The Requirement
All students graduating from Sewanee must pass a 300-level course (or higher) in one of the languages we offer: Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish or Russian.
- If you are starting a language at the beginning, it will take four semesters to complete this requirement.
- Sewanee language courses are arranged in the order 103, 104, 203, and 300-level. The 103 and 104 classes are considered elementary; 203 is intermediate; 300-level courses and beyond are advanced.
- To receive AP or IB course credit in foreign language, a student taking that language must begin at the appropriate advanced level. In other words, a student with AP or IB course credit may not register for 203 or below.
- Our placement exams and surveys may enable you to start at the 200- or 300-level and to complete the requirement in only one or two semesters.
Plan Ahead!
- Because foreign language study usually takes more semesters to complete than other general distribution requirements, good planning is essential. Take a placement test in any language you have studied, and select carefully the language you intend to study during your Sewanee years. If you are starting a new language, it will take four semesters to complete the requirement. Most first-year students enroll in a language class.
Before registering for courses, you must take a placement exam or placement survey for at least one language.
1. Take a placement exam in a language you have studied, whether you plan to continue in that langauge at Sewanee or not. Click on one of the languages below to begin the process.
You may take more than one exam; you may also take an exam more than once to improve your score. We expect that you will do your best on each exam and respond honestly to the survey questions.
2. If you plan to start a new language at Sewanee, a language different from the one for which you just took the placement exam, please click on your choice and answer some questions.
3. Based on your placement score and/or your responses to the survey questions, a faculty member in the langauges will inform the Registrar about the course or courses most appropriate for you. The Registrar will e-mail you about your placement.
