Christopher Newport Univeristy | Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures

As a part of educating students to be global citizens, CNU requires all students to demonstrate competency in a second language. These guidelines should help you select the course that is best for you, based on your high school background.

Students who enter CNU in Fall 2006 or thereafter must complete the following Graduation Requirement: any course in a modern or classical language at the 200-level or higher, or the equivalent.

I. Placement Recommendations 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 Foreign 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.

II. Equivalencies and Exemptions

Advanced Placement Exams (AP):

· Students 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 Foreign Language Literacy requirement.

· Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam have fulfilled the graduation requirement! They will receive 12 university credits on their transcripts, and may opt to take language courses at the 300-level or above for elective credit.

International Baccalaureate (IB): Students who have received 12 International Baccalaureate credits have fulfilled the graduation 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 graduation 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 graduation requirement! If a student transfers in with foreign language at the 200 level, he or she is not allowed to take 101 or 102 for credit.

Native Speakers:

· Native Speakers may fulfill the Foreign 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 will 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.

Language Not Offered at CNU: Students who took a foreign language not currently offered at CNU for 3 or more years may fulfill the Foreign 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.

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

Students who have entered CNU prior to Fall 2006 must complete the following requirement:

Students who entered CNU prior to Fall 2006 must demonstrate that they have successfully completed two years each of two foreign languages or three years of one foreign language with a C average or better at the secondary level. Students not meeting these requirements must successfully complete one foreign language through the 102 level. College credit may be awarded to students who entered CNU prior to Fall 2006 if they obtain an appropriate score on the departmental placement test. Contact the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures at 594-7020 for more information and to schedule a placement test. Students may not take any course for which they receive credits through the placement test; native speakers of a modern language may not receive credit for the 101-102 level courses in that language, either by taking those classes or by examination.