Bachelor of Arts degree students in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences and international business majors in the College of Business Administration must satisfy a second language requirement for graduation. This may be accomplished by placement, course work or both. The goal of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures is to place students in the most appropriate level of second language study based on previous exposure to the language.

Second Language Requirement

The following procedures have been established by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures for placement in second language courses:

1. Students who have never studied the language, or who are beginning the study of a new language, do not have to take a placement examination. They should register for an Elementary Language course numbered 1001 in Arabic, Chinese, Italian or Latin, or 1003 in French, German or Spanish.
2. Students who have earned high school credit in Chinese, French, German or Spanish, and who plan to continue with the study of that language, must take the placement examination to determine placement in the appropriate course.
3. Students who have completed two years or less of Arabic, Chinese, Classical Greek, Latin or Italian in high school, and who plan to continue with the study of one of those languages, should register for the Elementary Language course numbered 1001. Students with three years or more of high school study in Arabic, Classical Greek, Latin or Italian must complete a language survey and register for the Intermediate Language course numbered 2001. Students should consult with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures if they have any questions regarding the placement in these levels.
4. Students who are native or near-native speakers of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish are not eligible to register in the elementary or intermediate levels of their native language for credit. Registration in these courses may result in no credit being awarded for the course. Students should consult with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures before registering for an advanced second language course. Native speakers of other languages should consult with the records office in their college regarding possible exemption from the second language requirement.
5. Students who are native or near-native speakers of Chinese, French, German or Spanish, and who plan to continue advanced study of that language, must first take the placement examination in that language to determine the level of proficiency. After taking the examination, students must consult with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures before registering for an advanced second language course. Native speakers of other languages should consult with the records office in their college regarding possible exemption from the second language requirement.
6. Students who have spent six weeks or more studying in a Chinese-, French-, German- or Spanish-speaking country must take the placement examination and consult with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures before registering for a second language course.

7. Any new students who have college credit for a second language course from another university (including Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) courses in high school) must have their transcripts sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a part of the application process. Questions regarding the transfer of second language credit can be directed to the student’s college office. Questions regarding registration for a subsequent course can be directed to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Students with college credit in a second language should not take the placement examination since placement is determined by the college credit transferred.

8. Students who have taken the Advanced Placement Exam or the International Baccalaureate Exam and have received credit for a course in a second language or literature should refer to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures’ website for recommendations on the appropriate course for which to register.

The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures reviews the results of the placement examination in conjunction with other information, such as number of years that the language was studied, grades earned, etc. The department reserves the right to change the student’s placement in a course if it believes that the student has not been placed at the appropriate level, or in the most appropriate course based on the student’s exposure to the language. Students who believe they were misplaced based on the placement test score should consult the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Students may not place themselves, or change their placement without departmental approval. Registration in a course lower than the approved level may result in no credit being awarded for the course. Further information on the procedures and instructions regarding the placement examination can be found on the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures’ website.

Placement Credit in Second Languages

A student placed in an Intensive Intermediate course in FREN 2003 Intensive Intermediate French, GRMN 2003 Intensive Intermediate German or SPAN 2003 Intensive Intermediate Spanish, and who completes the course with a grade of B or better, may be eligible for four hours of placement credit. A student placed in FREN 3001 French Composition and Conversation, GRMN 3001 German Composition and Conversation or SPAN 3001 Advanced Communication in Spanish or SPAN 3005 Advanced Communication in Spanish for Heritage Speakers, and who completes the course with a grade of B or better, may be eligible for four hours of placement credit.

Placement credits are awarded in addition to the credits earned in the course. The grade awarded for the placement credit is a PC (Placement Credit) which is noted on the student’s transcript. These credits only count toward the total hours needed for graduation from Marquette, and cannot be used toward the completion of a major or minor in the language. If the student is awarded the placement credits, they are noted on the transcript after the term in which the initial course was completed.

Course 2003

4 placement credits in FREN 1003 Intensive Elementary French, GRMN 1003 Intensive Elementary German or SPAN 1003 Intensive Elementary Spanish, in addition to the 4 credits earned in the 2003 course.

Course 3001 (or 3005)

4 placement credits in FREN 2003 Intensive Intermediate French, GRMN 2003 Intensive Intermediate German or SPAN 2003 Intensive Intermediate Spanish, in addition to the 3 credits earned in the SPAN 3001 Advanced Communication in Spanish or SPAN 3005 Advanced Communication in Spanish for Heritage Speakers course.

Eligibility Requirements for Placement Credit

1. Students must have earned the high school credits for the language in question from a U.S. high school.
2. Students may not have college credit in the language (including Advanced Placement (AP) credit, credit by examination or transfer credit from another institution).
3. Students may not have previously audited a college course in the language or enrolled in, and then withdrawn from, a course in the language after the third week of the term.
4. This must be the first course in the language taken at Marquette.