Language Requirement
The Bachelor of Arts degree includes a language requirement which may be met by one of the following options:
Option 1: Foreign Language
One of the following:
- Documentation of a proficiency level of “Intermediate Low” or better through an examination administered by the WSU Foreign Language Department or through an examination by a recognized testing agency. (See below: Obtaining language credit through prior experience).
- Completion of WSU foreign language course 2020 with a grade of C or higher, or comparable transfer credit.
- Completion of any upper-division WSU foreign language course with a grade of C or higher, or comparable transfer credit.
- Students for whom English is a second language may meet the BA foreign language requirement by:
- verifying their proficiency in their (non-English) native language in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Languages and
- verifying their proficiency in English as a second language by passing the ESL Special Examination.
- Documentation of a minimum proficiency level in American Sign Language through an examination administered by the American Sign Language/Interpreting Program at Salt Lake Community College. The signer must produce and maintain American Sign Language with “continuity and precision.”
- Completion of WSU American Sign Language course 2020 with a grade of C or higher, or comparable transfer credit.
- Completion of 12 semester-hours of foreign language.
- Refer to the Foreign Language section of the WSU catalog for additional information on obtaining foreign language credit.
Option 2: Foreign Language with Language Arts
Note: This option is only available when specified by the major course requirements.
- Completion of at least six semester-hours of foreign language with further course work up to six semester-hours in the language arts beyond the composition requirement in the general education core. Language arts course work may include literature, creative writing, rhetoric, music composition, etc. Students should refer to the major for specific requirements.
The Bachelor of Music degree and Bachelor of Music Education degree requirement is for two semesters of foreign language chosen from French, German, Italian and Spanish. The requirement may be satisfied by taking two semesters of the same language, or one semester each of two different languages.
Foreign Language Credit for Prior Language Experience
Students with prior language experience may obtain lower-division foreign language credit by completing one of the following options:
- Students may obtain credit for FL 1010, FL 1020, FL 2010, FL 2020 and FL 2030 by passing a higher numbered course with a minimum grade of C.
- Students may obtain credit for FL 1010, FL 1020, FL 2010, FL 2021 and FL 2030 through examination, but only in those languages in which the Department of Foreign Languages has expertise (usually limited to French, German, Japanese and Spanish). This examination is administered regularly by the department. Credit for Humanities General Education (FL 2020) cannot be obtained through examination.
Upon payment of a nominal fee, hours earned through either option are recorded as “credit” on the transcript and do not affect the student’s GPA. The department may accept results from other foreign language testing agencies as evidence of proficiency. Application for credit is to be made at the office of the Department of Foreign Languages.
Generally, students may not earn lower-division foreign language credit for proficiency in their native language. If a student’s second language is English, then English may fill the BA foreign language requirement (see specific BA-major department advisors).