Placement, Waivers & Credit Based on Prior Learning

Placement Via High School Classroom Experience

• Two years or less of high school language study — place into 110
• Three years of high school language study — place into 111
• Four years of high school language study — place into 210
• Five-plus years of high school language study — place into a 300-level class, preferably 320 or 321
• Language Immersion school students — place into a 300-level class, preferably 320 or 321

Placement Via AP Exam

Student with AP results who desire to continue studying the same language are automatically placed into the following courses:

• AP score of 2-3 — placement based on years of high school language study; no credit awarded.
• AP Score of 4 — place into 210; students automatically receive 6 credit hours for 110 and 111 and complete their Sophia Language requirement.
• AP Score of 5 — place into a 300-level course, preferably 320 or 321; students automatically receive 6 credit hours for 110 and 111 and complete their Sophia Language requirement.

Language Requirement Waiver

International students from non-English speaking countries are automatically waived from the Sophia Language requirement.

Domestic students for whom English is their second language or students who are proficient in a language other than English may submit a petition to be waived from the Sophia Language requirement. To petition, the student must come to the Registrar’s Office.

Native or heritage speakers of Spanish with extensive background in the language:

• may choose to follow the guidelines for Placement Via High School Experience when applicable or may enroll in an intermediate/upper-level course in consultation with language faculty;
• those who have attended school in a French- or Spanish-speaking country for at least two years during K-12 may consider the language requirement fulfilled or may enroll in an intermediate/upper-level course in consultation with language faculty.

Students should be reminded that the CLEP exam need not be taken if they intend to continue with their study of the language. Students with four years of high school French, German, or Spanish may satisfy the language requirement by enrolling in and receiving a C- or better in 210 or higher. Such students who would rather waive the language requirement with the option for earning transcripted credit for those courses must, instead, complete the CLEP exam and achieve the following scores (based on CLEP recommendations):

• For French: a minimum score of 50 grants credit for FREN 110 & 111 (6 credits) and completes the SOPHIA requirement; a score of 59 or higher grants the same credits and completion of SOPHIA, plus 3 additional general elective credits as FREN 299 (9 credits total)
• For German: a minimum score of 50 grants credit for GERM 110 & 111 (6 credits) and completes the SOPHIA requirement; a score of 60 or higher grants the same credits and completion of SOPHIA, plus 3 additional general elective credits as GERM 299 (9 credits total)
• For Spanish: students must take the "Spanish with writing" exam. A minimum score of 50 grants credit for SPAN 110 & 111 (6 credits) and completes the SOPHIA requirement; a score of 65 or higher grants the same credits and completion of SOPHIA, plus credit for 210 (4 credits) and 2 additional general elective credits as SPAN 299 (12 credits total)

For situations in which a student is interested in credit for only the 110 level or other unusual or unique situations, the student should contact the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures directly.

Students with questions regarding waivers and/or credits related to American Sign Language (ASL) should contact Christa Gunderson.

Students with questions regarding waivers and/or credits related to Latin should contact Dr. Rocki Wentzel.