Language Competency Requirement 2017-2018

Applies to students who matriculated in fall 2017

How to Pass Language Competency

The Christ at the Core Foreign Language requirement is comprised of two components: demonstrating intermediate-level Language Competency and showing Cultural Understanding. Fulfilling this requirement may be done in a number of ways depending on how many years of foreign language study you had in high school and whether you have done other qualifying work prior to entering Wheaton College.

If you studied a language taught at Wheaton College

If you studied French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish, and did NOT take the AP, SAT Subject, or IB tests in a foreign language, then satisfying the Foreign Language Requirement will depend on how many years of high school study you had.

 If you took a test in a language taught at Wheaton College

If you have taken either the AP, the SAT Subject or IB tests in a foreign language offered at Wheaton (French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew or Latin), you may satisfy your Foreign Language Requirement as follows: (Please note that results must be sent to Wheaton College prior to enrollment.)

Advanced Placement Test (AP)

SAT II Subject Test (French, German or Spanish)

SAT II Subject Test (Mandarin Chinese)

SAT II Subject Test (Latin)

SAT II Subject Test (HEBREW)

IB Higher Level

 IB Standard Level

If you studied a language not taught at Wheaton College

If you took a SAT Subject Test in a language not taught at Wheaton and scored 500 or above, Language Competency is met but Cultural Understanding needs to be demonstrated (see section below on Cultural Understanding). If you scored below 500, consult with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. Please note that results must be sent to Wheaton College prior to enrollment.

If all four (4) years of all your high school instruction, written and oral, were in a language other than English, you may apply to waive the Foreign Language Requirement – both Language Competency and Cultural Understanding.

If you plan to take a competency test proctored by Modern and Classical Languages

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages has access to examinations for many world languages, but cannot guarantee that it can provide a language competency exam for every request. If you hope to take a language competency exam in a language NOT taught at Wheaton College, in order to ensure that an exam is available, you must turn in your request/application form as soon as possible at the beginning of your first semester as a student here.

The exam must be taken by the end of your sophomore year or by the end of your second semester if you enter Wheaton as a transfer student with junior or senior status. Test availability may change without notice; thus, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages offers language competency examinations in languages not taught at Wheaton only when an acceptable examination and a qualified examiner are available. Exam fees will vary depending on the provider and no academic credits will be given for passing.

NOTE: Cultural Understanding will still need to be demonstrated (see the following section on Cultural Understanding).

CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

Students who meet Language Competency via independent testing (no coursework at Wheaton College) will need to demonstrate Cultural Understanding via one of the options listed below:

Foreign Language Course Sequence

NOTE: Students may not take any classes for the purpose of preparing for the Language Competency Exam as a pass/fail course, nor as an audit. Students who withdraw from a 201 intermediate language class after Fall or Spring Break will not be eligible to take the Language Competency Exam that same semester.