Applies to students who matriculated at Wheaton College in fall 2018
Students at Wheaton College shall demonstrate linguistic proficiency in either a modern or classical language to fulfill the Core Curriculum Language Competency Requirement. This can be achieved by one of the following means.
1. Language Study: Students may take and pass with a C- or above a semester-long (four-credit) course in a modern or classical language at Wheaton at the intermediate level (201 or 209) or above (upper division, 300-level) to satisfy the requirement.
- All undergraduate students who anticipate completing competency via language study must take a placement test and follow the recommendation of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages (MCL) in order to enroll in a modern or classical languages course.
- For modern languages (CHIN, FREN, SPAN, and GERM), placement tests may be taken online at any time during the academic year. Register online.
- For classical languages (GREK, HEBR, LATN), course placement (except for students who plan to register for GREK, LATN or HEBR 101) will be determined by a written placement test offered at the beginning of each academic semester. Register online.
- N.B. 100-level language courses serve as academic preparation for the intermediate-level, 201 course and may not be taken pass/fail, nor as an audit unless the Language Competency Requirement has already been completed.
2. Transfer Credit: Students may transfer one intermediate-level (or upper division) modern or classical language semester course (passed with a C- or above) from a four-year accredited college or university or two intermediate-level semester courses (both of which must have been completed and passed with a C- or above) from a two-year college[1] to satisfy the requirement. Courses taken abroad may also be considered on a case-by-case basis with prior approval by the MCL Dept. (N.B. Online modern languages courses are not accepted.)
3. Test Score:
Modern Languages: Students who received a minimum score of 580 on a College Board SAT Subject Test with a reading component, a 3 or higher on an AP Exam, a 4 or higher on an IB Exam (Higher Level [HL]), or who have been awarded the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy[2] in an approved language, will have satisfied the requirement. Students whose oral proficiency in a language other than English is assessed at the ACTFL[3] “Intermediate-Mid” level based on an official OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) or OPIc (Oral Proficiency Interview-computer) test administered by Language Testing International (LTI)[4] will have fulfilled the language competency requirement. (N.B. LTI OPI and OPIc testing must be proctored by a faculty or staff member from the Dept. of Modern and Classical Languages.)[5]
Classical Languages: Students of Latin who received a minimum score of 640 on a College Board SAT Subject Test with a reading component, a 4 or higher on an AP Exam, a 5 or higher on an IB Exam (Higher Level [HL]), or who have been awarded the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy for Latin, will have satisfied the competency requirement. Students of Ancient Greek or Classical Hebrew who pass an MCL Department Language Competency Exam will have satisfied the competency requirement.
- Students who are attempting to fulfill the language competency requirement via an LTI OPI or OPIc test (for modern languages) or by departmental competency exam (for classical languages) must do so before the end of the first year after matriculation at Wheaton. The test may be taken only once to satisfy the requirement.
- The Language Competency Requirement must be completed by the end of the junior year.
- Four hours from an intermediate-level dual enrollment course will be accepted if validated by an ACTFL OPI or OPIc rating of “Intermediate-Mid” via LTI testing proctored by the Dept. of Modern and Classical Languages.
Exemptions from the Core Language Competency Requirement:
- International students (non-native speakers of English) who have fulfilled the English proficiency requirements for admission to Wheaton https://www.wheaton.edu/undergraduate-admissions/apply-to-wheaton/about-the-admissions-process/how-to-apply-as-an-international-student/english-proficiency-requirements/
- Students who have completed four years of high school coursework (oral and written) in a language other than English (transcript validation required).
- Students with approved disability exemptions may take 12 hours of Global Perspectives (GP) tagged courses to fulfill the Language Competency Requirement.
Modern Languages
| *Language Test Score | Course Credit Received | Competency Requirement Met? |
|---|---|---|
| AP = 3 | 4 hours (201) | yes |
| AP = 4,5 | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| IB (HL) = 4,5 | 4 hours (201) | yes |
| IB (HL) = 6,7 | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| SAT Subject Test = 580-639 | 4 hours (201) | yes |
| SAT Subject Test = 640 or above | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| LTI = Intermediate-Mid | 4 hours (201) | yes |
| LTI = Intermediate-High | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| IL State Seal of Biliteracy | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
Latin
| *Language Test Score | Course Credit Received | Competency Requirement Met? |
|---|---|---|
| AP = 3 | 4 hours (102) | no |
| AP = 4,5 | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| IB (HL) = 4 | 4 hours (102) | no |
| IB (HL) = 5,6,7 | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| SAT Subject Test = 580-639 | 4 hours (102) | no |
| SAT Subject Test = 640 or above | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
| IL State Seal of Biliteracy | 8 hours (201 + upper-division course) | yes |
[1] A two-year college or university is defined as an associate degree-granting institution of higher learning (also known as a community or junior college). See the American Association of Community Colleges website (https://www.aacc.nche.edu/) for a list of community colleges in the United States.
[2] State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) award requirements vary from state to state. SSB insignia awarded to students by other U.S. states will be evaluated and approved on a case-by-case basis. (See http://sealofbiliteracy.org/state-guidelines)
[3] ACTFL = American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. For ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012, see https://www.actfl.org/publications/guidelines-and-manuals/actfl-proficiency-guidelines-2012
[4] Language Testing International is the exclusive licensee of ACTFL (https://www.languagetesting.com/).
[5] Students will be charged the following fees for LTI testing: OPIc = $105; OPI = $159. The ACE (American Council on Education) fee for college credit recommendation and transcripting of the LTI result is $20. (*N.B. Rates subject to change w/o notice.)