World Language and Culture proficiency is a requirement for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Associate of Arts (AA) degree. The world language requirement recognizes the desirability of attaining basic mastery of a language other than one's own. To fulfill the language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts or Associate of Arts degree, a student must demonstrate proficiency through the appropriate college-level course in a single language (French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Latin, Arabic, or Chinese) by either:
- Completing the first 12 credit hours of the language (four semesters, through 204, or higher), or
- Completing the fourth semester of the language (204) or higher, if advanced placement is recommended. By achieving a grade of B or better in the USI language course in which they are placed then completing a World Languages & Cultures Departmental Challenge Exam form and paying the challenge exam fee, the student can earn credit for all preceding courses. Students who are a native (or near native) speaker of a language other than English and were educated outside the U.S. where the main language of instruction was not English are not eligible to earn challenge exam credit for courses in their native language.
Students whose native or first language is not English may request a waiver from the world language proficiency requirement for a BA or AA degree. A student who requests a waiver must (1) certify English competency by achievement of a minimum of 500 on the written Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 173 on the computer-based version, and (2) demonstrate proficiency in the student’s native language. Students who receive an exemption from the world language proficiency requirement are still responsible for completing the C4 Western Culture requirements (if under the University Core Curriculum) or the BS Skills requirements (if under Core 39), as well as all other credit hour requirements for the degree.
