Foreign Language Requirement

Requirement

Guilford College has a one-semester language requirement of a 101-level course. This requirement may be satisfied by: AP credit; an equivalent course at an accredited institution; or a placement exam taken upon arrival at Guilford College.

Language Placement Exam

French, German and Spanish

Students are advised to take the language placement exams upon their arrival at Guilford College if they plan to continue with a language they have already taken. The placement exam will determine whether the student places out of the requirement. It will also place the student at the appropriate course level should he/she wish to continue studying the language at Guilford College. Students who do not take a placement exam, as well as those who place in 101 must take a language 101 course before graduation. Students who place out of the foreign language requirement are encouraged to continue their studies of language by enrolling in either 102, 201 or 202, according to placement.

Advisers receive appropriate language placement information before meeting with their first-year students for advising in the fall. Students who wish to challenge their placement need to speak with the chairperson the Department of Foreign Languages. Every effort will be made to enroll students in a course appropriate to their needs.

Japanese

Students who have studied Japanese before and who want to continue studying this language at Guilford College need to contact Professor Hiroko Hirakawa for proper placement.

Placement Levels in French, German and Spanish

101 - A student placing in 101 must complete this course to satisfy the foreign language requirement.

102 - A student placing in 102 has satisfied the requirement, but needs to complete this course before taking 200-level courses, which count towards the language major.

201 & 202 - A student placing at these levels has satisfied the requirement, but is strongly advised to enroll in the appropriate course to continue studying the language.

Note that students. . .

  •  are strongly urged to begin and continue their language study in their first year at Guilford.
  • whose first language is not English are not required to take a foreign language.
  • with a documented learning difference might have the requirement waived by substituting the language 101 course with a course that focuses on the culture or society of a non-English speaking country or region. Students must contact Kimberly Garner at the Learning Commons to process the waiver. Substitute courses are posted at the Learning Commons and cannot double count.