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Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

Policy on Advanced Placement & Transfer Credit

Revised Fall 2008

General Advanced Placement Policy:

On the basis of the evaluation by the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures of a student's previous foreign language training and/or test scores, (s)he may enter at a level higher than 1010 in a language. If (s)he makes a grade of C or higher, (s)he will receive up to 8 hours of credits for advanced placement in addition to the credits for the course taken. For example, a student who enters a language at the 2010 level, upon completing that course with a C or higher, will receive up to 8 lower division hours (ungraded), equivalent to 1010 and 1020.

If a student does not earn the minimum grade of C to receive advanced placement, (s)he may enter at a lower level or re-enter the same level and receive advanced placement by earning a C or better. Students who fail a course at the 1000 or 2000 level must repeat that course before continuing to the next-higher course.

While eligible for advanced placement as indicated above, students who are native speakers in a foreign language may begin courses in that language only at the 3000-level or higher excluding conversation courses altogether if they have received substantial academic preparation in that same language (such as the French Baccalaureat, the German Abitur, the Spanish Bachillerato, or higher).

Students who are either foreign or U.S. ethnic native speakers in a foreign language, but with minimal or limited academic preparation therein, may begin courses in that language only at the 2000-level or higher unless granted permission by the advisor. If special situations arise, such as foreign language learning through extensive residence abroad, the advisor for the specific language involved will make an appropriate entry-level determination, within the framework of these guidelines, upon request of the instructor in whose class the student is enrolled.

The Following are Additional Examples of How a Student May Earn Advanced Placement Credit:

  1. College Board Advanced Placement Exam scores of 4 or 5 will earn the student up to 8 lower division hours (ungraded), equivalent to 1010 and 1020, and thus fulfill the College of Liberal Arts core language requirement. Students who wish to do further work in the language for which this AP credit was received should consult with the undergraduate advisor for appropriate placement.

    College Board Advanced Placement Exam score of 3 will earn the student up to 4 lower division hours (ungraded) equivalent to 1010; the student may enroll in 1020 or 2010 to fulfill the College of Liberal Arts core language requirement.

    PLEASE NOTE: Scores for these exams must be reported to Auburn University by the College Board. Student reports of scores earned must be substantiated by College Board documentation.
  2. If a student enters at a level higher than 2010 in a skills course, (s)he will receive advanced placement for the two previous terms (in sequence). Advanced Placement for 2000-level courses may be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, to the extent allowed by university regulations.
  3. If a student skips a course or courses within the first- or second-year sequence, and successfully completes the next course with a grade of C or better, (s)he will receive credit for the course(s) skipped, since the first-or second-year courses are inherently sequential in nature.
  4. If a student chooses to challenge a course by examination, (s)he must score a minimum 80% on the final exam in order to receive credit.  The challenge by examination option is not available for FLSP 1010 and FLSP 1020. Please see the AU Bulletin on advance standing and credit for further information.
  5. A student may not challenge a course for credit if (s)he has previously taken the course and received a grade for it.
  6. A student may receive no more than a total of 8 credit hours through challenge by examination.

Transfer Credit Policy:

A student may transfer foreign language credits from another institution insofar as the credits are equivalent to Auburn courses. Credit for language courses not offered by Auburn may be allowed by the student's dean.

Issues Related to Transfer Credit:

Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 reflect the departmental interpretation of issues related to the transfer of foreign language credits and are for the purpose of administrative information only.

  1. If a student transfers to Auburn and has already completed a standard first-year college textbook, (s)he has satisfied the one-year foreign language requirement at Auburn. However, the student will receive only the number of hours in a foreign language which are transferable from another institution. In this case, the student must confer with the appropriate advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures.
  2. Advanced placement credit awarded by an accredited college can be transferred upon the approval of the appropriate language advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures provided that the placement policy is equivalent to the policy at Auburn University and that the first year sequence at the college completes the equivalent material. Advisors from other institutions are encouraged to provide copies of the syllabi for that purpose.
  3. In the case where advanced placement has not been granted by another institution for previous work in high school, advanced placement cannot automatically be granted and credit can only be received by completing a course at Auburn University.
  4. If a student transfers to Auburn, (s)he is strongly encouraged to consult with the language advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures for appropriate placement. If a student has received credit in a specific course at a certain level by transfer, (s)he may repeat the course at Auburn but will receive credit for both only if the course content is significantly different as determined by the appropriate advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages.

Aaron Holly, Philosophy/Religious Studies, Minor in German If anyone is sitting on the fence about studying abroad, I would tell them to take advantage of it while they can because there will be few other opportunities in life where you can live abroad for an extended period of time. It was also a lot of fun and a great way to get to know many different people.

Robert Weigel
6030 Haley Center
Auburn University, AL 36849
(334) 844-6350
weigerg@auburn.edu
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