Spanish & Portuguese Placement

Planning to take Spanish or Portuguese? Let's place you in the right spot.

Language Placement Guide

The Language Placement Guidelines for Incoming Students shows course placement, credit awarded, and Gen Ed requirement for the number of years of high school language, AP Spanish test scores, IB exam scores, and CLEP exam scores.  

Students and advisors should choose the category below that best applies to the student’s individual situation:

• Spanish-speaking home environment
• High School Coursework
• AP Spanish Language Exam Score
• AP Spanish Literature Exam Score
• IB Exam Score
• CLEP Exam Score
• Heritage Language Learners. Individualized Placement based on a recommendation by an instructor, an advisor, or the Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies
  
  General Note: Students MAY NOT be granted a General Education language waiver AFTER having initiated language studies at the College and completed a Hispanic Studies’ SPAN or PORT language course below the fourth semester level unless there are special warranted circumstances as determined by the Hispanic Studies Department Chair.

Spanish-speaking home environment

If you answer YES to one or more of the following statements, please see the Department of
Hispanic Studies to take the Placement Exam for Spanish Heritage Learners (HLL):

1. When I was a child, Spanish was spoken in my home.
2. My first language is Spanish.
3. I speak Spanish, or both Spanish and English, with family, friends, or community members.
4. My family members often speak to me in Spanish.

For students who grew up in a Spanish-speaking home environment, the departmentally- administered HLL placement test will provide the most appropriate course placement. (See the HLL Placement Test Scoring Guidelines category below)

For students who answer NO to ALL of the above questions, please consult the following categories to determine the one that is the most appropriate or consult with the Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies.

High School Coursework

*Students who are placed into SPAN 275 and wish to automatically satisfy the General Education language requirement without completing SPAN 275 must contact the Hispanic Studies Chair to take a placement test to confirm proficiency.

AP Spanish Language Exam Score

**References to “levels,” refer to levels in the SPAN major and minor courses of study.
† Majoring or minoring students will replace the three credit hours of SPAN 275 with any 300-
or 400-level approved SPAN course. Please consult with an advisor for degree planning.

AP Spanish Literature Exam Score

IB Exam Score

CLEP Exam Score

Heritage Language Learners

Heritage Language Learners will be identified by a brief initial screening questionnaire and referred to the Department of Hispanic Studies for appropriate placement. Students will speak to an advisor in the department and take the Intermediate-Advanced Spanish Exam (IASE) placement exam developed by Georgia State University. The online test will then be followed by a brief oral interview with the Chair of Hispanic Studies.

*Students who are placed into SPAN 275 or higher based on their IASE score must contact the
Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies to arrange for an oral interview to confirm that SPAN 275+ is the most appropriate course placement.