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Foreign Language Interest Inventory

Foreign Language Placement and Planning

The Requirement

Whether continuing the study of a language or starting a new language, 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 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 contact the professor listed and share your intention to begin studying a new language.
  4. 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.
For placement in Spanish and Russian:

Follow the directions below and click here to place into one of these two languages. Please keep in mind that you MUST take one of these exams BEFORE you may be placed in one of these courses.

  • Online placement exams exist for: Spanish and Russian. (Link is above).
    • If you have background in one or more of these languages, take a placement exam on line before June 1
    • Your password is: tigers1
    • On the second page you will be asked for an ID Number - enter your birthday (07/04/1776)
  • The password for Sewanee students for the on-line tests is: tigers1
  • Even if you do not intend to pursue further the language you have studied previously, you should take the placement exam.
  • Taking the placement exam DOES NOT commit you to taking that foreign language at Sewanee this fall or in the future.
  • Go ahead and take one or more of the placement exams.

For more information on these languages, feel free to contact the following professors:

For placement in French, German, and Latin:

Follow the directions below to place into one of these three languages. Please keep in mind that you MUST take one of these tests BEFORE you may be placed in one of these courses.

  • Online placement tests exist for French, German, and Latin (see links below).
  • Take the French test
  • Take the German test. Part two is located here.
  • Take the Latin test
  • Even if you do not intend to pursue further the language you have studied previously, you should take the placement test.
  • Taking the placement test DOES NOT commit you to taking that foreign language at Sewanee this fall or in the future.

For more information on these languages, feel free to contact the following professors:

For placement in Japanese, Italian, Greek or Chinese:

Completion of a foreign language placement exam is not required for Japanese, Italian, Greek or Chinese, but you may contact the following professors for more information.