Foreign Language Requirements
In keeping with Augustana's mission to help students to be contributing citizens of a global society, first year advisors should encourage Augustana students to study foreign languages during their college experience-even if they have already completed the requirement by taking 4 years of a language in high school.
The following foreign languages are taught at Augustana: Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and Swedish. To complete the general education requirement, students must complete one year of foreign language study. At Augustana, that means completion of a 103 level course, or placement into 201 or higher, or completion of four full years of study in high school.
Placement Information
When students arrive at Augustana for summer registration, those who have already studied a foreign language in high school will have already taken a placement test online. The correct placement for students continuing in a language will be indicated on the pink Registration Information Sheet in their Advising Folder.
Students CANNOT take a course below their placement level, regardless of the amount of time between the placement exam and registration for language classes. If a student feels unable to complete coursework at their placement level, he/she should be advised to begin language study at 101 and complete through 103 in a language other than the one studied in high school. In rare cases, a student can begin at a higher level than the placement exam, but only in consultation with the department chair.
We make every effort to insure that students who have studied a foreign language in high school are placed at the appropriate level of study, determined by their score on the placement test. Most of the time, students are placed into one particular course (Spanish 102, for example, or German 201). In this case, they should begin their study in that particular course. There are, however, a couple placements that offer the student a choice:
100/102 This means that the student's score is low in the 102 range. The student is offered the option of taking a 1-credit refresher course (100) to review knowledge of 101 material prior to taking 102. (Students registering for 100 cover the same material and meet the same time as 101 students but receive only 1 credit.) The student is not obliged to take this option and may choose to begin study of the language with 102.
103/201 This means that the student's score is very close to the 201 level and the student is given the option to take either 103 or 201. Completion of either course will fulfill the language requirement.
It is also possible in some cases for students who have taken the Advanced Placement exam in a foreign language to receive AP credit. For specific information on Advanced Placement credit, contact Susan Granet, Assistant Director of Records (309-794-7212).
