↓ |
Level you must complete successfully ↓ |
110 → |
120 |
111 → |
130 |
120 → |
130 |
130 → |
130 |
210 or above → |
210 or above |
My Catalog year is 2007-08 or beyond, I placed into 130 (or 210) and do not want to take the actual language course. How can I fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement?
Take the CLEP exam and obtain a result sufficient to give you credit for 130 (or 210). Note that you can only receive CLEP credit before you complete 90 credit hrs towards graduation (i.e. before you reach senior status). Information about the CLEP exam, including fee, can be obtained by calling 843-349-4004.
Is CLEP the same as placement exam?
No. CLEP is a national exam that grants college credit. Note that you can only receive CLEP credit before you complete 90 credit hrs towards graduation (i.e. before you reach senior status).
What does a placement exam do?
It determines a person’s entry level.
Example: if the exam places me in Spanish 120, I register for Spanish 120.
Do I receive credit for the level(s) I placed “out of”?
No.
Example: placing into FREN 120 does not mean I get credit for FREN 110 or FREN 111.
Do I need to take a placement exam?
It depends. See the different scenarios below:
Scenario 1
I studied in HS the same language that I would like to pursue at CCU, and I am not transferring in college credit in that language.
1-A. If that language is French, German, or Spanish, you need to take a placement exam before you enroll in any language course. A link to placement exams in those languages can be found at www.coastal.edu/flang or www.coastal.edu/flic, or you can take the exam at the FLIC (123 Prince).
1-B. If that language is Italian, Japanese, or Latin, and you have had two years of it in high school with an average grade of "B" or better, you should register for 120. Students with three years of high school preparation with a "B" or better average may go directly into 130. Any questions regarding placement in Italian, Japanese, or Latin should be referred to the the Chair of FLANG.
1-C. If that language is Portuguese and you have some knowledge of it already, contact the Chair of FLANG. |
Scenario 2
I did not study in HS the language that I would like to pursue at CCU, and I am not transferring in college credit in that language.
Enroll in the 110 level of that language. |
Scenario 3
I am transferring into CCU college credits in the foreign language that I would like to pursue here.
Enroll in the level/course that is a continuation of your previous college study in that language. Example: if your CCU transcript shows transfer credits for GERM 120, enroll in GERM 130. |
Scenario 4
I have AP (Advanced Placement) credits in a foreign language earned while in HS.
CCU will accept AP undergraduate credits in French, German, Latin, and Spanish—refer to page 46 of the 2007-08 University Catalog for details. |
Can I take the placement exam more than once in the same language?
No. Students who have questions regarding multiple exams (retaking the exam) should contact Patience Locke at the FLIC (Prince 123; 349-2478).
What if I feel that the placement exam placed me at the wrong level?
Discuss the situation with the Chair of FLANG.
I enrolled in a language course without taking a placement exam or following the steps above, and now I find that I am not in the right course for my level: it’s too easy, or too hard, or not the language I want to study.
That’s unfortunate but there’s nothing we can do for you.
Here's what a placement exam result looks like. This result is provided almost instantly to the person taking the exam, and is then entered into the CCU system under the person's name. The highlighted field shows the person's placement level. In the example below, the person should register for French 130.
Placement:
| below 191 |
French 110 |
191 - 245 |
French 111 |
246 - 290 |
French 120 |
291 - 351 |
French 130 |
above 351 |
French 210+ |
Based on the placement exam, what is the highest possible level to place into?
210.
What exactly is 111, like SPAN 111 or FREN 111?
It is a one-semester, 3-credit intro-level course consisting of 110 and 120, so it’s an accelerated intro course. Students passing 111 go on to 130.
If 111 is 110 and 120 in the same semester, does that mean that completing 111 satisfies the current Core Curriculum Goal 5-A?
No. If you start below 130, the Core requires 6 credits in a sequence. 111 gives you 3 credits, therefore you need the 130 for the other 3 credits after completing the 111.
Can I take 120 after the 111?
No, because 111 already includes the 120. If you passed 111, there’s no reason to take 120. You move on to 130.
I took 110 and now I should go into 120. Since 111 includes 120, can I take 111 as the sequence?
No. You’ve passed 110, so you move on to 120. No need to retake the 110 content that is part of 111.
I am an international student and English is not my native languge. How do I fulfill the foreign language requirement?
If you scored 550 or above on the paper-based, or 213 or above
on the online version, of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL), you are exempt, without credit, from Coastal's language requirement.
International Studies and Programs (ISP) will have a form for you to
fill out and the exemption must be approved by the Dean of your School
and the Chairperson of Foreign Languages.
I do not want to or cannot take a foreign language because of a learning disability.
Students with a learning disability related to foreign language
learning may be eligible to pursue an alternate curriculum to satisfy
the foreign language requirement of the Core Curriculum. The first
step is to contact Wendy Woodsby,
Disabilities Coordinator, at 349-2305 in order to document the disability
and start the process of requesting alternate courses.
Additional questions?
Contact Prof. Pedro Maligo, Chair of Foreign Languages, at pmaligo@coastal.edu
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