Advanced Placement & Credit

Who Must Take the Exam?

Most incoming students are required to take a short exam to determine their level in the language sequence. There are five exceptions to this requirement: 1) students who will study Chinese; 2) students who did not study a foreign language in high school at all; 3) students who studied a foreign language in high school that is not offered at Southwestern; 4) students who are certain they will study a language offered at Southwestern that is different from the one they studied in high school; 5) students who are transferring college-level foreign language credit from another institution.

If one of these exceptions applies to you, please email Dr. Bill Christensen at christew@southwestern.edu with “Language placement exception” in the subject line of the message. In the body of the message include your full name and which of the exceptions applies to you. Use your SU email address to send the message. Please do not send the message under this subject heading if none of these exceptions applies to you.

If you have advanced proficiency in a language not taught at Southwestern, you may contact Dr. Christensen to see what arrangements can be made to test you in that language.

Please note that having taken the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam does not exempt you from taking this placement exam.

Also note that even if you are certain you will study a language at Southwestern you did not study in high school, it is nevertheless highly advisable that you go ahead and take the placement test in the language you have studied. Taking the test is in no way binding, and if you place high enough you may earn course credit and thereby save time and tuition money in completing your degree plan.