Foreign Language Placement

While at the University of Louisville, you may continue the study of a language from high school or begin the study of a new language.  The Department of Classical and Modern Languages offers instruction in 10 languages:

  • Arabic
  • American Sign Language
  • Chinese
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Japanese
  • Latin
  • Russian
  • Spanish as a Second Language
  • Spanish as a Heritage Language

 

If you wish to continue studying a foreign language begun in high school, you must take a placement exam to determine the level of competency. Information on all our placement exams and procedures can be found here.

If you studied Spanish as a Second Language, French, Russian or German, you must take a placement exam before registering for classes. This exam can be taken on any computer with an Internet connection. You may be eligible to receive course credit (up to 18 hours) for any course you test out of. Students who place above the first 12 hours of basic language instruction will be able to complete their language requirement with one three-hour class while receiving credit for courses placed out of.

Go to the placement exam.


Students who speak languages other than English

The ACTFL OPI Oral Proficiency exam can be taken by any student who speaks a language other than English and would like to fulfill their language requirement and earn language credits.  A rating of Intermediate low or higher on this test will give you 12 hours of lower-level language credit.  If you test in a language that we teach, you will receive credit in in that language (for example, Arabic 121,122, 123).  If you test in a language that we don't offer (for example Hindi, Korean, etc.), you will receive credit for ML 121, ML 122, ML 123.  This will satisfy the language requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences.  If you are student in another unit, please check with your advisor. Click here for more information.