Foreign Language (0-12 hours)
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:
Language Study
Students completing the language requirement through study at Wheaton College must 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, 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 on the Placement Testing page.
- For classical languages (GREK, HEBR, LATN), course placement will be determined by a written placement test offered at the beginning of each academic semester. Register online on the Placement Testing page.
- Language courses that serve as academic preparation for completion of the Language Competency Requirement must be taken for credit and cannot be taken pass/fail.
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
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.
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 in an approved language, will have satisfied the requirement. Students whose oral proficiency in a language other than English is assessed at the ACTFL “Intermediate-Mid” level based on an official OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) or OPIc (Oral Proficiency Interview-computer) test administered by Language Testing International (LTI) will have fulfilled the language competency requirement. (Note: LTI OPI and OPIc testing must be proctored by a faculty or staff member from the Dept. of Modern and Classical Languages.)
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 Latin, Ancient Greek, or Classical Hebrew who pass an MCL Department Language Competency Exam will have satisfied the competency requirement.
Language Competency Test
- 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. Register online to take a language competency test.
- The Language Competency Requirement must be completed by the end of the junior year.
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 College.
- Students whose entire high school curriculum (all written and oral instruction in every subject), was completed 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.
Test Scores and Course Credit
Modern Languages
|
Language Test Score |
Course Credit Received |
Competency |
|
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 |
|
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 |
Reference the Wheaton College 2019-2020 Course Catalog for a more complete description of the Core Competency Language Requirement.
* The language competency information on this page applies to students who matriculated at Wheaton College in fall 2019.