Oct 08, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog

Language Proficiency Requirement


The College community values learning a language other than English as a part of the foundation of a liberal arts education. Language proficiency enhances our students’ educational experience and the skills needed to compete in a globalized world. To ensure students in CHABSS acquire this essential skill, majors in American Indian Studies; Anthropology; Art, Media, and Design; Child and Adolescent Development; Communication; Criminology and Justice Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Geography; Global Studies; History; Liberal Studies Elementary Subject Matter; Linguistics^; Literature and Writing Studies; Media Studies; Political Science; Psychological Science; Social Sciences; Sociology (all concentrations); Theatre Arts; and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies must meet a second-language proficiency requirement. This is satisfied with a 200-level class or by demonstrating proficiency in a language other than English. 

This requirement can be met in one of the following ways:

  • having completed the equivalent of one intermediate-level course (i.e. 200 level - excluding courses focused solely on oral conversation skills) in any language other than English at the college or community college level, with a C grade or better or CR grade (including study abroad). For many students, this will mean a three-course sequence to successfully complete the 200-level course. One of the courses used to meet this requirement will be used to satisfy the CSUSM C-3 (Arts and/or Humanities) General Education requirement;
  • having demonstrated intermediate-level language proficiency according to the latest American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines, which is currently assessed via a CSUSM Proficiency Exam;
  • having successfully received a score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement Foreign Language Examination;
  • having successfully received a score of 4 or higher on an International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher-Level Language A Literature Exam, or Language A Language and Literature Exam;
  • having taken a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Language Examination and received the following minimum score:
    • French Level II: 59
    • German Level II: 60
    • Spanish Level II: 63
  • having been required to take the TOEFL or other CSUSM-approved English language exam as a condition for admission into the University;
  • having completed at least three years full-time at a high-school or university where English was not the principal language of instruction;

 

CSUSM accepts American Sign Language (ASL) in fulfillment of this requirement. Proficiency in ASL may be demonstrated by the following:

  • having completed the equivalent of an intermediate-level ASL course (excluding courses focused on deaf culture or fingerspelling) at the college level, with a C grade or higher;
  • having completed a K-12 mainstream program using ASL interpreters;
  • having completed a K-12 deaf and hard-of-hearing full-time program.

Note: The language proficiency requirement cannot be met with computer languages.

^Linguistics majors must complete a fourth semester language proficiency requirement. 

The following programs have a language proficiency requirement:

Go to American Indian Studies, B.A. 
Go to Anthropology, B.A.  
Go to Art, Media, and Design, Art and Visual Culture (AVC) Option, B.A.  
Go to Art, Media, and Design, Digital and Media Arts (DAMA) Option, B.A.  
Go to Child and Adolescent Development, B.A.  
Go to Communication, B.A.  
Go to Criminology and Justice Studies, B.A.*  
Go to Environmental Studies, B.A. 
Go to Ethnic Studies, B.A.  
Go to Geography, B.A. 
Go to Global Studies, B.A.  
Go to History, B.A. 
Go to Liberal Studies, Teaching - Elementary Subject Matter Preparation (ESM), B.A.  
Go to Linguistics, B.A. 
Go to Literature and Writing Studies, B.A.  
Go to Media Studies, B.A. 
Go to Political Science, B.A.  
Go to Psychological Science, B.A.  
Go to Social Sciences, B.A.  
Go to Sociology, Standard Concentration, B.A.* 
Go to Sociology, Aging and the Life Course Concentration, B.A. 
Go to Sociology, Children, Youth, and Families Concentration, B.A.  
Go to Sociology, Critical Race Studies Concentration, B.A.  
Go to Sociology, Health, Education, and Welfare Concentration, B.A.  
Go to Theatre, B.A.  
Go to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, B.A.