Language Placement

Department of Modern Languages and Literature Placement Summary

 
Foreign Language Placement

Students are normally placed in language courses on the basis of years of a language taken in high school, CEEB Achievement Test score, or the departmental equivalent (instructor’s test, interview, or questionnaire). Students may change levels within a language during the first two weeks of class. Students who consider themselves capable of higher–level performance may apply to the instructor during the first two weeks of the semester for more advanced placement. They may also be allowed by the departmental chair to be admitted for credit to a lower level language course after consultation with the instructor. Students who have had three years or more of a language in high school and drop to first–semester level will not receive credit for the course unless written exemption is obtained from the chair of Modern Languages and Literature.

 
Advanced Placement credit 
Credit based on Advanced Placement or SAT-II exam scores is only awarded for courses at the Intermediate level. Credit is not awarded for Elementary I or II (language 001 or 002).
 
Exam Score Credit
AP score of 2 or
SAT-II score of 510-520
0 credits
placement in 002 (Elementary II), 2nd semester
AP score of 3 or
SAT-II score of 520 to 590
0 credits
placement in 011 (Intermediate I), 3rd semester
AP score of 4 or
SAT-II score of 600 to 690
4 credits
placement in 012 (Intermediate II), 4th semester
AP score of 5 or
SAT-II score of 700 or above
8 credits maximum
 
Guidelines for placement based on previous language study 
These guidelines indicate the student's minimum placement level for continuation of language study at Lehigh.
Previous Language Study Minimum Placement
0 to 2 years before grades 11 and 12 Elementary I level for French, German or Spanish 001
0 to years at any time Elementary I level for Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, or Russian 001
3 years total or 2 years in grades 11 and 12 Elementary II level for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish 002
3 to 4 years Intermediate I level for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish 011
5 years,
AP score of 3, or
SAT-II score of 520 to 590
Intermediate II level for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish 012
AP score of 4 or 5 or
SAT-II score of 700 or above
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish 141;
French 143
German 163, 165, 167
 
For questions about language placement please reach out to the appropriate professor: 
Chinese: Professor Constance Cook - cac8@lehigh.edu
French: Professor Taieb Berrada - tab409@lehigh.edu
German: Professor Vera Stegmann - vss2@lehigh.edu
Japanese: Professor Kiri Lee - kjl2@lehigh.edu
Russian: Professor Mary Nicholas - man3@lehigh.edu
Spanish: Professor Matt Bush - mab508@lehigh.edu