Meeting the CSUMB Language Requirement enables you to be able to communicate with culturally appropriate manners at an intermediate level in a world language other than English. Further, you must demonstrate a basic knowledge of cultural products, practices and perspectives of the target culture.
Students are assumed to begin language study at the 102 level and are required to demonstrate proficiency through the 201 (intermediate) level. Students may be able to use one language course to fulfill the C3 GE Area.
Transfer Students
Transfer Students entering into (and graduating from) a high unit major who are either Area A-E complete, or who transfer into CSUMB with 60 or more units are exempted from the language requirement. However, students who have not completed Area C requirements, must do so selecting approved courses in the C1 or C2 areas.
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Computer Science and Information Technology
- Environmental Sciences, Technology & Policy
- Liberal Studies
- Liberal Studies Multiple Subject Integrated Program
- Marine Science
- Mathematics
Freshmen with Qualifying Advancement Placement (AP) Test Scores
Students entering CSUMB who have passed the Chinese Language and Culture, French Language, German Language, Italian Language (~2009), Japanese Language and Culture or Spanish Language Advanced Placement exam with a score of 3 or above are awarded six credits.
Students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP Exam have satisfied the Language Requirement. Students who score a 3 on the AP Exam in Japanese Language and Culture or Spanish Language should determine appropriate placement at CSUMB in order to complete the requriement. Spanish student should take a placement exam; Japanese students should confer with Japanese Faculty.
Placement
Students with two years of high school language study should enroll at the 102 level of the language you studied previously. Students with three years of study should start at 201.
Additional placement accuracy is provided for students of Spanish through the online Spanish Language Placement exam that can help you place in a course appropriate to your level. Scoring high on this test will not earn you units, but will simply place you in an appropriate course. The test takes about 20-30 minutes to complete and will then post your score to your email address. Spanish Placement Exam access information can be found at http://catalog.csumb.edu/undergrad-education/university-learning-requirements/language/placement
Assessment of Prior Learning
Students may be able to meet the language requirement through assessment of prior learning in the following languages: Arabic (ARAB), American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese (CANT), Farsi (FRSI), French (FREN), German (GERM), Hebrew (HEBR), Italian (ITAL), Japanese (JAPN), Korean (KOREAN), Mandarin (MAND), Polish (POL), Portuguese (PORT), Russian (RUS), Spanish (SPAN), Tagalog (TAG), Thai (THAI), Turkish (TURK) and Vietnamese (VIET). Students may enroll in the sections of language levels 101, 102, 201 or 202 with course sections "99". Contact the School of World Languages and Cultures for permission numbers to add these sections.