The ability to use a language other than English to communicate, interpret, and present information is essential for success in the 21st century. It demonstrates that you can be flexible in difficult situations and adaptable in new environments. It also shows that you have the capacity to see the world through multiple perspectives.
To fulfill the Language Proficiency Requirement, students must demonstrate proficiency through the 201 or equivalent (intermediate) level.
The Language Proficiency Requirement can be satisfied in a number of ways.
For most students, the traditional pathway toward fulfilling the language proficiency requirement includes:
Take your language courses early! If you're starting at the 101 level, it will require 3 semesters of work to complete the sequence. Language learning is cumulative. Some students who do not take their courses consecutively have needed to repeat courses due to forgotten material.
Students with intermediate language proficiency in their native/target/heritage language may elect to take one of the following courses:
Students with heritage proficiency in the following languages may elect to take WLC 212: Language and Culture for Heritage Speakers (4 units)*:
Other languages will depend on the local availability of a qualified assessor.
* Students should be advised that registration in these courses requires permission numbers; contact wlc@csumb.edu or (831) 582-3863 for more information. Permission numbers will given to students who meet one of the following enrollment requirements:
Students who score a 4 or 5 on the following AP Exams have satisfied the Language Proficiency Requirement:
Students who score a 6 or 7 on the Foreign Language (HL) A1, A2, or B exam have satisfied the Language Proficiency Requirement. Note: the SL Exam does not meet the requirement.
Students who score a 59 or above on the CLEP Level II in French, 60 in Level II German, or 63 in Level II Spanish have satisfied the Language Proficiency Requirement.
Students who score below these levels on the CLEP should determine appropriate placement in order to complete the requirement.
If you have previous education in a language and plan on continuing to study that language at CSUMB, the School of World Languages and Cultures encourages you to enroll in an appropriate level of study based on your experience. Here is some information to help you find the appropriate level:
One year of high school language study is typically considered equivalent to one semester of college language study.
Therefore, students with two years of high school language study should enroll at the 102 level of the language previously studied. Students with three years of high school study should start at 201.
High School Students that have scored a 3 on the Japanese or Spanish AP exams identified above should enroll at the 201 level to complete the Language Proficiency Requirement.
IB Students who score 5 or below on the IB should consult WLC faculty to determine appropriate placement; suggested placement is 101 for a score of 4 or below; 102 for a score of 5.
Transfer Students may look to Assist.org to find the relationship and articulation agreement between your school and CSUMB.
You may elect to take this online exam to assist in determining the most appropriate placement for you. The test takes about 20-30 minutes to complete and will then send your score to your email address.
You can access the test at: http://webcape.org/?acct=csumb and the password is otters1.
The following junior transfer students are exempted from the language proficiency requirement:
High unit majors at CSUMB include:
The Faculty members from the School of World Languages & Cultures are able to assist you with correct placement in language courses at CSUMB.
For American Sign Language: Darby Campbell at dcampbell@csumb.edu.
For Japanese Language: Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott at ysaito-abbott@csumb.edu OR Dr. Shigeko Sekine at ssekine@csumb.edu
For Spanish Language: Students with last names that start with A-M should contact Dr. Christine Fernandez at chrfernandez@csumb.edu regarding placement and advising. Students with last names that start with N-Z should contact Dr. Rafael Gomez at rgomez@csumb.edu regarding placement and advising.
Note: Most faculty are not regularly available during the summer; please be sure to allow enough time before registration if you have questions or concerns about placement.