Languages and Cultures

Placement Information

Do you wonder what level language course you should be taking? Check out our guide below to help save time and money by not repeating prior learning and to continue to develop knowledge and skills from prior learning.

Where to start

Enroll in...

  • 101 if you have never taken a class in that language.
  • 101 if you have studied that language only in middle school but not in high school.
  • 101 if you had one year of study of that language in high school.
  • 101 if you have not studied that language in the past 3 years.
  • 102 if you studied the language for 2 or 3 years in high school.
  • 102 if you have not studied that language in the past 3 years. If you are not certain, take the placement exam in the Testing Center.
  • 201 if you studied the language for 3 or 4 years in high school. If you are not certain, take the placement exam in the Testing Center.
  • 201 if you participated in the "Senior to Sophomore" program in high school.
  • 202 if you studied the language for 4 or more years in high school. If you are not certain, take the placement exam in the Testing Center.
  • 220 if you studied the language for 4 or more years in high school. If you are not certain, take the placement exam in the Testing Center.
  • 301 if you studied the language for 4 or more years in high school. If you are not certain, take the placement exam in the Testing Center.

The 101 classes are for students with no previous study of the language - the true beginners.

Credit-by-Exam

Minnesota State Board Policy allows students option to validate previous learning via Credit-by-Exam. Interested students enrolling above 101 may complete the Credi-by-Exam form and pay for the desired credits (at a reduced rate) prior to the 10th day of the semester. This option applies only at the time of the initial entry into the program and only for those with no prior college-level study of language. The higher the initial enrollment, the greater number of credits students may purchase. Students earn those credits by earning a course grade of B- or higher in that initial course completed. Students may find the Placement exam a good indicator of initial placement.

Enroll in...

  • 102, may purchase 4 credits for 101.
  • 201, may purchase 4 credits for 102 or 8 credits for 102 and 101.
  • 202, may purchase 4 credits for 201 or 8 credits for 201 and 102 or 12 credits for 210, 102 and 101.

Credit via Standardized Tests

Students may also take the CLEP test for credits based upon previous experience. The test is administered in the Welcome Center Testing Center, a few blocks from St. Cloud State’s main campus. The fee for the exam is $80, plus a $30 non-refundable test administration free. You can find more detailed information about testing and test location at our Testing Center website.

Students entering the Languages and Cultures program and who have earned a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement exam will automatically earn credits for their previous experience.

If you earned the AP score of ...

  • 3, you will automatically earn 4 credits. You should enroll in 202.
  • 4, you will automatically earn 8 credits. You should enroll in 220.
  • 5, you will automatically earn 10 credits. You should enroll in 301.

Special Circumstances

Native speakers (those who lived and studied in the country where the language is spoken) are strongly encouraged to enroll in 301 or to take the Placement Exam. Heritage speakers (those who spoke the language at home but did not study it formally) are encouraged to take the Placement Exam.