Language Requirements

Most major programs in the College of Liberal Arts will require the student to satisfy the foreign language requirement. This page provides additional information on how the requirement may be satisfied, available language courses and placement options.

• Option 1: Complete a fourth semester college course in a foreign language or in American Sign Language.

  For most students, this will mean taking four consecutive semesters of instruction in a single language sequence to satisfy the language requirement.

  Earning credit in a level four course automatically satisfies the language requirement, regardless of where a student begins the sequence.

  Language sequences offered at the University and their corresponding course information is listed below.

  Note: There is no minimum grade necessary to advance to the next level in a sequence, nor is there a minimum grade required in the level four course to complete the language requirement.
• Option 2: Demonstrate proficiency through placement examination or other means determined by the Department of World Languages and Literatures, including minimum CBAPE, SAT II, or IB scores.

  Students with qualifying scores on AP or IB exams will earn college credit for language courses. Depending on the test score and credit earned, additional coursework may be needed to satisfy the overall language requirement.

  Students from a country other than the United States whose first language is not English, or otherwise exhibit high fluency in another language, can contact the Department of World Languages and Literatures to discuss eligibility for demonstrating language proficiency. If a student is deemed proficient by the department, their language requirement will be satisfied via waiver — course credits are not awarded.
• Option 3: Show transcript evidence of successful completion of four years of high school coursework in the same foreign language.

  To satisfy the requirement under this option, a student must have earned no less than four full years of high school credit in successive levels of instruction in a single language. (Initial language courses taken in middle school may count towards the four-year total, if high school credit was earned and appears on a transcript).

  Students wishing to exercise this option must have their high school language instruction verified by a College Advisor. Email CLA advisors to request verification. If verified, the student’s language requirement will be satisfied via waiver — course credits are not awarded.
• Option 4: Participate in a study abroad program pre-approved by the College to meet the foreign language requirement.

  Satisfying the language requirement while studying abroad entails traveling to a non-English speaking country and taking appropriate language instruction while abroad. This is typically a very intensive experience which involves taking the equivalent of three or four courses of a language sequence back-to-back during a single semester abroad.

  Students interested in this option are highly encouraged to talk with an academic advisor and begin planning for studies abroad early on, to ensure they can go abroad and satisfy the language requirement in a reasonable timeframe.

Students may automatically register in the first semester of any sequence (except Spanish; see placement section below). Students must meet prerequisites to enroll in higher levels unless other permission has been granted by the appropriate department.

For most language sequences besides Spanish, level one and three courses are primarily offered only in fall semesters, and level two and four courses are primarily offered only in spring semesters (see the General Catalog for typically offered information). Therefore, students are advised to enroll in language coursework beginning in their first fall semester at the university and to remain continuously enrolled in language coursework each semester, to avoid delays in completing language requirements.

• American Sign Language

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	AM 145 - American Sign Language I (4 units)	None
  2	AM 146 - American Sign Language II (4 units)	AM 145
  3	AM 147 - American Sign Language III (3 units)	AM 146
  4	AM 148 - American Sign Language IV (3 units)	AM 147
• Arabic

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	ARA 111 - First Year Arabic I (4 units)	None
  2	ARA 112 - First Year Arabic II (4 units)	ARA 111
  3	ARA 211 - Second Year Arabic I (3 units)	ARA 112
  4	ARA 212 - Second Year Arabic II (3 units)	ARA 211
• Basque

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	BASQ 101 - Elementary Basque I (4 units)	None
  2	BASQ 102 - Elementary Basque II (4 units)	None
  3	BASQ 203 - Second Year Basque I (3 units)	BASQ 102
  4	BASQ 204 - Second Year Basque II (3 units)	BASQ 203
• Chinese

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	CHI 111 - First Year Chinese I (4 units)	None
  2	CHI 112 - First Year Chinese II (4 units)	CHI 111
  3	CHI 211 - Second Year Chinese I (3 units)	CHI 112
  4	CHI 212 - Second Year Chinese II (3 units)	CHI 211
• French

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	FREN 111 - First Year French I (4 units)	None
  2	FREN 112 - First Year French II (4 units)	FREN 111 or CAPE score 150+
  3	FREN 211 - Second Year French I (3 units)	FREN 112 or CAPE score 310+
  4	FREN 212 - Second Year French II (3 units)	FREN 211 or CAPE score 345+ or SAT II French Subject score 600+
• German

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	GER 111 - First Year German I (4 units)	None
  2	GER 112 - First Year German II (4 units)	GER 111
  3	GER 211 - Second Year German I (3 units)	GER 112
  4	GER 212 - Second Year German II (3 units)	GER 211
• Italian

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	ITAL 111 - First Year Italian I (4 units)	None
  2	ITAL 112 - First Year Italian II (4 units)	ITAL 111
  3	ITAL 211 - Second Year Italian I (3 units)	ITAL 112
  4	ITAL 212 - Second Year Italian II (3 units)	ITAL 211
• Japanese

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	JPN 111 - First Year Japanese I (4 units)	None
  2	JPN 112 - First Year Japanese II (4 units)	JPN 111
  3	JPN 211 - Second Year Japanese I (3 units)	JPN 112
  4	JPN 212 - Second Year Japanese II (3 units)	JPN 211
• Northern Paiute

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	PAIT 111 - First Year Northern Paiute I (4 units)	None
  2	PAIT 112 - First Year Northern Paiute II (4 units)	PAIT 111
  3	PAIT 211 - Second Year Northern Paiute I (3 units)	PAIT 112
  4	PAIT 212 - Second Year Northern Paiute II (3 units)	PAIT 211
• Spanish

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  1	SPAN 111 - First Year Spanish I (4 units)	CAPE score 0–178 (see also placement info below)
  2	SPAN 112 - First Year Spanish II (4 units)	SPAN 111 OR CAPE score 179+
  3	SPAN 211 - Second Year Spanish I (3 units)	SPAN 112 OR CAPE score 320+
  4	SPAN 212 - Second Year Spanish II (3 units)	SPAN 211 OR CAPE score 347+ OR SAT II Spanish Subject score 600+
• Spanish for Heritage Speakers

  Course Level	Language Courses	Prerequisite
  4	SPAN 227 - Spanish for Heritage Speakers II (3 units)	None