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Who needs to take the placement exam

Students who wish to continue with the same foreign language studied in high school must take the proficiency examination prior to registering for the desired foreign language course.

Students who have received unofficial training in a language (spoken at home or workplace, study abroad, etc..) are encouraged to take the proficiency examination to determine appropriate level of placement or exemption.

Who does NOT need to take the placement exam

If students wish to study a different foreign language in which they have no prior training, they may register directly for beginning levels (113 or 120) in that language.

THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

All students enrolled in an Associate in Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Art, Communications, Dramatic Arts, or Music must demonstrate intermediate competency in a foreign language. The foreign language requirement can be satisfied by:

completing level 113, 114 and 213 of the same foreign language;
OR completing level 120 and 220 of the same foreign language;
OR by taking a placement exam.

Exemptions

Students can demonstrate proficiency in a language and be exempted from the 1st, 2nd or 3rd level of a foreign language by completing the placement test. For example, students can be exempted from taking 113 by achieving a passing grade for level 113 on the placement test. Students in this category will only need to take the remaining two courses (114-213) to complete the language requirement.

Those students who achieve a passing grade for level 215 (4th level) and above on the placement test are automatically exempted from the language requirement.

PLEASE NOTE: EXEMPTION WILL NOT GRANT CREDITS TOWARDS THE DEGREE.

Students possessing a foreign high school degree from a non-English speaking country will receive an automatic exemption from the foreign language requirement.

PLACEMENT TEST

All students with prior training in one of the foreign languages taught at CSI must take a placement exam to determine placement at an appropriate level, if they wish to continue studying the same language. If students wish to study a different foreign language in which they have no prior training, they may register directly for beginning levels (113 or 120) in that language.

ARABIC, FRENCH, ITALIAN, SPANISH: Proficiency tests are administered at the Modern Languages Media Center 2S-114. Exams are given on a walk-in basis during specific times of the academic year. Check the CALENDAR OF TESTING

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: Students interested in taking a placement exam for American Sign Language should contact Professor Dorey Houle at dorey.houle@csi.cuny.edu.

CHINESE: Students interested in taking a placement exam for Mandarin Chinese should contact Professor Chao Li at chao.li@csi.cuny.edu

OTHER LANGUAGES: Students who wish to demonstrate proficiency at the 213-level in a language for which CSI does not administer the proficiency exam should contact the Department of World Languages and Literatures or the Modern Languages Media Center to receive information regarding taking the placement test somewhere else.

RESULTS OF PLACEMENT EXAMS

113/120	Students who place at level 113/120 must take 3 courses (113-114-213) or 2 six-credits courses (120-220) to complete the language requirement.
114	Students who place at level 114 must take 2 courses (114-213) to complete the language requirement.
213	Students who place at level 213 must take 1 course (213) to complete the language requirement. Students who place at the 213 level must see an advisor at the World Languages and Literatures department.
215	Students who place at level 215 receive an exemption from the language requirement. However, students who place at the 215 level must see an advisor at the World Languages and Literatures department.
313	Students who place at level 313 receive an exemption from the language requirement. However, students who place at the 313 level must see an advisor at the World Languages and Literatures department.